‘Kungasa ngifile! Kungcono ngife kunokuthi ngikuvumele ushade naleya ntombazane!’ Kwasho umaMemela ememeza evutha amalangabi.

The title of this novel, translated freely into English is ‘Over my dead body’. And that is indeed the attitude Mrs Memela takes when her son informs her that he plans to marry Nokuthula.