Mettle
by Rupert Smith
(Anderson Books, R165)
When a mining tycoon dies, his friend and associate, Chris Mettle, is left to look after his assets, which are, quite frankly, a death trap.
Mettle is assigned as the new chief executive to the late mining magnate Shoes Mashaba’s company. Within the first few days in office, he realises the company’s dealings are not above board.
It is beset by shareholder irregularities, many involving prominent politicians and international interests.
He soon suspects Mashaba’s death is not accidental, but a murder which was meant to put him out of the picture once and for all. Why? No one knows, and the police are circumventing the case like the plague.
Mettle is eventually offered the opportunity to get in on major money-making acts, which he reluctantly agrees to.
When he’s thoroughly tied up in the assets of the dead man and his own illicit dealings, the house of cards comes tumbling down, which has him, and his consortium (some high profile) facing imprisonment and bankruptcy.
With his fate determined, the only way to escape the circumstances is to take part in further illegal acts that require the manipulation of the JSE and its stocks.
What happens in the end is like a poetic justice slap in the face. The story is based on the life and death of Brett Kebble, whom Smith knew quite well.
The story is told with intensity and deals incredibly well with the futility of it all and the pressures.
If not informed, one would never guess the book is based on real events, making it all the more intriguing.
With the excessive media coverage the saga attracted, besides being a good read, the book might clear up questions that niggle at the back of the minds of those who followed Kebble’s story.
A clear understanding of business lingo will elevate the tension of the story for the reader. Otherwise, this book is a haunting and poignant read. – Tshepo Tshabalala