The house in the Bo-Kaap had been lovingly tended by Maria, who also worked as an outsourced cleaner in the English Department. When students and workers protested against the outsourcing of labour at the university, John Coetzee ignored the controversy until it went away. People said he didn’t even know Maria’s surname, but that may have been a malicious rumour.

I bet he misses her quiet, efficient presence now.

I try to marshal my thoughts. This is it. This is the moment I’ve been dreaming of since I first read his book. This is my chance to state my case. I mustn’t blow it.

When we each have a mug of tea in our hands, he sits down and inclines his head politely to show he is ready to listen.

“You must see how flawed it is to liken the restoration of black power in South Africa to a group of black men gang-raping a white woman,” I begin. “At the best of times, rape analogies should be used with circumspection, if at all. If any people could justly be described as the rapists of South African history, it is the white colonists.”

“You are assuming that the net effect of colonialism was bad for Africa. I would question your premise. History is still being made. It is too early to assess the overall impact of colonialism yet.”

“I don’t believe you would find many theorists from any disciplines who would agree with you.”

“You’d be surprised. You see, we’re allowed to talk about things like that here. It is so freeing, you can’t imagine. Things that I would be lynched for saying in South Africa are calmly and openly discussed here in Australia. Like whether colonialism was good for Africa, and had the effect of drawing it into the global economy to the benefit of all its citizens.”

“I think you’ll find that the end of colonialism was good for Africa, and that the improvement in people’s lives is a function of the postcolonial era.”

“Where would Africa be if Europeans had never colonised it?”

I have to restrain myself from retorting. I have no idea whether he believes this white supremacist dogma or whether he is just spouting it to wind me up. It doesn’t matter. I have to say what I want to say while I have the opportunity.

“Do you know what is just as flawed as casting black men as rapists? It is your decision to make Lucy accept the justice of her rape. She refuses to point a finger at her rapists because she chooses to take the sins of colonialism upon her own body, to accept her punishment as just. She welcomes the baby she is carrying as a messianic figure that will overcome the darkness of South Africa’s past.”

Coetzee smirks. “I know. It’s what critics have particularly praised about my book.”

“Have you ever heard of intersectionality, Professor?”