DIPLOMATIC TIES, a novel

290pp., paperback, MacMillan, Johannesburg, 2025

ISBN: 9781770109650

From the bustling township of Mamelodi to the heart of European diplomacy in Brussels, ambitious young diplomat Mbali Langa has fought for every opportunity – and sacrificed more than she cares to admit.

When an illicit affair threatens to destroy her career, caught between duty, love and the weight of her past, she must decide how far she’s willing to go to secure the future she’s always dreamed of.

"A searing portrait of a sharp-minded, newly minted female diplomat in a world that showcases stunning contrasts - Mamelodi poverty and Belgian opulence, transactional sex and genuine love, corruption and integrity." Futhi Ntshingila, author of Shameless and They Got to You Too

Mpho Boshego served as a South African diplomat in Belgium from 2007 to 2011, spending two of those years in the role of diplomatic spouse. She has also worked in communications and media relations portfolios for EY Africa and SA Tourism. Diplomatic Ties is her debut novel.