by Angelo Louw (Foreword by), Kabelo Togara Maleke Wa Ncube (Author)
In "Taverning After Nine," Paballo, a gay man in his 30s from a Johannesburg township, moves to a rural South African province and discovers that the local bars and taverns are hubs of alcohol abuse and fluid sexuality. To navigate this new world, he enlists the help of local bisexual Xolani and two gay friends, Happy and Sylvester. When he meets the elusive and charming Gabriel, who is bisexual and in the closet, they embark on an arduous months-long taverning journey together. However, Gabriel's true character is revealed through violence and criminal activity, which ultimately leads to a heartbreaking tragedy. Paballo must then navigate his grief and interrogate his choices in men and masculinity within the context of being a gay man in black low-income neighborhoods in South Africa. "Taverning After Nine" is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and identity in a complex world.