Triumphs and Heartaches

Mosibudi Mangena has been a life-long member of the Black Consciousness Movement, which led to his incarceration on Robben Island from 1973 to 1978. After his release, he went into exile in 1981, spending time in Botswana and Zimbabwe, before returning to South Africa in 1994. Triumphs & Heartaches: A Courageous Journey by South African Patriots provides fascinating insight into Mangena’s varied life, including his time as the leader of AZAPO and his service in government as the deputy minister of Education and then the minister of Science and Technology.


Mangena provides an insider’s view of life in exile as a political refugee followed by the hardships of repatriation and the hard-won successes of democracy. He reflects eloquently on the role of Black Consciousness and its potential place in the future of South Africa, and does not flinch from exploring the disappointments of the liberation struggle and the challenges that lie ahead for the country.