‘On the day he died, Lesedi came to Soil of Africa in Malelane and met a whole bunch of local people. I think he was genuinely moved by what they told him about the evictions and so on. But it didn’t stop there. After he left us he called Willemse, told him about meeting the people at Soil of Africa and exactly what he thought of the whole land-sales business. Apparently he’d told Willemse he wanted this deal, the Mpumalanga one, done differently. “Above board” was the way he put it.’

‘How do you know all this?’

‘He told me. He called me back and said he wanted to meet me urgently. He didn’t want anyone else around so we met on the road. In the morning, at the meeting, he’d been full of life. When I met him that second time he was scared, nervous. Willemse had threatened him. Told him he didn’t know what he was getting into. Said his father would end up in jail. Lesedi had hit back – said if his father was jailed, he’d make sure Willemse joined him there. He told me he had all the details. He said he could have emailed it to the papers right there and then if he had wanted to. He said he knew where the skeletons were buried.’

‘It still doesn’t mean they can actually pin anything on you, Kagiso,’ she said. ‘As far as I can make out, this is a fight between Lesedi, his father and Willemse.’

‘Wait, I’m not finished. Willemse had asked him, Lesedi, if he’d discussed going public with me. Lesedi had said yes. It was a lie. When he left the first time all he’d said to me was that he would do his best for the people. But he said he was so angry with Willemse he’d told him I knew all about the deals, how farmers were being bribed so they would keep quiet.’

Lindi pressed the sides of her forehead with her fingertips. She was beginning to understand just how deeply Kagiso was implicated.

‘Apparently Willemse had said Soil of Africa was finished – I was finished. Lesedi told me Willemse was a thug – that was what he called him – and he was worried for me.’

‘Worried for you?’

‘That’s what he said, Ma. He said Willemse would stop at nothing. You see, as far as Willemse is concerned, I’m now on the list of those people who know how the deals are done and who’s doing them.’

‘I’m sorry, but it still doesn’t make sense. Willemse could have had you picked up at the funeral. If your take on what Lesedi said is right, why did they pass up the chance to pull you in?’