ESWATINI WRITERS HERE’S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU

BY PHUMZILE NDLOVU

MBABANE – Local writers have been given an opportunity to improve their craft next month at an African Literature Conference, which will be held at the Manzini Library next month.

The conference will be held on April 24 and is scheduled to start at 9am. This was confirmed by one of the speakers of the conference, Tenele Dludlu, who is the author of Conversations with My Heart. Other speakers at the conference are Phinda Mkhonta, who is the director of the Rethink Africa Foundation, and Clement Dlamini, the president of the Swazi Fest Writers Awards.

One of the speakers, Tenele Dludlu.

When reached for comment, Dludlu shared that at the conference she would be speaking about her journey as an Eswatini writer. “I will be speaking about my journey when it began and my inspiration to write. I will also speak about some of the challenges of being a writer, even though I am also a journalist, and how to use my talent for writing to put food on the table,” Dludlu said.

Macher Publishers CEO, Mpumi Gcaba

Macher Writers Programmes each year host the annual African Literature Conference (ALC) in different countries. The event celebrates African creatives in the region hosting the conference. The theme this year is ‘Eswatini Literature in the Digital Age.’

The main purpose of hosting the conference is

1. to promote African literature by elevating the profiles of African writers.
2.  Providing a window into the diverse cultures, histories, and experiences.
3. To tackle the challenges of stereotypes and misconceptions about Africa and its people.
4.  And also inspire social, political, and technological changes.

Some of the topics that will be criticised are:

1. The importance of diversity in writing.
2. It is important to produce our content in our local language.
3. Enriching our knowledge through the culture of reading.
4. Challenges of African Literature in the Digital World.
5. Marketing and distribution.

The conference will be hosted by a South African publisher and CEO of Macher Afrika Publishers Group, Nompumelelo Gcaba. She is a published author of 19 books. She is a blogger at Ireadwhatilike, a podcaster at Unplug with Afrika Podcast, and she is also the founder and CEO of the Macher Group of companies, which has three different sectors currently: Macher Afrika Publishers, Macher Writers Programme, and M Macher Cosmetic. She holds a degree in B.com. in Accounting from the University of KwaZulu Natal.