Mbali Literary Awards, Clocolan

Literary protagonists who graced the inaugural Mbali Awards were united in their advice in respect of Free State literacy and literature – complacency is a bugbear! This was obvious at the event that took place in Clocolan. Pule Lechesa, the internationally renowned critic said: “FS writing can not afford to rest on its laurels. We still have a long way to go; we must guard against complacency which is a very dangerous thing; with the eloquent, futile shrug of the shoulder that does not bode well eventually,” Lechesa was one of the formal speakers at the Awards, which was graced by arts and culture practitioners. Speakers also pointed out that it was important there should be regular encouragement and boosts for writers in particular. “Fine Black writers are relatively few and far between in black Africa,” Peter Moroe said. “But this is no excuse for them not to be encouraged. Hence the pivotal importance of such award nites,”

Peter Moroe, widely recognised for editing the literary series, The growth of FS Black writing over the years, added: “We have to try much harder to build a society of readers. Our people are just not reading, and the few who do, read absolutely the wrong things. Hence knowledge of literature in particular is plummeting yearly,” Raphael Mokoena, polished critic and essayist, also bemoaned the prevailing situation. “The ignorance on literature is so shocking these days,” he said. “When educated black people are not familiar with the works of SA writers like Es’kia, Lewis Nkosi, Gomolemo Mokae, Siphiwo Mahala etc one, is enveloped in despair” He added: “Occasions like this show that there is some hope on the horizon. I have been impressed with the Citations on the Mbali awardees which display knowledge of literature and eclectic trends…One hopes that soon the likes of Flaxman Qoopane will be honoured for what they have done for the world of letters,”

- R Khotseng

ES'KIA MPHAHLELE'S DOWN SECOND AVENUE

The author of this great work, Pa Es’kia Mphahlele breathed his last after a long fruitful life (he was almost 90 when he departed this world) Mphahlele was celebrated as one of the greatest writers Africa has ever produced. Over the decades he was an academic, journalist, editor and international professor. As early as 1959 he published his classic, Down Second Avenue which made the literary world to drool.

Down Second Avenue details the early years of the author’s life how he incredibly made good for himself despite coming from a background of great poverty. We learn all the hard things that happened to him and his family when he was very young but how he decided to be different. It was his love for the written word – for reading and writing – that came to the author’s rescue. From a very early age he relished reading books and in fact went through virtually all the books in his local library easily. He began to explain things to his friends and contemporaries; things he had learnt from books and the early cinema in those days. We see the strength of women in those days of apartheid – the strength of mothers, foster mothers, aunts, etc who despite grinding poverty were always ready to help one way or the other. The young Es’kia did well at school, became a teacher, and later a celebrated journalist and editor at Drum. For a man of his great intelligence and awareness, apartheid era was completely unacceptable, so Es’kia decided to go abroad, to west Africa which was of course then much freer than South Africa. Here he began to blossom as a great creative writer and critic… - KA Motheane (Bookshelf Column)

MEET SEISO MPETE "DR COOL"...

Recently, the much anticipated Macufe poetree took place at PACOFS Ofm Downstage. Among the 20 poets who where featured that evening there were likes of Napo Mashiane, Lesego Rampolokeng, Ice Bound, Jah-Rose, Hector Kunene, Afurakan Mohare. Also strutting his stuff was the poet who many say was on fire that evening and he mesmerized that stage with the unforgettable perfomance. Who can it be none other than Seiso 'Dr. Cool' Mpete, a poet from Bloemfontein who never disappoints with his performances anywhere in the country.

This is what he had to say about the Macufe poetree night: “Thanks to Macufe and Jah-Rose productions for giving us SA poets a night to always remember.” When we asked him of how does he manage to keep his performances accelerating positively he said “I once told myself that I'll forever stay hungry, as much as I'm honored for my achievements and my fans.. every time when I perform, I perform like a beginner who is doing his best to be recognized because all what God was to give me a Talent and now it's up to me if I'm gonna keep it alive or let it die.” “My highlights of that night would be Napo Masheane performance, and my friend's performance Lesego Rampolokeng, Marvelous performances if I may say.” as he continued “I will like to thank all our fans and supporters who came across the Country to support us, we are who we arebecause of your support. "To my fellow Artists... I cote myself hahahaha... If you want to stay the best in what you do 'NEVER ALLOW YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS TO LEGENDERELIZE YOUR MIND OR IT WILL ALL BE OVER.' close cote hahahah...” Congratulations to Jah-Rose productions and Big ups to the Doctor of words Dr. Cool!!!!!

Mayibongwe Mpanda's UKUKHANYA

Book: Ukukhanya By Mayibongwe Mpanda Because of the high standards of literary trends in the Free state we tend to intimidate would-be writers a-times - this despite the fact relatively very few books are published by black writers. Yet we must remember that not all books are published for literary acclamation or purposes. The writer just has something to say - this includes books with spiritual or motivational purpose. Ukukhanya is such a work. The author is Mayibongwe Mpanda and this book strives to improve us spiritually... Ukukhanya (light) contains a variety and diverse kinds of poems and there are some real questions posed prompting the reader to logic thinking. There are poems covering various topics like faith, social affairs, family affairs, economic affairs, political affairs etc. A work written to foster widespread improvement! “Once light has appeared the life of a person can no longer be the same. Where there is light, there is life, and darkness flees! The light shines and provides light to those in the dark...” Poems here include humbleness, youth, talent, ubuntu, reconciliation, Holy spirit, women’s Day, South Africa, rainbow nation, water of life, wisdom, bread of life, no to crime, complacency; among others. By the way, I was delighted that this column was shortlisted for the prestigious Mbali Awards. It is reassuring that some pundits appreciate what we try to do here in this column. - K.A Motheane

LESELI MOKHELE AND HIS SHORT STORIES

Leseli Mokhele is one of the outstanding short story writers in Southern Africa; he hails from Lesotho, and made his debut as a very good writer of fiction with the book, Home grown short stories. The reader is struck with two things soon after being introduced to Mokhele’s work: his wide diction, and also his fertile imagination. The underworld, the sleazy, different types of women; desperate men – these are some of the themes in his short stories.

Then there is also the violence. A lot of this seems to go too far and a streak of sadism might well run through his work. The sweetness and dangers that go with women are well highlighted, including heartbreak and Aids. The stories are more in the line of the hard school of overseas thrillers. But the beauty is that the background is very much the black world of the locations, and the like. That Mokhele is well read can be seen from his references to literature and literary giants in his fiction. Like Marechera, he pays tribute to his favourite writers directly and indirectly and spreads some enlightenment in the process. Mokhele has published another book titled The Charismatic charlatan. It is also a collection of short stories; and the good news is that this book is available in many of the Free State libraries. Lovers of African fiction will do well to read Mokhele’s work. K.A Motheane

Book: OMOSEYE BOLAJI: A voyage around his literary work

Book: Omoseye Bolaji: A voyage around his literary work (2012) Author: Ishmael Mzwandile Soqaga

This new book is the latest in line of books dedicated to examining the works of Omoseye Bolaji, a rather prolific writer. Here I am not attempting to review the new work (maybe I might do so later); rather the publication of this new book made me cast my mind back on such books published over the years. The late Pule Lebuso published the early work, Omoseye Bolaji: his writings/his role as a catalyst for FS Writing (2001). Strangely enough, despite the passage of time, this book still has the best analysis of Tebogo’s spot of bother, which was Bolaji’s second adventure of Tebogo Mokoena the sleuth. Then came Flaxman Qoopane’s study titled: Omoseye Bolaji: perspectives on his literary work (2003). Qoopane was later (in 2008) to publish another book on Bolaji dubbed: THE CREST: Omoseye Bolaji honoured in Nigeria.

It was refreshing to see Charmaine Kolwane, a young black woman, putting a book together on Bolaji (in 2005). The book, titled Omoseye Bolaji: channelling one’s thoughts onto paper, was a success. Just a year later (2006), Petro Schonfeld published Tebogo on the prowl, a study of Omoseye Bolaji’s sleuth Tebogo Mokoena. The book drew many positive reviews at the time. Pule Lechesa also published the book, Omoseye Bolaji: on awards, authors, literature (2007) which focused more on Bolaji himself, as he talked about his life and works. 2009 saw the publication of Julia Mooi’s, Omoseye Bolaji: further perspectives. Hector Kunene weighed in with a lovely book simply titled OMOSEYE BOLAJI in 2010. It was (still is) a substantial work containing many different articles published on Bolaji’s work over the years. To his credit, Hector included, in particular, a superb interview near the end of the work.

And now comes this new work by Ishmael Soqaga which also considers Bolaji’s literary ouvre. This is a feather in the cap for both the author (Soqaga) and the subject, Omoseye Bolaji. - Paul Lothane

INTRODUCING MENAN DU PLESSIS

Menan Du Plessis was born in Cape Town in 1952, studied linguistics at the University of Cape Town before lecturing at the same university. She began writing poetry in the 1970s, which were published in the journal Quarry. She married Professor Renfrew L. Christie, Dean of Research at the University of the Western Cape. They have two daughters, and were guardian to an orphaned son Cornelius Graafland, from 20 September 1989 to 3 January 1994, when he turned twenty-one. Her two novels, Longlive! and A State of Fear, were well received within liberal circles as it deals with political tension in the mid-1980s South Africa. She was a member of the United Democratic Front (UDF), an organisation opposed to the national government of the time and allied to the ANC, and also wrote for their magazine, Upfront, to which she contributed articles as well. She believes South African writing can offer what European writing cannot: “Reading contemporary British writers, for me they are technically very good, but bland – South Africa offers a richness”. Sources Steyn, Pierre. 1986. Stop flinging false accusations. Frontline, 6(4), August. Aarons, Michelle. 1989. Private Anguish amid the Teargas. Weekly Mail 5(25), 30 June. Dederick, Jane. 1989. ‘Longlive!’ a Response to ‘85’s political turmoil in SA. The Cape Times, 7 July. Munnik, Victor. 1989. Menswees in die Revolusie. Vrye Weekblad, 13 October. Holtzhausen, Evelyn. 1989. Dull Characters in Search of a Plot. The Cape Times, 12 August. P.A.S. 1989. Portraits of a Familiar Scene. Daily Dispatch. 5 August. Ngcobo, Lauretta. 1988. Review: Apartheid South Africa: Through Women's Eyes. Third World Quarterly, Vol. 10, No. 1, Succession in the South, (Jan.), pp. 299- 306 North, James. 1987. Unfolding Horror. New York Times, November 8 Political Editorial Staff. 1992. Polisie, IVP takel Amnestie oor verslag, aanklag. Die Burger, 10 June. 1986. Menan skenk Sanlam-Prys aan UDF blad. Beeld 30 June. 1992. Focus on Menan du Plessis. The New Nation, 15 October. - Senekal, B.A.