
We all have those moments that redefine who we are in the course of life. Sometimes these moments spring from unexpected, challenging circumstances that require extraordinary strength to navigate. My redefining moment came in 1994, the year of our freedom which for me was the year that jubilation met grief. This was the time that brought to light my past and my future which is summarized in the April 27 date and the number 427.
After losing her beloved grandmother in the small town of Warrenton, Buyiswa embarks on a journey to recover from grief while pursuing her career dreams. In her grief’s wake, she finds love with a man freshly returned from exile. The new couple soon relocate to the capital city, Pretoria, where they marry and start a family. Their life is filled with constant diplomatic travel… until their once-blissful marriage turns abusive and ends in a harrowing divorce. This experience confronts Buyiswa with the harshest realities of life and her purpose within it.
When they say God can turn a mess into a message, they mean Buyiswa. From living as a diplomat in a lavish mansion to facing divorce and unemployment, Buyiswa finds herself in an old one-bedroom flat with nowhere to go but on a quest for redemption. She seeks the ancient path, and in doing so, discovers far more than she bargained for.
Underneath the suffering and the divorce, God had hidden a purpose and the plan of restoration, not only for Buyiswa but also for the nation of South Africa. This purpose was revealed in the number 27 that kept on showing up everywhere. The number 27 which is a total number of the New Testament books of the Bible, carries a prophetic meaning “Holy Truth” while Buyiswa means “Restoration”, hence the title Buyiswa 27.za.
This story challenges the reader to draw parallels in the history of South Africa and the biblical narrative of suffering, exile, forgiveness, healing, the quest for peace and restoration. Join Buyiswa her profound journey to understand how God imbues a name with purpose.

About the Author
Sally Eichhorst
Buyiswa Jane Mmetseng-Johnson is a South African woman born in Warrenton in the Northern Cape, South Africa. She has Nguni ancestry but was raised in the Christian setswana culture within the Anglican church of Southern Africa and currently born again by the Word of God. Buyiswa qualified as a school teacher but later advanced her qualifications with a post graduate diploma in public management and an Honour’s Degree in public administration. She started her career in the administration line of government where she is currently still working as an Assistant Director.
Buyiswa is a first-time author who published her debut nonfiction book “Buyiswa 27.za-Intersecting Politics and Religion: The Story of a South African Woman.” This debut is not just a non-fiction work but a mission to break the barrier between South Africa’s political and religious landscape with the truth of God.
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