Book explores life of exiled journalist
Writer Siphiwo Mahala to return home to Makhanda for launch
Makhanda-born author and playwright Dr Siphiwo Mahala will be returning to his home town in a few weeks to celebrate the launch of his new book Can Themba: The Making and Breaking of the Intellectual Tsotsi.
“Can Themba was a celebrated journalist and writer from the 1950s generation. He died while exiled in Swaziland in 1967,” Mahala said.
One of Themba’s best-known works is his 1963 short-story The Suit, which was first published in the now-defunct SA literary journal The Classic. It has since been adapted for the stage in 1994 and later as a short film in 2016.
“In 2002 I wrote The Suit Continued, and since then my interest in him increased because I wanted to know who this man was that wrote such a classic, and how come many of his works were not available,” said
Mahala. “I decided to retrace his footsteps, visiting the archives of places that made him who he was, such as the University of Fort Hare, Rhodes, Amazwi, Swaziland and many others.
“I interrogate the period within which he wrote and try to understand issues from his own perspective.
“In the process, I do correct some of the misconceptions that have dominated the intellectual space.
“It took me about three years to write the book. The main challenge was trying to balance my work life with my academic projects, as I was also working for the government at the time.”
Mahala’s new book has already received praise from prominent literary figures in SA such as award-winning novelist and poet Zakes Mda, who said the book “offers new insights not only on Can Themba but on his era, his peers, and the movement that later became known as the Sophiatown Renaissance.
“Mahala captures the period and its politics so vividly that he makes the reader critically aware of how it felt to be in those events, rather than merely chronicling them”.
This will be Mahala’s sixth published book.
“I published my first two short stories while doing a creative writing course at Rhodes University in 2001. That makes it 21 years [that I’ve been writing] and it all began at home, hence I always go back to the source.
“I have since contributed to over 20 books published worldwide. My books include the novel When a Man Cries
(2007), Xhosa novel Yakhal’ Indoda
(2010), a collection of short stories called African Delights (2011), a play titled The House of Truth (2017), another collection of short stories called Red Apple Dreams and Other Stories (short stories, 2019) and now Can Themba.
“The House of Truth premiered at the 2016 National Arts Festival and starred Sello Maakeka Ncube. My latest play, Bloke and His American Bantu, is directed by Ncube and featured a very talented duo of actors, Josias Dos Moleele and Anele Nene.
“It opened last year at the University of Pretoria and might go to the National Arts Festival this year.”
The book launch will be taking place at the Amazwi South African Museum of Literature on Tuesday April 12 and will start at 5.30pm.
“There is no entry fee, but it’s essential to RSVP so that the organisers know how many people to expect,” said Mahala.
The author will also be hosting a writing workshop on April 11.
“The workshop is my way of giving back to the community. I want aspiring writers to start pursuing their dreams, and not wait until they are able to leave the town and province in order to get their breakthrough like I did.”