The opening lines, “Her gums are bleeding, her eyes are swollen. Her sheer silk, knee-length negligee is torn and stained with lots of blood,” immediately drew me into Black Widow Society by Angel Makholwa, it all felt familiar – we encounter stories like this every day in 2024.

As we celebrate World Book Day, I think about this delightful end-of-year gift from a former colleague. It’s a beautifully crafted book featuring a pink and purple cover with a silver gun. Filled with intrigue, I couldn’t resist immersing myself in its pages!

Glancing at the back, I discovered it was a crime fiction novel set in 1994, focusing on a group of women who defy societal norms, refusing to compromise in marriage. The story unfolds within a widowed society initiated by three businesswomen with the mission of ending women’s abuse at the hands of men. The society hires a professional killer to eliminate abusive husbands.

Makholwa places women’s experiences of male violence front and centre, holding up a mirror to this dark side of what is considered New South Africa. However, like other female crime fiction authors, Makholwa reimagines the genre from a feminist standpoint. Let’s unpack that!

The women, initially broken, find strength within society and take control of their destinies. The strong female characters in Black Widow Society, encompassing different races, are independent, accomplished, wealthy professionals with a keen sense of style. They frequent elegant restaurants after work, adorned in new high heels, sipping Chardonnay. This is in contrast to a time when black female bodies were punished by laws governing physical movement, sexuality, labour, and even hairstyle in South Africa – still relevant today.

This portrayal reflects a white-centric understanding of femininity, oblivious to the intersecting effects of discrimination.

Last week, Kate Middleton disclosed her absence from the public eye as being due to cancer and its treatment. Given Meghan Markle’s treatment as a Duchess devoid of grace, should we extend more understanding to Kate Middleton? While Kate’s situation was met with laughter and moved on, sceptics, media outlets, and journalists have relentlessly attacked Meghan since her relationship with Harry became public, severely impacting her mental health. This discrepancy highlights how the experiences of a white woman are prioritised over those of another black woman rather than acknowledging that each woman faces their forms of oppression.

Staunch Makholwa fan and poet Asisipho (23) shared: “These women challenge dominant power and maintain control in an environment riddled with inequity and where women are frequently victims of crime. This was presented well because this fiction provides analogies to real-life circumstances”.

In post-apartheid South Africa, where Black women can earn an income, access to these lifestyles is viewed as a sign of Black “freedom”, and these women can be seen as feminist heroines. Decades ago, a Black woman was not allowed inside a restaurant unless employed there and lacked the resources to pamper herself. This symbolises independence and liberty rather than collaboration.

However, this access to a particular lifestyle is typically limited to a specific class of Black women, primarily middle to upper class. These women can afford to prioritise self-care and luxury without being hindered by childcare or financial constraints. Consequently, this notion of Black freedom remains elusive for those outside this socioeconomic bracket.

Nevertheless, it’s noteworthy that the women depicted are predominantly from the upper-middle class, challenging the common association of domestic violence with lower socioeconomic classes. Through the inclusion of women from diverse racial backgrounds, Makholwa seeks to illustrate that domestic abuse affects women of all races equally in South Africa.

Asisipho posited: “Makholwa’s writings are political, not in the way they are written, but in their meaning”.

However, this form of feminism falls short as it offers a selective portrayal of post-apartheid women. One could argue that, despite possessing economic and political influence, society still objectifies these women based on their appearance.

Moreover, a persistent bias undermines it, further entrenching South Africa’s divisions. These narratives unfold within exclusive elite circles, overlooking the vast majority of impoverished women and failing to capture the full scope of their experiences.

The discussions around the murders of Anene Booysens and Reeva Steenkamp illustrate this point. In the aftermath of 17-year-old Booysens’ brutal rape and murder in 2013 and the killing of 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp, the coverage showed a stark difference.

Media reports focused intensely on the graphic details of Booysens’ ordeal, with little effort to explore Anene Booysens’ true story. In contrast, coverage of Reeva Steenkamp included detailed accounts of her life, circle, lifestyle, opinions, and interests, revealing the underlying dynamics of race and class. Despite the common thread of gender-based violence in South Africa, the portrayal of these cases showed an apparent disparity.

Sharing these sentiments, Asisipho said, “This is where the feminism representation becomes tricky; there was not enough time spent on sociopolitical issues”.

The book criticises male aggression, yet the women themselves adopt and reinforce patriarchal power structures by using violence to liberate suffering wives. Makholwa appears to view this violence as a form of empowerment, but doesn’t it also contribute to the cycle?

I selected the Black Widow Society for World Book Day because it addresses various aspects of feminism and the experience of being a Black woman in South Africa, historically and in the present.

This work of this fiction serves as a vital first step towards a broader, more politically radical process of sparking change by revealing and challenging gendered structures.

Makholwa directly challenges traditional gender norms by depicting women as independent professionals with no desire for marriage, whose sexuality becomes both their strength and their vulnerability.

Considering the themes explored in Black Widow Society, I’m curious: which other books have you read that delve into similar themes of justice and feminism? Share your recommendations and reasons for the recommendation.