The Moltenos of the Cape, by Selina Molteno and Robert Molteno (used)

Second-hand copy — condition: like new.

The Moltenos of the Cape tells the story of a remarkable family of Anglo-Italian origin at the Cape. The commanding figure was Sir John Charles Molteno, the first prime minister of the Cape Colony, who fought fiercely for South African interests. His children included Percy, a director of the Union Castle Line and a politician in the UK; Betty, a radical in touch with many advanced thinkers; and Charlie, who opposed Cecil Rhodes and was instrumental in keeping Bechuanaland out of his hands. The book also follows Barkly, who joined the British navy, fought slavers near Zanzibar and commanded a warship at the battle of Jutland. In the next generation, Donald earned the Xhosa name Dilizintaba ('Remover of mountains') for his staunch opposition to segregationist policies. Leading members of the family sought to bridge the divides between black and white, and English- and Afrikaans-speaking South Africans. The account is based primarily on original sources, including interviews, private correspondence and archival material.

Selina Molteno was arrested under apartheid and worked for the Anti-Apartheid Movement in London. Her co-author, the late Robert Molteno, was a lecturer at the University of Zambia and an editor at Zed Books in London.

Routledge & UNISA. Paperback, 264 pages. ISBN 9781776152223.