Dreams, dry raisins and light beams

Poetry and the other creative arts have an essential role in stirring the soul of the nation and inspiring us to greater things

27 October 2024 - 00:00 By Mandla Nkomfe

On October 3, the University of Johannesburg hosted the third annual Keorapetse Kgositsile memorial lecture. This was meant to kick start the 2024 Poetry Africa programme that UJ is jointly hosting with the University of KwaZulu-Natal. This year’s theme is “somehow we survive”, taken from Dennis Brutus’s anthology of poems. The choice of this year’s theme is indicative of the times we live in. In 30 years of democracy, artists continue to navigate precarious work conditions. The celebration of the memory of Prof “Bra Willie” Kgositsile will hopefully put a spotlight on the state of our national artistic endeavours. ..

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