Louisa Zondo’s work has helped to shape the new South Africa, but  she has also faced intense grief and trauma, which came from the underside of the emerging nation’s complex social fabric.

As mother of much-loved music star Riky Rick, who tragically took his own life in 2022, Louisa Zondo’s loss was shared by millions, but it was also a uniquely deep, lonely and life-shattering grief. The loss of her beloved MaRiky also brought to the surface cataclysmic trauma from her past.

As Louisa Zondo takes her first small steps to facing her grief, she finds herself speaking to her son in a series of letters, gradually finding the words to express her love for him, and the pain of losing him. In expressing that love, she tells the story of her own life and the experiences that shaped her.

This brave journey brings Louisa to a deeper understanding of her life’s path, and closer to healing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Louisa Zondo is a lawyer and political activist who has held a number of high-profile roles in public life. She served as Deputy Executive Director of the Constitutional Assembly during South Africa’s transition from apartheid, going on to become Chief Executive of the South African Human Rights Commission in 1996. She has subsequently held a number of senior roles in public and non-profit sector organisations, most recently as Acting Executive Director of Oxfam South Africa. Along with other members of her family, Louisa is currently involved in establishing the Riky Rick Foundation in memory of her son Rikhado Makhado who died in February 2022.

Dearest MaRiky: A mother's journey through grief, trauma and healing is published by Jacana Media