Crossing The River

Fifteen-year-old Nozizwe and her family are on the run from the Zimbabwean farm where her family lives and works. Invaded by war veterans, the black labourers were taken away, apparently to be sold into slavery in the Congo. Nozizwe’s courageous aunt Queenface has led the family to the Limpopo, but it is in crossing the river that Nozizwe’s older sister, Nomfundo, is attacked by a crocodile. Despite Precious’s heroic attempted rescue, Nomfundo is fatally wounded. This is the first trauma of many – as they leave the river, the family will be picked up by human traffickers and imprisoned in a camp. Nozizwe’s deep voice helps her take the guise of a boy, Sizwe. Impressed on by Queenface to flee and expose the horrors unfolding at the camp, Sizwe escapes, and eventually makes her way to Johannesburg, where she is sure she will find help. The problem is, no one seems to believe her story, and soon Sizwe is living on the streets. It is by pure chance (or is it?) that she is knocked over by a car belonging to an open-minded academic with connections not only to a detective but also to spiritual realms. Perhaps her late sister has been guiding her all along . . .