Jackie Phamotse Launches ‘Bare VI: The Big Five Cartel,’ Inspired by General Mkhwanazi
- Jackie Phamotse launched her sixth book in the BARE series, exploring a criminal cartel linked to drug trafficking and contract killings in South Africa
- The controversial author revealed that KZN Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's July 2025 media briefing reignited her writing courage
- Phamotse dedicated the book to Mkhwanazi, drawing a bold comparison between him and a late revolutionary leader
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Jackie Phamotse is back with her most daring release yet. The bestselling author officially launched Bare VI: The Big Five Cartel, a new addition to her popular BARE series that digs into the shadowy underbelly of wealth and crime in South Africa.
Phamotse, who has previously published titles including The Blessers' Game and I Tweet What I Like...Sue Me, said the book was partly sparked by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's July 2025 media briefing, which sent shockwaves through South Africa's political circles.
"It gave me bravery I haven't had for a while. General Mkhwanazi stood in front of all of us in a manner that reminded me of Thomas Sankara. I was like, 'That's exactly who I, as a writer, need to look up to and draw strength and resilience.'"
Why she dedicated it to Mkhwanazi
Phamotse did not hold back on how significantly the commissioner's public stand affected her personally and creatively. She revealed to DailySUN that his revelations and courage ultimately shaped the direction of the book.
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"I dedicate this book to him because he reminded me of the leaders we should have, the dads we should have, the brothers we should have, the police force we should have."
Beyond the criminal elements, the author said she also wanted to pull back the curtain on how South Africa's truly wealthy live, arguing that the reality looks nothing like the polished images circulated on social media.
"It's not the people you see in the movies. It's real South Africans who truly have wealth," she said, suggesting that readers may be surprised by just how different the picture is from what popular culture portrays.
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What Is the Big Five Cartel?
At the heart of the new book is the Big Five Cartel, an alleged sophisticated criminal network operating within South Africa and reportedly involved in drug trafficking and coordinating contract killings. The cartel has also been referenced at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, lending weight to the real-world events that informed Phamotse's storytelling.
She admitted that researching the book was no easy task, describing how she fell deep into a rabbit hole while trying to translate real events into fiction. The challenge, she said, lay in weaving factual incidents into a narrative without losing the truth behind them.
Jackie Phamotse bemoans electricity costs in SA
In an earlier report, Briefly News shared Jackie Phamotse's frustrations about the rising costs of electricity in South Africa.
Mzansi joined the conversation, with social media users calling for action as households battle expensive electricity and water bills.
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Source: Briefly News
