News & Events, September '08

Rest in peace

Jazz musician, composer, "Citizen of the World", freedom fighter, spiritual leader Bheki Mseleku died Sept 11 in London after a long battle with diabetes. Chimurenga people will be paying respects on PASS radio this month. And in the M&G Rafs Mayet remembers.

Also respect and peace to John Matshikiza. Poet, actor, director and journalist Matshikiza died in Johannesburg September 15. Read his columns in With the Lid Off: South African Insights from Home and Abroad by Todd & John Matshikiza.

Biko Lives!

On September 12 1977, Steve Biko was brutally murdered by Apartheid police. Sean Jacobs writes on Biko’s post-apartheid legacy: “Biko comes to stand for Black Economic Empowerment, for the politics of uplift and respectability, or a freedom based on consumption.”

Also check: Biko Lives! Contesting the legacies of Steve Biko edited by Andile Mngxitama. Writers include: Amanda Alexander, and Nigel C. Gibson - and with contributions from Neville Alexander and Tinyikosam Maluleke, among others. Read an extract here.

Books, writing & magazines

From Botosotso: About View from an Escalator, poetry by Liesl Jobson and  Botsotso 15: fiction, poetry and essays from participants in the Jozi Spoken Word Festival, as well as new work submitted by established and emerging writers. Contributors include Achmat Dangor, Mak Manaka, Peter Horn, Botsotso Jesters, Veronique Tadjo, Vonani Bila, Arja Salafranca, Ewa Kowalska and Mphutlane wa Bofelo.

Only two books make the Nigeria Prize for Literature shortlist this year: Unbridled by Jude Dibia and Yellow-Yellow by Kaine Agary. More here. 

Issue 55 of Wasafiri: Writing China, Guest edited by Suman Gupta looks at major literary and cultural debates which reflect Chinese society today. Featured writers include Li Rui, Mo Yan, Yan Lianke and Lin Bai.