Book 1: Streets Paved with Gold

This story is set during the 1970s when the movement of labour was severely restricted by legislation. Migrant workers were not allowed to live and work in the cities without a pass. When Simon Mhlangu was a young man, he disobeyed the law in order to live close to work. Twice, he was caught by the police and once he spent time in jail. Now, as a middle-aged married man with three children, Simon is unwilling to take risks and prefers to commute six hours a day by bus to and from his place of work. We follow a day in his life, admittedly, not a typical one. To-day, he is carrying a large sum of money to buy a wedding present for the daughter of a friend and neighbour. This makes him a target for tsotsis, or criminals. However, the criminals turn out to be the police and Simon learns a hard lesson. When he returns home in the evening, instead of the peace and quiet he is looking forward to, he discovers that his son, who is only a school boy, is involved in some sort of shady business. Simon blames himself for neglecting his family. What a day it has been! However, Simon is an optimist. To-morrow has to be better.