Remembering

​Author: Andile Gaelesiwe
Publisher: Tafelberg
Reviewer: Hazel Makuzeni
If you’re ever wanting to get a personal insight into the workings of the entertainment industry, Remembering is one of the books to get your hands on. A personal story of  much-celebrated media personality, Andile Gaelesiwe, this book exposes the murky world of an industry more often portrayed as glamorous and richly rewarding. Andile’s Remembering is a powerful testament of love, forgiveness, perseverance and triumph over abuse, cruelty and evil.

Born in the township of Meadowlands, Soweto, on September 13, 1973, Andile grew up in Phiriphiri Street surrounded by the richness of our country’s diversity. Her neighbour’s included Sotho, Tsonga, Xhosa and Venda families - helping her to become multilingual. A valuable asset later on with her TV career. Andile says she was a problem child - sulky, stubborn and hard to understand, she was also depressed early in life. Given the sexual abuse she suffered as a child this is hardly surprising. Her relationship with her mother (Dolly) was not an easy one. Her mother had her in her late teens. Dolly was a former model and singer and had had a hard life herself. Andile’s biological father had abused and abandoned her while she was pregnant. Andile often ran away from home where life was strained even though her mother had now settled with a wonderful man, Papa Gaelesiwe. It was during this time of strife that Andile connected with her biological father, meeting him without her mother’s knowledge.
These secret encounters with her father would lead to a catastrophic act – his rape of her in his apartment. Rape in our country is rife and this book sadly highlights the scourge. Andile would be senselessly beaten and raped again by a taxi driver who was taking her to the boarding school she was attending in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. At about sixteen she tried to commit suicide. Through all the trauma, the loss of innocence and the violation of her being, she found solace in music and spirituality. Her exposure to the entertainment industry began when, during the school holidays, she worked as a receptionist at Om Alec Khaoli’s Lyndhurst studio. It was here that she was introduced to the elite in the industry. It was here too that her singing talent was discovered by Om Alec. And, it was here also that she recorded her first album with singer/producer Joe Nina and Om Alec. Her first single ‘Abuti Yo’ was a national hit in 1996!  
But Andile had to break from her shell. During this sensational period she says, she went from being a nerdy girl to the “it” girl. She was opening up at concerts for legends such as Brenda Fassie, Lucky Dube and Jabu Khanyile. This was also the beginning of her journey to colouring her hair.
In this book Andile is reclaiming her power. She tells her truth and has no fear. She came out about her rape ordeal in 2001 – live on Yfm.  She talks about the sexual harassment she had to endure over the years in the industry and how she took on big men and won. It’s a cautionary tale to every young woman thinking of entering this business. Know who you are, embrace your values and worth. She left the music industry in 2004, refusing to sell her soul and compromise on her principles. Refusing to be exploited as an artist, she also talks about her love life, friends, spirituality, witchcraft, TV shows and Open Disclosure Foundation (ODF) - an organisation she started to support other survivors of sexual as well as other forms of abuse.  Her mother is now her number one fan. She’s the project manager at ODP.
Many of us know and adore Andile as the courageous heroine presenter of Khumbul’ekhaya on SABC 1. But in Remembering, she faces her demons and insecurities. She takes charge and now does things on her own terms. This book is her healing.    ​