‘Whoonga!’ – a story of resilience, courage and triumph
"The scourge of whoonga, a toxic mixture of heroin, dagga and HIV medication, is rampant in the townships of South Africa."
English author William Blake famously said the fallacy of old age is that old men do not become wiser, they become more careful.
This however, is certainly not the case with Dr Gerry Murphy who has lived a life few could match up to and is now publishing the latest in a range of books.
‘Whoonga!’ is a contemporary fictional story of resilience and courage and the triumph of the human spirit against overwhelming odds.
The story is set in a South Africa plagued by drugs, racism, inequality, poverty, unemployment, homophobia, xenophobia, corruption and the legacy of apartheid.
But above all, it is a love story of hope and redemption.
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Murphy, who has been involved in rural education in South Africa, said he learnt a lot about township scourges such as whoonga and nyope in his years in the field.
“It is important to note that this is very much a local book,” he said.
“It is set in Shaka’s Head and details things we all deal with on a day to day basis, from taxis onward.”
Whoonga! will be published by Umsinsi Press and Murphy said he hopes it will be available in local bookstores later this year.
Another of his novels, a thriller called ‘Shake Hands with the Devil’ will be published early 2019.
“The scourge of whoonga, a toxic mixture of heroin, dagga and HIV medication, is rampant in the townships of South Africa,” Murphy explained.
“Children as young as nine years are hooked on it and wreaking havoc in their lives and the lives of their families.”
Dr Murphy trained as a teacher and taught in England and Germany. Although never having formally attended a university, he obtained numerous degrees through private study.
This eccentric and flamboyant Irishman is the author of seven books and was once a professional heavyweight champion under the name Sean Regan. He now lives quietly with his wife Charlotte in the beautiful Simbithi Eco Estate and divides his time between walking, writing and motivational speaking.
To learn more about the fascinating, wild life he has lived, visit his website: www.seanregan.net.
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