The book about the young woman – Khwezi who accused Jacob Zuma of raping her has already attained best-seller status less than a month after its release.


The book was written by Radio personality and award-winning author Redi Tlhabi.


Redi’s book titledKhwezi: The Remarkable Story of Fezekile Ntsukela Kuzwayowas launched in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

The Hyde Park shopping centre was filled to the brim on Wednesday ahead of the launch of the former talk show host’s book on Khwezi.



Speaking at the launch, Radio talk show host and author Eusebius McKaiser‚ who interviewed Redi at the event confirmed that the book was doing well in the market.







“Redi Tlhabi‚ in less than two weeks‚ has had two print runs. The publishers are on the third print run already and over 10‚000 copies.
As we speak the top-selling book in the country is Khwezi‚” Eusebius said at the launch.



According to Exclusive Books’ GM of marketing‚ Ben Williams, the book was one of the top-selling books on the shelves. A staff member at Jonathan Ball publishers also confirmed that the book is doing well on shelves and it’s number one in the Nielsen best sellers’ list.



And in case you are wondering, Redi would not pocket a dime from the sales of the book. Every dime made from the sales would go to late Khwezi’s family.


Apparently, Redi didn’t have her eyes on the profit when she took the task of writing the book. She said she embarked on the project because “we need to start reflecting on power relations in our society‚ whether from gender‚ the economy and whatever”.



The subject of the book, Khwezi‚ who was HIV-positive‚ accused President Jacob Zuma‚ who was at the time the deputy president of the country‚ of raping her at his home in Johannesburg in 2005.



Consequently, Zuma denied this‚ saying the sex was cons£nsu@l. He was found not guilty of the charges in 2006.



Shortly after the trial, Khwezi had to go into exile as there were threats against her.
Nevertheless, she returned to the country last year and passed away after many years of living with HIV.



Redi said Zuma was given so many moments in court to acknowledge that he abused his power. However, the president insisted on his innocence in the case.





Meanwhile, Tlhabi’s Twitter account was hacked over the weekend, something she said could possibly have political intent as her book has been used as a political talking point, dividing opinion.


Tlhabi said on Saturday she found the hacking “highly disturbing that something like this would happen in a week where I have received reports that people are trying to use my book to influence the ANC’s elective conference.”


Hopefully, it doesn’t get nasty in the future.