There is greatness among us, ordinary cape flats people doing extraordinary things. But we coloured people are constantly portrayed as toothless, drug-addicted skollies. At age 44, while I can do with a better dental plan, I am none of these things writes Gasant Abarder in a new #SliceofGasant.
Abarder, who recently launched his book, Hack with a Grenade, is among the country’s most influential media voices. Catch his weekly column here, exclusive to Cape {town} Etc.
So, imagine my surprise when on Sunday night an acquaintance sent me [this tweet]. What in the name of Jan van Riebeeck? So, all the diverse people are depicted in beautiful pictures draped in the South African flag, and traditional garb and looking proudly as a representative of their cultures? But the coloured mense is shown as toothless, tracksuit-wearing guys, flashing their dentures?
It moved me to ask Africa Facts Zone (“Facts”, nogal) in response to its ‘Rainbow Nation’ tweet in my best Afrikaans: Is julle dan jas?
The Cape Flats I grew up in produced coloured people who have made their mark in the world. Jakes Gerwel, Adam Small, Benni McCarthy, Desiree Ellis, Chester Williams, Cheslin Kolbe, Ashwell Prince, Paul Adams, Dulcie September, Cheryl Carolus… you catch my drift?
Take Yusuf Daniels as an example. A guy from the Cape Flats who has written two consecutive bestsellers with another two already on the shelves and on the way to becoming bestsellers too. A fifth is being launched later this month. Yusuf did all of this in just three-and-a-half years and with no prior experience or training as a writer. Significantly, Yusuf has his own teeth too.
His first two bestseller books ‘Living Coloured (because black & white were already taken)’ and ‘Living Lekka – from Mitchells Plain to Aeroplane’ has turned South African publishing on its head. The third book, ‘Living the Hustle – Dala What You Must’ and the fourth, ‘Living with Dragons – Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire’ are on the same trajectory. The newest instalment ‘He Said, She Said – How Not to Be A [email protected] Ex-Husband/Wife’, will be launched on the 27th of August.
Yusuf possesses a rare quality: he writes the way he speaks. He wrote his books the way people on the Cape Flats communicate, embracing Afrikaaps in all its richness and with that special brand of humour.
You can gobble his books up in one sitting because they’re real page-turners. The first one especially is a trip down memory lane for anyone who grew up on the Flats. From the special places where we played games unique to the area we called home, family camping and picnic trips with all the shenanigans and embellished school sports stories. You’ll find yourself either nodding in agreement at the nostalgia or laughing out loud.
“For someone who has never written before my first book release, I find writing to be a lot of fun. Especially the storytelling part,” Yusuf tells me modestly.
“The idea purely came from my Creator. It started with a groin injury, laying on an acupuncture bed, and being bored. That’s when I wrote my first story. That’s why I call myself ‘the accidental author’.”
As the titles of his books suggest, he writes about our childhoods growing up on the Cape Flats during apartheid, travelling the world as a flight attendant, raising children, and relations between ex-husbands and wives. And they’re all hilariously gritty.
His secret, Yusuf, 52, will tell you is that he is a hustler. The single dad of three children – aged 21, 18 and 12 – just keeps knocking down doors and will probably break a few South African publishing records. He is generous with his time too. I’ve seen him countless times listening to everyone who believes they have a story to tell and encouraging them to write books as well.
After his first book through a publisher, Yusuf decided to go it alone despite being warned of the perils of the business. If you know Yusuf, such a warning will only serve as further encouragement. After the first bestseller, another author would have been tempted to go the same route. The second bestseller was published by YDP – Yusuf Daniels Publishing.
“My advice to others is to keep on hustling and putting yourself out there. When it’s your time, great things will come your way. And when it’s there, work even harder than before and share it with the world,” he says.
“I’m an auctioneer by trade, now writing full-time as well. I do writers’ workshops at schools and for the public.”
We have our very own JK Rowling. Yusuf inspires me each time I have a bout of writer’s block. Just a short conversation outside school leaves me invigorated. He is the bestselling author, pro-footballer, lawyer, doctor, intellectual and musician that lives in this vibrant community that I’m a part of.
So ya’ll better recognise that I’m coloured. Just be lekka!
Yusuf’s books are available at leading bookstores.
Also Read:
Picture: Gasant Abarder
