Bright future for young poets
6outh Africa's youth poets are in the spotlight after their performance in the fourth Avbob poetry competition.
The competition's winners were recently announced, with winners in all 11 language categories awarded a cash prize of R10 000 as well as a
R2 500 book voucher.
The top three in each language category will have their poems published in the annual anthology, I wish I’d said… vol. 4, which was launched at the emotionally uplifting event that was livestreamed on social media.
Compère Rozanne McKenzie opened the evening with a reflection on the surprising growth of youth poets who floored the competition – 84% of the finalists were 35-years-old and under.
‘In every category except English and Afrikaans, we have a youth poet as a winner!’ she said. ‘This speaks volumes about the youth who are writing poetry in their mother tongues. It also reveals the raw potential of our country’s young people, which shows great hope for the future.’
Avbob CEO Carl van der Riet noted that Covid-19 has been a severe test. He extended his sympathies and condolences to those who have been impacted by the pandemic and renewed his commitment to all staff and stakeholders.
Van der Riet said the Avbob Poetry Project came into existence in July 2017 with one clear goal - 'to provide those at a loss for words with poems that speak to their suffering. The Avbob Poetry Project continues this aim and includes a belief in ubuntu. ‘We believe that by enabling each person to see and know their own humanity through the humanity of others, we contribute to the healing and restoration of ourselves and our communities.'
In alphabetical order of language category, the 2021 Avbob poetry prize winners are:
Jacques Coetzee (Afrikaans), Ann Scarborough Moore (English), Bongani Kleinbooi Skhosana (isiNdebele), Sinethemba Lusawana (isiXhosa), Hlulizitha Zwelihle Nxumalo (isiZulu), Tebogo Patricia Mamabolo (Sepedi), Thabang Khaba (Sesotho), Beauty Tlhabi (Setswana), Enocentia Matsebula (Siswati), Jeremiah Neluvhalani (Tshivenda) and Owen Maswanganye (Xitsonga).