Commendation: Leba Seipone
Sanlam Prize for Youth Literature 2002: Silver
Leba Seipone (Look in the mirror) is a teenage novel with self-acceptance as its theme. It is a story about Motswagauteng, born of a white man and a black woman. His mother took him back to Motsitlane, the village where his grandparents lived. He grew up in an environment in which he was continuously mocked by the village people because of his skin colour. To them he was considered to be a Bushman. His grandmother, however, comforted him by encouraging him to look in the mirror and to believe in the person who was reflected in it.
When his grandparents died, he was left in the care of his uncle Mosala. While tending the goats one got lost. He was severely punished. After this treatment Motswagauteng ran away from his newly acquired home, but was captured by a gang known for trade in children. However, before any sale could take place he was helped to escape by the woman who guarded him during his captivity.

After his release he managed to get to Vryburg, where he met some street children like himself - not black, not white. However, they too refused to accept Motswagauteng. From here he experienced many things. He went to Gauteng, where he finally was taken care of by an old white woman. Her friend, who turned out to be the lady for whom his grandmother used to work, took him back to Vryburg to live with her. She sent him to school and he became involved in the racial frictions there.

Thanks to his co-operation with the police the gang involved in child trade was uncovered. The lady who saved him from the gang turned state witness. During her testimony it was revealed that she was in fact his mother and the identity of his father also became known. These discoveries played a major role in allowing Motswagauteng to come to recognise his own identity and it contributed to the improvement of his self-esteem.

After these revelations he met his childhood friend, and he returned to Motsitlane where he discovered his grandmother's mirror in the ruins of what was once her home. He picked it up, looked at his reflection and recalled his grandmother's words of wisdom: Only be the person that you see in the mirror. Leba Seipone is a realistic and convincing story which deals with the problems existing in our society today. People are often not accepted for who they are, but for their status and material worth. However, in the end it is only through self-acceptance and self-esteem that one can live with honour.

This is not only a teenage novel but it deepens the understanding of the hurt one may experience when not accepted by others in society because of factors not under your control.

It gives me great pleasure to recommend that the Silver Sanlam Prize for Youth Literature (Sotho Languages) be awarded to Kabelo Kgatea for his Setswana novel Leba Seipone.

June le Roux
Adjudicator

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