Mafika Gwala Annual Lecture presented at 25th Poetry Africa Festival

“Sing, how can we sing with chain blocks barring us the Malombo Sound? Play, how can we play with games turning into nightmares? Talk, should we not talk with deep open voices? Wait, should we wait till the cows come home?”Mafika Gwala in Bonk’ahbajahile The 2021...

Poet Profile: MakhafulaVilakazi

Going by the name "MakhafulaVilakazi" (the title of one of his poems) Matodzi Gift Ramashia grew up in Chiawelo, Soweto. His poetry is a fusion of Tsotsitaal, English, Zulu and Sotho interspersed into an uncompromising depiction of township life, exploring...

poet muse: RIP Mafika Gwala (1946 – 2014)

The sad news of the passing our literary icon, Mafika Gwala, has been slowly sinking in and rippling through the literary world. He passed away on Friday night. We believe it was peacefully in his sleep. Undoubtedly, this is a sad...

q&a: Mafika Gwala

[caption id="attachment_3889" align="alignleft" width="332"] image courtesy of Poetry Africa[/caption] Poetry Potion had the privilege of talking to a Soweto Poet, Mafika Gwala (who isn’t from Soweto).  He started writing in the sixties and published extensively with titles such as Jol'iinkomo (1977) and No...