Literary Criticism an integral part of literature

By Raphael Mokoena

It is shocking the general ignorance that surrounds the sphere of literary criticism; which has actually been around for centuries. In Africa it is not uncommon to see some experienced writers, never mind highly educated people regarding literary criticism as a much despised, negative thing. It is not uncommon to hear critics even being called “failed, frustrated writers”

Criticism continues to cause hatred and divisions amongst many African writers who should know better. Some even go as far as claiming that it is ‘unAfrican”, as if books should only be praised and not evaluated in any way. The simple truth is that if our writers really want to be taken seriously or respected beyond their family or closest friends, they have to be criticised.

Unfortunately that is why so many African writers are completely ignored or not acknowledged in the real literary world. There are writers who claim to have published 2,3 and more books who have never been evaluated even in the mildest manner. Such are not genuine writers; they are at best ignorant dabblers. Why are some writers scared of criticism?

In the western world, books – and even movies – stand or fall according to criticism. If critics do not like a movie then it can result in financial disasters of loss of millions of dollars or pounds...writers whose books are given a pass mark will invariably have good sales and receive tremendous boost to their writing career. More important, such books will go down well during the passage of time for coming generations. The reviews, criticisms etc will in many cases out-last the physical book itself.

Let us go back to a few early African books published which history has now deemed great successes. Amos Tutuola’s The palmwine drinkard was published overseas many decades ago, and nobody seemed to take note initially. Then a well known poet, Dylan Thomas chanced to read the book and praise it! Almost overnight his critical opinion pushed the book into an African classic and Tutuola into one of the all-time great African writers. Without Dylan writing about the work, the book will probably have been forgotten quickly. Other writers like Chinua Achebe and Ayi Kwei Armah received incredible boosts from early positive reviews too...decades after such reviews were published they still appear on the blurbs of reprints of these books!

Another interesting thing is that despite what some might claim that critics are “frustrated writers”, a large number of them, perhaps even virtually all of them are successful or distinguished writers. Such is the case in Africa too. Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Ngugi, Molara Ogundipe, Es’kia Mphahlele, Njabulo Ndebele, Lewis Nkosi etc are/were excellent writers as well as literary critics too.

Still staying in Africa, why do we regard such writers as outstanding anyway? The real reason is because their books have attracted tremendous critical attention. Whenever we try to do research on them we realise there already exist so many studies published on them. Writers like Achebe, Es’kia, Ngugi, Soyinka, Armah, Ndebele, Senghor, Bolaji, etc can boast of at least ten to twenty different critical books published on them.

Yet this, by world standards is actually nothing much! Great European or American writers like James Joyce, Samuel Becket, Virginia Woolf, Mark Twain, the Bronte sisters, etc have HUNDREDS of such critical books published on them. We need not imagine how many hundreds of books have been published on William Shakespeare! It is clear that the western world puts emphasis on critical appreciation of its writers. Hence their immortality and respect is assured for ever. So, why should Africans be scared of what would reinforce their literary legacy?

Okay, so there are “sympathetic” critics, and those who are more ruthless. I do not believe that even “ruthless” critics can destroy a book amongst discerning, intelligent readers. All the great writers have been ruthlessly criticised every now and then; and it even often generates more interest in a book. In South Africa a critic like Crystal Warren is obviously on the sympathetic side; whilst the late Lewis Nkosi, and the likes of Pule Lechesa can be categorised as “more stringent” (rather than ruthless!)

I grew up in the Free State and I am proud to say that the Province is one of the most vibrant in Africa when it comes to literary appreciation. Scores of reviews written by myself, Pule Lechesa, Paul Lothane, etc have found themselves in many journals and centres of literature around the world. The success or failure of any published work depends on how many reviews, studies it can attract; and Paul Lothane recently got it right when he wrote this about the work, Free State of Mind (Authors: Nthabiseng Jah Rose, Rita Chihawa and Lebo Leisa):

"...The book, Free State of mind has also been a critical success. The poetic work is the brainchild of Nthabiseng JahRose Jafta, Rita Chihawa and Lebo Leisa. It is a great achievement that the book has attracted positive reviews from literary figures like Bolaji, Hector Kunene, Mathene Mahanke, Napo Masheane, Sabata Mpho Mokae, Mpikeleni Duma, etc..."

I have not read the book,(Free State of mind) but after reading all the reviews of the work on the internet (even including that of Pule Lechesa), like everybody else I can say the book is very successful. That is the reality of literature. The academics call it the “oligarchic” approach – i.e those interested anywhere in the world will check whether there are any reviews etc of a book, read them, and form an opinion based on the majority.

And as for those writers who never attract any such reviews or criticisms, it is a shame indeed...

(Excerpts from a speech delivered by Raphael Mokoena at a literary workshop in Stellenbosch recently)

OMOSEYE BOLAJI: A Voyage around his literary work

A new book by Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga

Review by Pule Lechesa

This is the type of book that really whets the appetite of lovers of quintessential literature! Free from the clutter of peripheral rubbish that characterizes inferior stuff these days. Mr Soqaga has shown the way ahead with his debut book.

Often, when we read something these days we see the work tinged with inconsequential, ignorant tosh; the worthless trimmings are more than the quality. But this is the real deal! A book that advances literature. Never mind that it is yet another study on the superb writer, Omoseye Bolaji who continues to make literary waves.

Soqaga really researched this work for years, and it shows in his final product. His intelligent analyses show that he is no man’s fool and he is an avowed Africanist who does not suffer fools gladly. The first parts of this work (Introduction, Foreword) are a joy to read, and shine with real research.

In fact I was reminded of important studies published on other African writers as I went through this book. Firstly I really relish Robert Fraser’s analysis of Ayi Kwei Amah’s early works; a timeless book. Here there is an earnestness and labour of love that can only be replicated after intrinsic hard work and research. The same applies for Soqaga’s book.

Again my mind went to Dr Adele King’s superb book on Camara Laye too as I went through Soqaga’s new book-length study on Bolaji. King really loved her topic and did the background research; and her illuminating essays on Camara Laye continue to stand the test of time after decades.

To be honest, of the many studies (books) on published on Bolaji the one I respect most is that of Petro Schonfeld, titled Tebogo on the prowl (2006) The breathtaking research, analyses, juxtaposition of certain ideas and themes can hardly be bettered. But in this new book, Mr Soqaga runs her close.

Yes, as usual the book is not immune from criticism, but the overall picture is a brilliant work that adds cubits to our literature. Soqaga cosmetically appears to over-praise Bolaji, but when you look at the latter’s achievements and impact, can it really be dubbed over-praising?

Also the author (Soqaga) as an established pan Africanist, seems to overstretch allied ideas in this wise many times – eg his analysis of Bolaji’s Tebogo and the bacchae – where Soqaga spends too much time on Pa Phafoli’s death because he was an intrepid freedom fighter, Africanist and sage, etc. But at least the author is true to his ideals.

The truth is: this is a critical work that really whets the appetite. I am very delighted to say that Ishmael Soqaga has produced a book of quality, literary-critical and unashamedly “Africanist” in outlook.

A BROKEN HEART

Short story by TIISETSO THIBA

Like any other enamoured partners showing love to each other in the beginning, S’putla and Dimakatso resided in one of the locations near Kuruman Town. They started everything together after their beautiful marriage in the early 80’s. This pair essentially typified people that believe in the live-stock, like cattle and farming because it seemed like it was a pedigree because both their parents owned pairs of cattle and sheep.

Three years after their marriage they were blessed with a baby boy, which was huge! To celebrate this many cows were slaughtered for honourable guests and uninvited guests from the location and afar. Some wags maintain “darkies” love meat so much and we always scrutinize the party or funeral before we attend and make sure that the meat and free booze is available!

Sputla and Dimakatso lived a happy and lovely life together in their marriage, while God continued to bless them with children and wealth. Dikamatso wa a teacher in profession and Sputla had a degree in Agriculture and worked at one of the Agricultural department around Kuruman, and he also adored his animals and farm – perhaps even more than his wife but he was the only one who knew this! One day Sputla took a huge risk, a precipitous decision by resigning from his permanent job that made them survive. Dimakatso didn’t have much to say because her husband convinced her, though she kept unpleasant feelings inside and flashed a pretentious grin apparently showing that she supported her husband.

Things changed from good to bad when Sputla thereafter spent most of his time in the veld with the animals he loved, because they were multiplying in number and needed special attention.

As time went on Dimakatso started to get lonely and missed S’putla a lot because he was absent from home most of the times, and when he came home during the week or on weekends, he arrived home with his tongue out, tired like a location dog! What he wanted was bed only and nothing more. In his mind he was doing it for his family to survive and make their life better, so poverty or hunger did not dog them; but it was killing his wife without him knowing it.

In the past they had decided to hire a gardener, George, to help around when S’putla was not around and they offered him a backroom in their yard because he was coming from a remote area few miles from S’putla’s location. George used to go home on weekends and his toil was to look after the yard as a whole including pats in the yard.

It was on a fateful Tuesday evening around eight when Dimakatso lay in the bed she shared with her husband S’putla watching TV with the children asleep that time already. Alas. This was when evil visited her mind and she was deep in her thoughts, missing her husband as if he were dead. It had been two weeks not seeing him and not hearing from him because “network” in the jungle was inadequate and she missed him really. Presently, she called George to come and keep her company and gulp some mature wine together.

George was confused after she got a phone call from Dimakatso, thinking of lots of things - but in the end he felt that he had no choice but to come because she was the boss!

He arrived in S’putla’ paradise with lots of blood flooding abnormally in his veins, sweating as if he was going to testify in court! But Dimakatso told him to feel at home and granted him a comfortable chair to relax on. They had a chat and Dimakatso also offered George a glass of wine with refilling going on non-stop. George started to relax and chat like they were buddies from high school. After three hours of a good conversation Dimakatso lost sight of his mind...

The next morning she was aghast as she espied, on the customary side of her husband, George fast asleep with blankets running around his bare chest. She thought she was dreaming but it was reality and she wished she could ask God to open the earth and swallow her as she profoundly regretted her deeds. She blamed S’putla for chasing animals and money and leaving her in the lurch...it was as if she was single those times she wished she could speak to him or touch her. She died inside with her secret and for a long time did not tell S’putla what she had done because she was avoiding parting ways with S’putla.

On one Friday when S’putla arrived home in the evening during the time of hen’s and cattle’s to sleep, before he kicked out his boots, after sweating the whole day, Dimakatso overwhelmed him with fake happiness and said: “My Husband we are going to have our fourth baby.”

S’putla jumped like he was no longer tired and hugged her with happiness etched on his round face like a ball, pity he did not know that he was not the father; it was George the gardener’s child. Yet he raised the new child with love and sometimes took him along to the farm during holiday’s time until hair harvested itself under their armpit.

Dimakatso decided to come clean after 19 years of keeping this gnawing secret away from her husband and she felt guilty and dishonest each and every breath she counted; and that was when all hell broke loose. By now she and S’putla were grey; S’putla was relaxing under the tree enjoying the shadow of the berries’ tree. She broke the news wearily, as if she did not care for S’putla’s acceptance of the news.

Her husband seemed transfixed; he didn’t say a word and opened wide his eyes. How could this be? It was the last straw of his life. He was pole-axed, his life became a terrible hell. He just could not cope and the secret became known to the world. It was a shock to society, with many pondering whom they could trust, married or not...

BABATUNDE HARVESTS CAINE PRIZE
Rotimi Babatunde has won the prestigious Caine Prize for African writing. His winning entry (story) was described as an "ambitious, darkly humorous" story of a Nigerian soldier fighting in Burma during the second world war.

Babatunde, who beat authors from Kenya, Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa to win the prestigious award for a short story by an African writer published in English, tells of the experiences of Colour Sergeant Bombay in his winning piece Bombay's Republic. Chair of judges, the novelist and poet Bernadine Evaristo, praised his "vivid" descriptions. "It is ambitious, darkly humorous and in soaring, scorching prose exposes the exploitative nature of the colonial project and the psychology of independence," she said.

Evaristo had previously spoken of her desire to avoid the "stereotypical narratives" of African fiction when finding a winner, saying she wanted to "show there is a bigger picture" than the "familiar tragic stories" that come from the continent.

Babatunde, a Nigerian, said he was moved to write his story because "that context of world war two in African history, and the story of the Nigerians who went to the Burmese front, has not been properly explored". Growing up hearing stories of the war, and reading about it, he also wanted to "commemorate the sacrifice" of the soldiers who died there.

"To understand the present we need to explore the past," he said. "In African literature so many stories have been lost, and I think we need to establish the stories of the past have been explored properly to understand the present."

In Babatunde's story, at first, when the army recruiters come to Bombay's town, they are largely ignored. "Shrugging, people just said, the gecko and the lizard may decide to get married, fine for them, but it would be silly for the butterfly to dance its garments to shreds at their wedding celebration." But when "reports came that Hitler himself was waiting with his ruthless army at the border and that with him things were going to be much worse than the imagination could conceive", that "those he didn't pressgang into slavery would be roasted alive for consumption by his beloved dogs ... panic began spreading with virulent haste" and people begin to sign up.

In Burma, Bombay is astonished when the Japanese flee from his inexperienced squad. But he is told: "The stories that preceded you to this war said that the Africans are coming and that they eat people. We fuelled those rumours by dropping leaflets on the enemy, warning them that you will not only kill them but you also will happily cook them for supper. The Japanese, as you very well know, are trained to fight without fear of death. They don't mind being killed but, like anyone else, they are not in any way eager to be eaten."

Babatunde, who lives in Ibadan, Nigeria, has previously had his fiction and poetry published in international journals and anthologies, and his plays staged by institutions including Chicago's Halcyon Theatre and London's Institute of Contemporary Arts. He joins former winners of the Caine prize including Zimbabwean NoViolet Bulawayo, whose debut novel We Need New Names is due out, and Sierra Leonean Olufemi Terry, who won in 2010. The award counts the African Nobel winners Wole Soyinka, Nadine Gordimer and JM Coetzee among its patrons.

(Adapted from The Guardian)

Writers luxuriate at Grahamstown

By Flaxman Qoopane

Professor Ncedile Saule,Nonkqubela Evelyn Rasmeni, Mzukisi M , Silandela, Pumelelo P, Anthony, Hendrietta Bogopane –Zulu Deputy Minister for Women, Children Persons with Disabilityand Siphiwo Mahala were among the writers and who launched their novels and books at the Wordfest in the Eastern Cape during the Grahamstown National Arts Festival recently.

Professor, Ncedile Saule from the Department of African Languages at the University of South Africa (UNISA) in Pretoria launched his novel Inkululeko Ese Ntabeni, (Freedom Is Not Easy) Professor Saule said “This is a novel that won the M-Net Book Prize competition in the IsiNguni category.It is a strange melting pot of love, culture, politics and religion. It is being given within a contemporary milieu of homeland, Apartheid politics, translating themselves into the policy of present South Africa.

“The main character is the cadre of an underground liberation struggle politics. His best friend is devout supporter of the homeland politics. The bone of contention is about their interest on a woman who happens to be a daughter of a black politician who was hanged sometime in Pretoria for his political activities

“In the process of their fight, the cadre end up in Robben Island, the homeland political supporter ends getting a high post in the homeland( he was an informer). When the new dispensations unfold the exiled, former political prisoners were released including that cadre after 15 years. He had a full revenge against the friend who made him to be detained.

“ I never thought I could still win a prize of R50.000, although when I write. I write to win, not necessarily prizes, but the hearts and minds of the people.”

Nonkqubela Rasmeni from King Williams Town in the Eastern Cape launched her novel Bubomi Ke Obo (Such is life) She started to write her novel in 2009 and completed it in 2011 and it was published in 2012.

Rasmeni said “The novel is published in isiXhosa, it is about abuse, what I try to raise is the fact that anyone who plan to get married to somebody must know the background of the person and the values of that person The novel is also about how important is our home, that wherever you go there is no place like home, you were placed in a home for a reason.

“In the novel I deal with a chapter about children, when you train a child, train him or her in such a way that the child must survive anywhere. If you train your child, train him or her in such that he/she can be independent”

Mzukisi M, Silandela from Queenstown in the Eastern Cape launched his book – Ulutsha Nentolongo Siya Kuphelela Phi Na ? (Youth and Prison , Where Are We Going to End) Silandela said “I started to write the book in 2002 and completed it in 2004 and it was published in 2012. The book is about the realities of prison life, sodomy, re offending, role of parents in prisons, the cruelties of some Correctional Officers, the high rate of offenders dying in prisons, prison can change a good guy into a bad one. The message in my book is that the youth must refrain, from committing crime because prison has a potential to make offenders hardened criminals.

Silandela was arrested for culpable homicide in December 1997. He added that ,“We were at the party at Amalinda suburb in East London .We were drunk and a fight broke up , we stabbed each other with another guy, he later died at the hospital, I was arrested and sentenced to ten years imprisonment, I served only seven years at the East London Correctional Centre

Pumelelo P, Antony from Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape launched his novel Yiyiphi kengoku Ke ? (What is this now?) Antony said “ I started to write my novel in 2005 and published it in 2012, the novel is about bringing up a boy child will especially about his partenity, mothers should not lie to their sons about who their fathers are, I am excited, I am on top of the world that my novel of seven years was finally published.” The Deputy-Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities together with other five people with visual impairment launched their book Lifelines at the Annual Wordfest Eastern Cape as part of the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown.

The Deputy –Minister Hendrietta Bogopane Zulu said; “I am delighted that we launched the book Lifelines during the Wordfest Eastern Cape. As we launched the book Lifelines, let protect the disabled people and let us treat the daily like every human being. I would like to congratulate the people who contributed their stories of people with congenital blindness. The stories are Reaching my Dreams, by Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, Look us in the eyes, hear our cries, by Malathisi Majija.

The Sky is the Limiit, by Vincent Daniels, Chorus for Change, by Michael Kula and Following my in-sight, by Balise Gloria Makhasi. Our Department partnered with the Human Rights Media Centre (H,R,M,C) to published the book.

“In the country we have 476000 disabled children that their parents hide them in their bedroom. Nobody choose to be disabled, we want our communities to recognise the rights of the disabled people. Every single day I thank God to be a disabled South African. I can express my views, I am a human being, I have my dignity and human rights”

She writes in her story, Reaching my dreams that; “I still think there is more that can be done to improve the life of people living with disabilities. Even though I am in government, I still believe we can do better. I think the struggles of disabled people will be with us for a little longer, not because there are not resources, but to change attitudes and modify people’s behaviour is difficult”

Other two books that the Deputy-Minister launched are Looking Inside and Then Light Went Black tells the life stories of people living with blindness or partial sightedness. Nomonde Ngcizelal said; “To be a story writer gave me healing. People discriminate us so much, my message is to our fellow South Africans is do not discriminate us, we are people like you. I had a relationship with a man who stayed in my community in Gugulethu Cape Town, I thought he loved me and I realised that he loved my disability grant. He will come to me only at night when I had received my grant and he will demand money from me so that he could fix his car. Since I realised that he did not love me but love my money I ended the relationship”.

The Community Publishing Programme within the Centre for the Book from Cape Town launched six new books at the Red Lecture Theatre Rhodes University on 3 July at 11. 00am

The six books that were launched include Why Despair by Zolekile Pafa, Ngcamla by Busisiwe Bhantshi, Yiyiphi Ke Ngoku Le? By Pumelelo Anthony, Wavulek Umkhusane by Nompumelelo Magwane Mvandaba, Feeding The Beast by Sonwabile Mfecane.

Introductory remarks was present by Mandla Mona, Reprint of SA, Classics coordinator ,message of support was present by an author Siphiwo Mahala from the National Department of Arts and Culture. In 2008 he launched his first novel When a Man Cries. The first time I personally met Siphiwo Mahala was during Macufe Wordfest in Bloemfontein in October 2011. He attended the Macufe Wordfest together with another writer Thando Mgqolozana .The official handing over of the six new books which were launched by the six writers Pafa, Bantshi, Anthony , Mvandaba, George and Mfecane was presented by Mandla Matyumza, the Executive Head Centre For The Book

Whilst attending the book launch of the six books at the Red Lecture Theatre, Petro Schonfeld from the National English Literary Museum (NELM) In Grahamatown came to meet me, she later took me to the NELM, I was excited to visit the NELM for the first time. During my visit at the NELM, Petro Schonfeld introduced to Crystal Warren, the researcher. Crystal Warren showed me files with information about my literary documents, and also the files of another friend of mine who is also a writer O Bolaji . And she told me that the information in the files would enable researchers to research about me and Bolaji as a writers.

Petro Schonfeld also introduced me to Beverly Thomas- Director, Debbie Landman- Head Librarian, Marike Beyers- Librarian, and I had an opportunity to sign my autograph on six of my books available at the NELM. When it was time to go, to the NELM Oficials invited me to attend the launch of the new book –African Delights by Siphiwo Mahala at the old offices of the NELM in Grahamstown on 3 July at 18:00 to 18:30. Many writers, journalists, officials from the NELM attended the launch of the new book- African Delights by Siphiwo Mahala

Supplementary  (also by Qoopane)...

The Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation (D.S.A.C.R) in Bloemfontein Free State, South Africa, made it possible for me and other twenty one language practitioners to attend the 10 Annual Wordfest Eastern Cape during the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown from 30 June to 4 July 2012.

The Head of Language Services within the D.S.A.C.R, an author, playwright, scholar and literary critic Mathene Mahanke was the leader of the language practitioners.

The Wordfest Eastern Cape was also attended by many delegates including the Deputy-Minister of Women, Children, and People with Disabilities Henrietta Bogopane-Zulu, National Department of Arts and Culture, novelist Siphiwo Mahala, Eastern Cape MEC for Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture Xoliswa Tom.

Eastern Cape MEC for Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Xoliswa Tom said “ I am excited when I attend the Wordfest Eastern Cape because I meet different authors, praise – singers (imbongis) storytellers, playwrights and short- story writers who are creative, who are not afraid to share what they feel.

“The participation is growing, we love to attend the Wordfest Eastern Cape we encourage our writes write books in our languages and also encourage our community to read what our writers write.Remember without our writers, our people wont be able to read books.

“The Department of Sports ,Arts ,Culture and Recreation in the Free State heard about the Wordfest Eastern Cape in 2008. Since July 2008. they have started their own Macufe Wordfest 2008 in Bloemfontein, and they have been attending our events since 2008, and we congratulate them for being our partners in this Wordfest.”

Prof Chris Zithulele Mann, Honorable Professor of Poetry at Rhodes University in Grahamstown , Director, Centre For The Book, Mandla Matyumza, Community Publishing Programme coordinator at the Centre For the Book, Nelisa Lunika from Cape Town, Prof. Ncedile Saule, Department of African Languages UNISA in Pretoria, Mandla Mona - Reprint of Classics Project-Project coordinator also attended the Wordfest

The Wordfest Eastern Cape was also attended by many aspiring and renowned praise singers (imbongis) and many published authors. Most of these praise-singers and published authors came mostly from the Eastern Cape and few from my province the Free State.

Chris Zithulele Mann, also the convener of Wordfest Eastern Cape during an interview with me said; “Wordfest Eastern Cape was founded in 2000 with a grant from the National Arts Council, after support from Pro. Bench Mkhonto from the Vista University in Port Elizabeth. I am a writer, I realized a need to push literature in front of people in a festival like a jazz music. Pro. Mkhonto had started a number of writers clubs in the Eastern Cape. We met, read each others work. He encouraged me to start a festival of literature at Rhodes University.

“I then did research and found that in developing countries over 500 literary festivals have been started in the last 20 years, in countries which has a lot of computers, libraries and television. This encouraged me to continue, Wordfest Eastern Cape is an outreach project of Rhodes University to encourage a culture of reading and writing in South Africa”

Prof. Ncedile Saule ,Department of African Languages at the University of South Africa in Pretoria, Gauteng said “ Wordfest Eastern Cape is an awareness campaign to go back to our roots in terms of creative arts and our literature, it is refreshing, it is enriching and it afford a person to think laterally, it also toughes a delegates string with regard to legitimate concerns about our languages. Iam a literary person, I am aware if literature dies, our languages dies, and we can’t afford that to happen”

Mathene Mahanke said “In 2005, I was invited to address Wordfest Eastern Cape, It made an impression, I could see language practitioners under one room and the Eastern Cape government played a major role in terms of transport, accommodation and catering.

“I joined the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation in the Free State, as Head of Sesotho Literature Museum (Dingolweng ) in Bloemfontein,.Wordfest was one of the idea I introduced to the department, it came to fruition in 2008 , when the then Director Danny Moleko supported our request to attend the Wordfest Eastern Cape on the fact finding mission.

According to Mahanke, a team of seven officials visited the Grahamstown National Art Festival in July 2008 and witnessed the presentation of the Wordfert Eastern Cape, and subsequently ran the first Macufe Wordfert in October 2008, a total of 150 language practitioners from all over the Free State were transported, accommodated and catered for. Prominent language specialist addressed the Macufe Wordfest 2008, budding authors and poets read their works which were later prepared for a collection of poetry Mokolokotwane 2008. The book was launched by the MEC of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Honorable Dan Kgothule in Kroonstad in April 2011.

Mahanke added that,“Because the Wordfest Eastern Cape had been running for a number of years, it became imperative to keep close contact with them and thereby attending their annual editions of Wordfest.”

Among those who launched their books again in Grahamstown were Nthabiseng Jah Rose Jafta, Rita Chihawa, and Lebo Leisa who basked as they introduced Free State of Mind to a larger audience.

ZAKES MDA IN CITY OF ROSES

Zakes Mda, the world celebrated writer - author of novels like Ways of Dying, The Madonna of Excelsior, Inside the whale, etc -was at the Central University of Technology (Bloemfontein) to orchestrate a creative workshop. Many writers and cultural activists seized the opportunity to see the great man (Zakes) in the flesh. Ntate Mda indeed facilitated the proceedings with elan and usual humour. Venue was the Japie van Lill Auditorium. What an occasion!

PHOTO (above) shows Zakes Mda with versatile Free State writer, author, and essayist, Saint George Vis.