A Memoir of a Third World Child
Bestselling author of KasiNomics and KasiNomic Revolution
You may have read GG Alcock’s books about the kasi economy; now follow his journey to the dynamic world of KasiNomics and learn about the tribal forces that shaped him.
Born White Zulu Bred is the story of a white child and his brother raised in poverty in a Zulu community in rural South Africa during the apartheid era. His extraordinary parents, Creina and Neil Alcock, gave up lives of comfort and privilege to live and work among the destitute people of Msinga, whose material and social well-being became their mission.
But more than that, this is a story about life in South Africa today which, through GG’s unique perspective, explores the huge diversity of the country’s people – from tribal Zulu warriors to sophisticated urban black township entrepreneurs. A journey from the arid wastes of Msinga into the thriving informal economies of urban townships.
GG’s view is that we do not live in a black and white world but in a world of contrast and diversity, one which he wants South Africans, and a world audience, to see for what it is without descending into racial and historical clichés. He takes us through the mazes of township marketplaces, shacks and crowded streets to reveal the proud and dignified world of township entrepreneurs who are transforming South Africa’s economy. This is the world that he moves in today as a successful businessman, still walking those spaces and celebrating the vibrant informal economies that are taking part in the KasiNomic Revolution.
GG’s story is about being truly African, even as a white person, and it draws on the adventures, the cultural challenges, the informal spaces and the future possibilities of South Africa.
* Previously published in 2014 as Third World Child (now updated with new chapters and content).
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
GG Alcock was born in Msinga, then one of the most poverty-stricken and violent parts of KwaZulu-Natal. His activist parents, Neil and Creina Alcock, raised their two sons in a mud hut with no running water, electricity or modern conveniences and they grew up like young Zulu boys, herding goats and hunting small animals. Zulu reared and bred, the boys learnt the essence of how to survive in a harsh world – valuable skills that have undoubtedly contributed to GG’s success as an entrepreneur.
GG has been at times a shebeen owner, political activist, community worker and African adventurer. Fluent in Zulu and conversant in most South African ethnic languages, he was the founder of Minanawe Marketing, a leading activations business in the kasi sector.
He is a regular speaker on a range of topics – from business to motivational to trend talks on subjects including entrepreneurship, the informal market, diversity and culture, marketing communications to the mass market and the route to market strategies for the informal sector.
To request a review copy of Born White Zulu Bred, an excerpt from the book, and/or an interview with GG Alcock please contact Tracey McDonald on tracey@ilovebooks.co.za.
BOOK DETAILS
TITLE: Born White Zulu Bred
SUB-TITLE: A Memoir of a Third World Child
AUTHOR: GG Alcock
PRINT RECOMMENDED RETAIL PRICE: R350 (VAT Incl)
PRINT ISBN: 978-1-998958-69-6
eISBN: 978-1-998958-70-2
EXTENT: 300 pages
FORMAT: Trade Paperback (235mm h x 153mm w)
GENRE: Non-Fiction
CATEGORY: Memoir / Business
PUBLISH DATE: April 2023
PUBLISHER: Tracey McDonald Publishers
EMAIL: tracey@ilovebooks.co.za
WEBSITE: www.traceymcdonaldpublishers.com
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