A Sociological Perspective on Drug Mishandling in Contemporary Sesotho Literature: An Analysis of Brian Makara’s Poem ‘Sethethefatsi’
Soyiso Khetoa 
Issue: Vol.6 No.6 Article 20 pp.923 – 932
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256620 | Published online 23rd May, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
This study examines the social representation of drug abuse in Brian Makara’s poem “Sethethefatsi.” The prevalence of drug abuse among South African township youth has increased dramatically. This has resulted in the development of diverse intervention techniques at multiple levels across the country. In response to the drug endemic, literary writers like Makara use their art to raise awareness of this pervasive issue. This study argues that poetry serves as a valuable medium for exploring social phenomena because literature often reflects societal experiences. This study is underpinned by the theory of the sociology of literature, which views poetry as a reflection of society, social commentary, and the expression of a collective’s consciousness. This research adopts a desktop qualitative research approach to analyse how drugs are represented in Makara’s poem. The findings reveal that Makara personifies drugs for two reasons: (a) to portray drugs as an “individual” with harmful intentions infiltrating society; and (b) to depict drugs as a product of those who undermine societal values, whose intention is to obstruct societal development and sustainability. The study demonstrates that literary texts are valuable sources that engage with societal issues. Furthermore, the study signals that the contemporary Sesotho literature critically examines societal challenges that warrant political and policy interventions.
Keywords: Drugs, Literature, Sociology, African Literature
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Dr. Soyiso Khetoa is a sociolinguist and the current Head of Department of African Languages at the University of the Witwatersrand in the School of Literature, Language and Media, who is making a notable impact to the field of African languages sociolinguistics. With a diverse and robust academic portfolio, Dr. Khetoa has authored numerous journal articles and book chapters, with additional research articles under review for publication. His scholarly interests span a wide range of topics, including multilingualism, translanguaging, language teaching and learning, humanizing teaching pedagogy, the re-intellectualization of African languages, socio-onomastics, narrative arts, and language ideologies. Dr. Khetoa has presented his research at prestigious conferences locally and internationally, sharing insights that shape contemporary sociolinguistic discourse. In addition to his academic endeavors, he serves as a peer reviewer for various esteemed academic journals, playing a pivotal role in advancing research and scholarship in his field.
Khetoa, Soyiso. “A Sociological Perspective on Drug Mishandling in Contemporary Sesotho Literature: An Analysis of Brian Makara’s Poem ‘Sethethefatsi’,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no.6 (2025): 923 – 932. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256620
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
