Mam'Mkhize chats about unmasking herself in her new book 'My World, My Rules'

“It was really imperative for me to narrate the story so that they will know where I come from”

27 April 2023 - 14:00
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MamKhize launched her memoir on Tuesday night
MamKhize launched her memoir on Tuesday night
Image: Instagram/ Shauwn Mkhize

Wealthy businesswoman Shauwn 'Mam'Mkhize' Mkhize is convinced people don't know her story. That's why she decided to put pen to paper and let readers page through her real life.

The businesswoman, whose luxurious life is in full view on her socials, has had a successful reality TV show and judging by her collection of pricey cars and big mansion she's done well for herself.

Speaking to TshisaLIVE, Mam'Mkhize said her memoir My World, My Rules was written in a year. 

“The process was never easy because it came to a point where I had to face my fears that I had and deal with them, try to send them to the reader in a way that she understood and will be able to understand and put them as they are supposed to be. You know confronting some of your fears it's not an easy thing to do,” she said.

“It's about healing, that's number one, because there were some  parts where I haven't healed from and I wasn't ready to confront and face them. The first part is the healing and the second part is accepting the person that I am today and allowing whatever that's gonna come forward to come into my life as a free person. Yes, I think I had my own therapy, the book has helped me in therapy form. You know sometimes you will sit with a therapist in front of you and try to engage a therapist who doesn't understand your story but for me that doctor was me writing this book.”

She says she wanted to devote herself fully to the book and didn't want it to be outshone by her other accomplishments. 

“The only reason I've been putting it on hold is because there have been many milestones I've been achieving on the way. I felt like the book needed to stand out and I wanted it not to be clouded with all the achievements that I have. I wanted it to stand on its own so that it gets the mileage and it gets to the people that it needs to get to. This book was a healing process for me and it was therapy for me but it can help someone else as well.

“I can tell you now that whatever is in the book is filling in the gaps, because people have never known my journey. They never knew where I came from and there was a gap. They only know Mam'Mkhize that they think everything is rosy and nice so it was really imperative for me to narrate the story so that they will know where I come from, what are the tribulations I've went through and I still woke up and I still moved on.”

Reflecting on Freedom Day she said it's an important day because people died fighting for others to have freedom.

“We are fortunate because when we came in the road was paved for us and it was paved in a proper way that we are able to work in places that we were never able to in the past. It allowed us, as women particularly, to say we can do things we were not able to do. So this day is important for all of us, especially women because there are people that fought for us to be where we are today. When we talk about the times we are living in, we talk about gender inequality and its still there, but at least as women we are able to push boundaries and play in the same field as men.”

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