A Sublime and Unforgettable Macufe Wordfest!

By Flaxman Qoopane (above)

About hundred and fifty Free State writers attended the second annual Macufe Wordfest at the Braam Fischer Building in Bloemfontein on 6-7 October this year.

Vincent Khetha, Director: Heritage, Museum and Language services said ‘The Free State government and the Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation support our novelist, playwrights , scriptwriters, short writers, poets and perform in the Free State...

In 2008 Macufe Wordfest was launched, In 2009 and 2010 we did not have Macufe Wordfest, from 2011 we will make sure that Macufe Wordfest is celebrated annually where we promote literature in our province, we hope the Macufe Wordfest 2011 will be a success.”

Advocate Tsoarelo Malakoane, HOD of the Department of Sport, Arts Culture and Recreation said: “Macufe won’t be complete without Macufe Wordfest. We need to develop our Free State writers. We need to create spaces throughout the year. We need to create our own K.P.D Maphallas,”

Skills Development Workshops were conducted by Thapelo Moraka (scriptwriter), Tsietsi Mohapi (writer) Mathene Mahanke (novelist), Mamolupe Dladla (lecturer) and Letshase Nakedi (writer).

Thapelo Moraka the writer dealt with the format of writing theatrical plays. Tsietsi Mohapi guided the writers on how to write a drama and a play. Mathene Mahanke dealt with the format of how to write short stories. Mamolupe Dladla presented a lecture on how to write a novel, encouraging burgeoning writers to be creative.

Manana Monareng-Stone, Programme Manager for Research, Training and Development from the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) presented a topic on the Agency. Kundayi Masanzu from Academic, Non-Fiction, Authors Association of South Africa (ANFASA) addressed the audience about copyright.

The Macufe Wordfest was attended by well known writer, Siphiwo Mahala, Deputy-Director: Books and Publishing from the National Department of Arts and Culture in Pretoria. He was accompanied by another novelist, Thando Mgqolozana who wrote the novel, A man who is not a man.