Genre fiction
Narrator Hangwi Liphadzi
Language english
An African Tragedy (published in 1928) is a pioneering short novel by Reginald Richard Raymond Dhlomo—often credited as the first English-language novel by a Black South African. The story explores the devastating impact of colonialism, Westernization, and racial inequality on African identity and family life. The novel follows Dingane, a young African man raised in a traditional rural setting who becomes drawn to the allure of urban, Westernized life after receiving missionary education. Believing that assimilation into European culture will elevate his status, Dingane moves to the city and attempts to adopt Western values, customs, and ambitions—abandoning his rural roots and community in the process. However, his quest for personal advancement comes at a steep cost. In the city, he is met with systemic racism, cultural alienation, and moral decay. Dingane becomes entangled in relationships and decisions that gradually strip him of his dignity and identity. His failure to reconcile traditional African values with colonial expectations leads to personal and familial ruin, culminating in a tragic downfall.