Book review 11: Dikgang Moseneke My Own Liberator

I was not initially planning to purchase My Own Liberator. My intention was to buy All Rise by Dikgang Moseneke. 

However, I decided to begin with My Own Liberator because I wanted to understand the author more deeply before reading his later work. 

Whenever I discover an author with  previously published books, I enjoy retracing their journey from the beginning. I must say,  I am grateful I did so with this book. 

Please do not be alarmed by my silence-I am still reading, only struggling to find time to write. 

For the new readers joining this platform: here we read and reflect on books written by African authors. Through these reflections, we engage with lived African realities while contributing to conversations around governance, public policy and social development. 

Lately ,  the news headlines  in South Africa have become increasingly  difficult to process. 

The growing tension surrounding undocumented foreign nationals, alarming youth unemployment statistics, escalating crime rates, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s impeachment discussion and the approaching local government elections all point to a society under immense pressure.  

Local government elections are among the most important democratic processes in South Africa because local government directly impacts service delivery. Municipalities are the heartbeat of our society. For this reason, we must not only encourage citizens to vote,  but also create platforms that educate people about the importance of civic participation and voter education. 

Why mention all of this before reviewing the book?

Because Ntate Mosenke throughout My Own Liberator, interrogates the relationship between power, politics, justice and liberation. 

Ideally, political leaders are elected to address the socioeconomic challenges and serve the public interest. Yet, what we continue to witness is often opposite. The conduct of politicians has become disconnected from the true ideals of liberation. 

This growing disconnect is exactly why My Own Liberator remains such an important read.

At its core, the book reminds us that liberation is not always something handed to us by political systems or leaders. Sometimes, liberation begins with consciousness, accountability and the courage to reclaim our own agency.

Perhaps now, more than ever, South Africans are being called to become their own liberators.

Book 11 of 2026

Revolutionary read. 

Phiwe Mncwabe is a pan-African storyteller, blogger and founder of Botlhale Hub Afrika.

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