Africa-Press – Eswatini. Sandile Masondo, a lecturer at William Pitcher Teacher Training College, has released his debut novel titled Desperate Measures, a deeply thought provoking story that reflects the realities of society, crime, and the desperate decisions people make under pressure.
Born and raised in Mbotjeni, a community just a walking distance from Hlatsi town, Masondo began his educational journey at Hlatikhulu Central, where he completed both primary and high school. Today, he teaches English Language and Literature at tertiary level, but has now taken his passion for storytelling beyond the classroom and onto the page.
Not All Criminals Are Born That Way
Desperate Measures is grounded in a powerful truth, not everyone who commits a crime is inherently a criminal. “Some are forced by circumstances and the challenges that life throws at them,” Masondo explains. This message forms the core of the novel, which explores how social and economic pressures can push individuals to commit desperate acts they might otherwise never consider.
A Title That Speaks to the Struggles of Humanity
The title, Desperate Measures, captures a recurring theme in the human experience, the fight for survival. “It symbolises a constant strife by humanity,” Masondo says. “Strenuous struggles may compel some people to commit the unthinkable in a bid to ease suffocation from the tentacles of life itself.” The book explores what happens when people are backed into a corner morally, emotionally, and socially and how those moments define us.
A First Book Rooted in Observation and Philosophy
Although this is his first published novel, Masondo has long been a writer. The story is inspired by a blend of real life observations, personal experiences, and reflections on life’s deeper meanings. “It embodies the social disintegration from sheer means of survival to downright dehumanisation,” he explains. “It’s about the human drive to break free.”
A Challenging Road to Publication
Publishing Desperate Measures was far from easy. The novel was released through a UK based publisher, and the costs were daunting. With the British pound trading at over 25 times the local currency, funding the process proved difficult. “The contract required more than 3000 pounds upfront, which translated to over E100 000. SNAT SACCO came through for me with their financial products,” he said. “Shipment alone cost nearly 1000 pounds, not to mention customs duties. But God saw me through.”
Holding Up a Mirror to Eswatini
Masondo describes the book as a mirror of Swazi society a story that speaks both to the local reader and the international audience unfamiliar with life in Eswatini. “It tells our story as a people to the rest of the world, who know little to nothing about us,” he says. “It unravels how we live and how we survive under dire circumstances.”
An Emotional Journey for the Reader
Readers can expect to feel deeply as they follow the story’s twists and turns. Masondo promises a roller coaster of emotions joy, love, pain, and reflection. “We shall laugh, love, hate, curse, praise, and even shed a tear or two,” he says. “But the bottom line is the message: crime doesn’t pay. Even if you get away with it, your conscience will suffer and eventually, the law catches up.”
A Dream Realised
Publishing the book brought Masondo more than just pride, it reaffirmed his belief in persistence. “It gave me the scope that nothing can stand in my way if I’m determined,” he says. “If one has a dream, its fulfilment is not far fetched. Give it your best shot, focus, and things will fall into place.”
Where to Get the Book
Desperate Measures is available for purchase on Amazon. Local readers can also get a copy directly from the author.“I still have quite a number,” he says. “I doubt there will be a launch I’m quite a private person who won’t invite any spotlight to myself.”
More Stories to Come
Though this is his first published work, Masondo has written several other novels that remain unpublished due to financial limitations. He also writes short stories and poetry and he intends to keep going. “I’m always writing,” he says. “One day, all of them will be in hard copies. All that Ihave written will one day be known to the world through publishing.”
Masondo’s story is not just about becoming an author, it’s about perseverance, identity, and the courage to speak through fiction. In Desperate Measures, he shares a piece of Eswatini with the world. And through his words, the world is beginning to listen.
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