George Rampai and his novel

George Rampai is the author of the novel, From where I stand (2012) a fictional work. What to make of this work? Firstly is the book a novel? It certainly is! The book is at least 160 pages in length. It definitely has a plot, a good beginning and end (as regards the main story; as a thriller) The author also writes well, with general fine descriptions. Again we might ask: what about the characterization? Does the author create well-rounded, plausible figures? To a large extent he does; especially Danny (the protagonist himself) Moliehi the lady, and a few others. And what about the aspects many critics so far find objectionable? The philandering (playboy-ish) nature of the protagonist and narrator! It is undeniable that in this modern world most women will not like the references to a man’s lust and apparent desire to sleep with virtually every woman he meets. Yet perhaps we must also point out that from the very beginning, the narrator has admitted his terrible weakness for women. This weakness cooks his goose but in the end all goes well for him at least; the criminals are rounded up; Danny gets a fine financial reward from the police, and at least two women in his life seem ready to accommodate him, even have babies for him! Chauvinistic and sexist, perhaps. Yet Danny does not feel as if he has done anything wrong. It might be old-fashioned in these days of feminism at its height – but that’s the way it is. This does not make this novel any less exciting. Mr Rampai has done very well to put this memorable work together, despite the misgivings over how women are portrayed in the work.

- K. Motheane

The example of Teboho Masakala

It is always painful to see literacy and literature going to the dogs amidst the youngsters of today. Modern technology worsens this. Our youth now mistakenly think that social networking with its largely inane and irresponsible messages shows they are literate and modern. But this is not so. They are going backwards. In the good old days the young ones studied, read a lot. They absorbed their own legacy, and learnt a lot via books and libraries, even during apartheid. Now our young ones can hardly read properly, not to talk of appreciating literature! Youngsters hardly read any books again these days – a disaster for the nation. That is why a very young man like Teboho Masakala deserves all praise. He is still in his early 20s, but he has already published three books! What a shining example to the youth! Never mind the critics, or quality - and even the greatest of writers and books are ruthlessly criticised worldwide anyway - the fact is Ntate Masakala is doing very well, and we should all appreciate him. An exemplary youth during Youth Month. That’s Masakala. His books include – Mind, pen, papers, idea, Through it all, and The fall of Marcus Desmond - K.A Motheane

Introducing Gomolemo Mokae

Dr. Gomolemo Mokae is well known for his writings, both in English and his mother tongue, Setswana. Recently this writer caught up with him and briefly probed him on his contributions to arts and culture. Mokae has published the following novels Masego and Kaine le Abel, in Setswana. The novel, Masego, won the 1994 African Heritage Literary Award, and became runner-up in the 1994 M-net Book Prize. His other novel Kaine le Abel won the 1995 African Heritage Literary Award. His most famous English novel is The secret in my bosom. In August 1995, Dr Mokae became a joint winner of the Betrams VO Literature of Africa Award, together with Lazarus Miti – an African languages lecturer at the Swaziland University. They shared the R15 000 prize. As a short story writer, Dr. Mokae has published short stories in numerous local and overseas magazines. His short story, The Good Women do won a prize in a competition run by the National Arts Coalition in 1994. He has published a collection of his short stories – Short not tall stories; and also Nnete ke Serunya, a Setswana short story anthology. Dr. Mokae has also written many plays; his stage play, The way the cookie crumbles reached the finals of the 1993 Amstel Playwright of the Year contest. His other dramas, Gaabo Motho and Lisenetheni were screened for TV drama on SABC 2. - F Qoopane

Sello Duiker: sublime writer

Kabelo Sello Duiker would have turned 37 on April 13 this year (2011)had he not extinguished his own flame on January 19 2005.

At the time of his death Duiker had already published two acclaimed novels: He won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book: Africa Region for his debut novel, Thirteen Cents (David Philip, 2000), and the Herman Charles Bosman Prize for The Quiet Violence of Dreams (Kwela, 2001). His third novel, The Hidden Star (Umuzi, 2005) was published posthumously.

If there is anything we can learn from Duiker, it is that the literary landscape is a universal landscape and should not be defined along racial lines. Duiker was not a good black writer; he was just a great writer. His peers, literary giants and critics all acknowledged his contribution to our literature.

Duiker is to literature what Steve Biko is to politics, both having died at the tender age of 30 but leaving indelible footprints in our collective memory. Duiker’s writing distinguished itself with its courageous interrogation of issues relating to sexuality, identity, mental illness and Hiv and Aids. Thirteen Cents is a moving account of a 13-year old homeless boy, who in his struggle to survive on the streets of Cape Town, finds himself being sexually abused by adults. The Quiet Violence, on the other hand, centres on the tumultuous life of Tshepo, a Rhodes University student who is confined to a mental asylum in Cape Town.

Indeed a close reading of Duiker’s works reveals that the thread that runs through his writing is identity in its diverse forms. Azure, the teenage protagonist in Thirteen Cents loses his identity and becomes Blue; and Tshepo becomes Angelo-Tshepo in The Quiet Violence. The circumstances surrounding this change of identity have largely to do with the effects of racism that permeate the lives of these characters.

Six years after his demise, Duiker remains one of the best writers ever to come out of South Africa and arguably the best to have emerged since the turn of the century. It was surely because of these extraordinary achievements that the South African Literary Awards (Sala) saw fit to name an award after him.

Naming an award after Duiker is the greatest accolade bestowed on his memory, but more needs to be done to preserve and celebrate his legacy. Duiker should be a figure that aspirant writers strive to emulate.
- Siphiwo Mahala