"My unbridled love for poetry" - Skietreker

Interview by Gloria Marobele

Richard (“Skietreker”) Seape is one of the most dynamic young Free State writers around. A powerful poet, he writes in both English and Afrikaans – and also in Setswana! His debut book was titled Apartheid ek gaan jou boks. “Skietreker” was one of the frontline writers honoured by the Mangaung Local Municipality/Bloemfontein Public Library recently. Here, Gloria Marobele finds out what makes him tick…

GLORIA: You are still quite young and already recognized and honoured as a writer. How did you feel being honoured by MLM/ City Library the other day?

RICHARD: Picture a train moving at a very fast pace
Don’t look back and don’t think twice
Close your eyes
And picture a baby learning how to talk and walk for the first time
On the Inside it feels like Heaven when small efforts are appreciated
But it pushes and inspires from within
And makes one want to kneel down and say a prayer work harder
And keep on doing it only with love
God is a fact
(Modimo are mesebetsi ya hao e tlao latela)

GLORIA: How do you explain your great passion for the world of literature?

RICHARD: We hear and see things but with words
We create a picture
A symbol of the past and present
Something that is part of us
Defined by those who speak art
Even when they are sleeping
How about we change and value literature
Play with words like jazz
Sit and converse
Until we reach an agreement that says
POETRY AND LITERATURE IS HOUSE
The same budget the same length
Equal speech

GLORIA: Your specialty is of course poetry. Are there any African or South African poets you admire?

RICHARD: My inspiration starts at home with writers of mind like Delazi, Infinite motions, Shasha, PMZ, Kagiso, McKenzie (Shups), Pule Lechesa, Kgosietsile Dinthoane, Bareng Dichabe, Thabo Mafike, Seleke Botsime and from there the pen takes me to the heights of Maya Angelou, Bessie Head, Antjie Krog, E’skia Mphahlele,Buchi Emecheta, Kgafela oa magogodi, Hymphatic, Kwani E, Lebo, Napo, Saul Williams and I will need another two pages! (laugh).

GLORIA: Who are the writers who have encouraged your writing?

RICHARD: I believe that most of the time it is not
How you write but what you write, not necessarily what you say
But how you say it,
So along my journey I had the privilege to meet
Great writers who each played a role in lifting my weight and spirit
So even when the sun is not shining because of them I write,
Mr. Bolaji has given me so much as a writer and is certainly an icon an inspiration, and Charmaine Mrwebi my sister with a conscious mind.

GLORIA: I understand you have a great collection of articles on literature, how did you build or collect it?

RICHARD: It all began with a dream inspired by what I saw. I began cutting pages which I felt were close to heart. The actual dream was to see myself one day amongst those who will go down in history. When coming generations read and embrace the spoken word.

GLORIA: You have already published a book of poetry in Afrikaans, why did you decide to write it in that language?

RICHARD: Writing in Afrikaans came as a blessing for I never knew I could write until I realised I had actually published a book. It was too late to walk away. I tried but I fell in love.

GLORIA: What are your future plans in the writing career?

RICHARD: I’ve never really considered that I would ever take writing as a career, but to march as I can… the war is far from over so I shall continue to read and learn from those who came before us so that I can also leave something for the next us.

"How I wrote my debut book: Enemy of the State" - Maxwell Perkins Kanemanyanga

"How I wrote my debut book: Enemy of the State” – Maxwell Perkins Kanemanyanga


Maxwell Perkins Kanemanyanga is a new author; yet he is already an award winning author. His debut book, ENEMY OF THE STATE has garnered the “Mangaung Up and Coming Author of the Year (2009) Award”. Here he speaks to S Botsime on his love for the world of writing…

How do you feel to have your first book published?

I feel very happy because it has been really a long walk. I have published stories in newspapers before but ‘Enemy of the state’ is my first imprint in the literary world, which is a very humbling experience for me because many great men and women have travelled this path before me.

How long does it take you to write your short stories?

It does not take long at all. It took me about a month to finish these ten stories and already I have stories that would be in my next book hopefully by next year.


You are based in Bloemfontein, who are the writers who have impressed you here?

I have not been here for very long and I am still learning about many writers. I like the mind boggling columns and articles of Seleke Botsime (smiling; as he’s referring to the Interviewer) who has just published his first book, ‘Blasphemy’, the writings of Pule Lechesa and others. However the writer who impressed me most is Mr O Bolaji. I really love his book, Thoughts on Free State writing where he bemoans and laments the lack of reading culture among black people. To quote from the book: “For many [black] Africans formal education is a means to an end. If I can get a tertiary certificate, better still a university degree, it is an open sesame to a good job and comforts. Hence it is in no way unusual to see many well educated Africans whose ignorance is frightening. Many of them have read only prescribed text books along the line and have hardly broadened their minds” Africans are rich people but all these years we are just beggars standing our mineral and other resources. We have to change our way of thinking and living. The first resource of any nation is its people. Take for instance DRC, it is very rich in Coltrane used to make laptops and cell phones but its people its people are refugees scattered all over the world. Our education is not fulfilling its purpose. The purpose of education is to teach us to think intensively, critically and to equip us with the power to think objectively not just read prescribed text books and boast about certificates hanged

What inspired you to write?

Growing up in a family where I was the only boy, I took to books so early in my life. This was like a habit to me, and as I grew older I became an avid reader. My main areas of interest were biographies and philosophy. I read biographies of Dr Martin Luther King JR , Gandi, Mandela , Biko , Fredrick Douglas , Bob Marley , Mother Theresa, Tiger Woods and many more. I read philosophy and my favorite philosopher is Socrates. Besides these two areas I also read novels of Dambudzo Marechera, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, Sidney Sheldon, Jeffrey Archer and many others. One day I was coming from Blackstone Primary School when to pick my young brother Prince when I met Mr. Garan’anga. He stopped me because I was holding a book. We talked and then he showed me his work place. I went back to see him and he gave me books to read. This became our routine until one day he asked me a question I could not answer. “After all this reading what do you want to do?” Really I didn’t know. I told him I will become an actor like my hero Denzel Washington. Mr. Garan’anga told me that I was a writer. I only knew how to write essays at school. However he told me not to fight myself, “just cool down”. I did like that till one day I woke early in the morning and wrote my first story that was published in the Teen Column of the Herald. I then started writing articles to many newspapers like Sunday Mail, Daily and Sunday Mirror, and the Daily news which was later banned. With the advice of my friend, Philip Chidavaenzi who was a journalist I enrolled at Christian College of Southern Africa. In 2006 my piece “Africa needs justice from the west not democracy lessons” was nominated for the Lorenzo Natalie and European Commission. The following year in my last year at school, I also published an article: “We badly need moral salvation” in the Zimbabwe Independent that was nominated for the Lorenzo Natalie Prize.

How did you get in touch with literature?

When I came in South Africa I was introduced m to Mr. Bolaji a renowned writer. I was used to writing letters and essays, so I did the same with him. Then one day he told me to diversify as a writer. He said I could start by writing poems or short stories. This is how it all started…now I have published a book of fiction! Great!

Spotlight on Mokwena Arts...

Spotlight on Mokwena Arts and Cultural Group

Interview by Neo Mvubu

Mokhele Ben Makatu spoke to Neo Mvubu about the arts and cultural group that he and his fellow members started years back, the challenges and achievements and what they have in store for us in the future. He spoke of the input the group has had on the development of arts and culture in his community. Now let’s take a look at what he has got in store for us …

Q. When was the group established and by whom?
A. The group was established in 1997 and registered as a Non-Profit Organization by Mokhele Ben Makatu with 10 other members

Q. What has the group done so far?
A. We have traveled to the Malapo National Festival in Pretoria, we have won many competitions and awards in the Free State, we have attended the Macufe Arts festival many a-time and the Grahamstown Art Festival.

Q. What has your organization done for the community?
A. We have built a hall in Thaba Nchu for the community to use it; the elderly use it for when they receive grants and the children use it as a cultural centre. The same hall is also used for Abet students to learn in. The organization has been developing the arts in the community of Thaba Nchu and creating awareness of culture in children to further regain people’s pride in our heritage.

Q. Where did you get the money to build the hall?
A. We, the management decided to dedicate all our salaries to building the hall, some of the money came from sponsorships from the National Lottery and Motheo Local Municipality.

Q. What are you planning to do next?
A. We are planning to go to the Vita FNB Dance Umbrella which will take place at Wits University.

Q. What have been your major challenges as a group?
A. We have been having transport problems and the hall we have built has leakages. We have received sponsorships that we have allocated, we have distributed the funds to help our community but the government has been struggling to help with the little needs we have.
Courtesy of Free State News

Julia Mooi talks about her new book

Julia Mooi talks about her new book

JULIA MOOI is the latest black female author in the Free State. She has just published her debut book titled OMOSEYE BOLAJI: Further Perspectives. Seleke Botsime briefly talked to her about her book:

Seleke: What is your book all about?

Julia Mooi: It is another study of the works of the very impressive, creative writer, Omoseye Bolaji, who has always been a fantastic inspiration to all of us. The book is divided into quite a few parts: the general Introduction written by me; the first essay in the book – a rather long one also written by me; then there are articles and essays written by literary figures like Pule Lechesa, Peter Moroe, and Paul Lothane. We all pay tribute to Bolaji’s writings. At the end of the book, most of the major articles and essays published on his (Bolaji’s) writings over the years are listed for record purposes.

Seleke: But there are already many books published on Bolaji’s literary work…

Mooi: The thing is, Bolaji is so prolific, and new articles on his work appear regularly on a yearly basis. My book includes many of the latest articles written on his work; remember two new “Tebogo Mystery books” have been published by Bolaji within less than two years – Tebogo and the haka (2008) and Tebogo and the epithalamion (2009). You can say my new book is the most up to date publication on Bolaji’s literary work thus far.

Seleke: Your book is of course on literary criticism/appreciation. Many find this genre difficult or “destructive”.

Mooi: My approach is that as an intelligent reader one can appreciate the literary contributions of certain writers, and try to interpret this in certain ways…it is not about doing a “negative, hatchet job” but being logical and fair. I mean how many of us can write creatively anyway?

Seleke: Which female writers do you admire most?

Mooi: I can’t say I know them all, but one has to always respect the pacesetters like Miriam Tlali, Laureta (Ngcobo), Sindiwe Magona, Tsitsi Dangarembga…in South Africa we also have a new excellent female writer, Angela Makholwa.

Seleke: Apart from this new book of yours, what other stuff have you published that pleases you most?

Mooi: I was very happy to publish a very fine article on Free State Black writing in Free State Libraries – that was in 2001, but the article is still on the Internet! I was also delighted to publish another article in the literary journal, Turf (2005)

Urbain Tila - man behind "Bloemllywood"!

Urbain Tila – man behind “Bloemllywood”!

“Bloemllywood” – in collaboration with Josh 158 Records has introduced locally produced movies to the Free State. On Sunday July 20, NOT OVER YET (a DVD) was launched in Bloemfontein. Richenzo spoke to the moving spirit behind Bloemllywood, Mr Urbain Tila

Q: Mr. Tila, how did it all start, sir?

TILA: It was like a dream, the germination of an idea. “Oaks from little acorns grow” as they say. The world knows about the iconic Hollywood in America, Bollywood in India, and Nollywood in Nigeria. So why not “bloemllywood”, in the heart of the Free State in South Africa? What heartened me most has been the incredible co-operation I have got from everybody at large.

Q: I read somewhere that you have also been impressed with the natural (acting) talents of the cast?

TILA: It’s incredible, really! Just watch any of our productions and you will see how good these actors and actresses are. It’s in their blood. Like Selloane! They are great professionals as far as I am concerned because they are selfless, competent and so dedicated. I believe the future is very bright for the movie Industry here.

Q: What about finance?

TILA: Of course it was not easy raising funds but so many people chipped in to help, individuals and companies. I am grateful for all this. I must mention the likes of Me Soabi Wemima and Christian Omamatu (Chico). I must also thank Mpho Mpobole for her great contributions to the industry here.

Q: How do you manage to write the scripts, direct, and also produce?

TILA: (laughing) I also act! It’s all about passion. I have always loved the world of acting and drama. It’s so fulfilling seeing one’s dreams coming true
The cast of NOT OVER YET includes Gladys Motsumi, Tshepo Sebotha, Tlokotsi Tejane, and Thato Selogilwe

An Interview with Omoseye Bolaji

An Interview with Omoseye Bolaji


Free State Black Literature is now established and acknowledged world-wide. It is also generally accepted that the main catalyst behind this resurgence is Omoseye Bolaji, a prolific author, and journalist who has inspired many others to write. Here, HiFive’s Jerry Seekoei caught up with him for an illuminating session on the world of writing…

You’ve got a fair amount of recognition as a writer – many books published, reviews, published studies discussing your work…I was quite staggered to see how many references you have on the internet. Your recent awards too have also been well publicized. How does it all feel?

BOLAJI: I have a feeling I’ve heard this question before! (laughter). At the end of the day life goes on, really. From a simplistic point of view I believe that what really pleases a writer most is when a reader comments favourably on one’s works. The other day I met a stranger who just came to me and said: “Mr. Bolaji, I read the Sesotho translation of your play (The subtle transgressor), I could not put it down for a second. It was superb. I give it ten over ten!”

Some other observers also believe that you are lucky to have some people (writers/critics) impressed with your work. Mr. (Pule) Lechesa for example has been described as your “disciple”. Others like Petro Schonfeld and Prof Pretorius also love your work…

BOLAJI: I suppose some people would always be particularly enamoured with one’s works. Some of these people will now go out of their way to ensure that such works are even more publicized or analysed …a very pertinent example is Flora Weit Wild who over the years has done wonders in promoting Dambudzo Marechera’s literary works. It appears she has published more books - studies - on him than he (Marechera) ever wrote! However there are many others who have also promoted my work and written a lot about it…people like the late Pule Lebuso, Flaxman Qoopane, Charmaine Kolwane, Urbain Tila…my thanks to all of them.

Do you have favourites among your published works?

BOLAJI: Really I have said it before, that I am not one of those writers who go on and on reading and re-reading whatever they have published. I believe that a writer should move on after every “literary project”, as it were. Ideally whilst working on a particular book, there should be some excitement about it, but when it’s made available to the public there is no need to cling to the works with exceeding élan! Yes, inevitably there would be some mistakes in the books which the critics would gleefully point out. That is their province. I remember that a certain critic claimed to have detected “hundreds” of mistakes in Wole Soyinka’s The man died. But this did not stop the book being celebrated the world over.
Some other “critics” also claim that throughout all your books you hardly have anything bad or negative to say about whites

BOLAJI: There is no need being confrontational just for the sake of theatrics, or playing to the gallery, or whatever. I did not grow up under apartheid – actually my first years were spent in London (England) and I had a wonderful white Nanny who took care of me. White people have helped me a lot over the years in furthering my writing career. I have a number of very good white friends. I suppose many whites would be “bad” in the same way many blacks would be “bad” too. Recently a top footballer announced that racist jibes against him never worried him “it’s done by a minority and they just need to be enlightened” he said.

There is plenty of ignorance in respect of writers. Are writers “famous” even to themselves or in particular areas?

BOLAJI: We can all be quite ignorant when it comes to literature. As Lechesa pointed out in his book, The evolution of Free State Black Literature when Toni Morrison won the Nobel Award for literature a fellow American commented “Who is he?” As we might know Toni Morrison is actually a very famous black female American writer. What usually happens is that we all have our favourite writers. I have met many writers locally who hardly know icons like Es’kia Mphahlele or Gomolemo Moake or Njabulo Ndebele…such people usually know a lot about Ngugi, Achebe; by the same token most know little or nothing about Wole Soyinka who was the first African to win the Nobel Award. I myself only recently got to read some of the books written by Aryan Kaganof – a very funny, blunt, candid writer. It helps when those who love books – or budding writers – have been introduced to certain writers at school.

So perhaps you mean that we can sort of “specialize” as regards our knowledge or interest in writers/literature?

There are so many writers all over these days that we can be forgiven for some ignorance. Again it’s like football, soccer in a way – you get fanatical supporters of a team, e.g Bloemfontein Celtic supporters here who know EVERYTHING about the team on a daily basis. Many of them will tell you they know little or nothing about international football. Yet you get other football lovers locally who know very little about local teams but can give you daily news on Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid etc! Hence there are writers who know a lot about literature locally, a fair number of them might also have some general knowledge of writers nationally – the Zakes Mdas, Ndebeles, Mzamanes, Tlalis, Ngcobos etc. Then there are some who read only certain Eurocentric writers – others like Caribbean authors…another ilk are those who read only particular type of books, maybe romance, historical, biographies

Or mystery/detective fiction…

Yes. I have a soft spot for that! There are readers who read only the Dick Francis’, Agatha Christies, Sidney Sheldons; and the African works in this wise. You know, there are African writers who also write such (mystery) books; like Kalu Okpi, Victor Thorpe, Bolaji! (laughter all around)

An Interview with Omoseye Bolaji

An Interview with Omoseye Bolaji


Free State Black Literature is now established and acknowledged world-wide. It is also generally accepted that the main catalyst behind this resurgence is Omoseye Bolaji, a prolific author, and journalist who has inspired many others to write. Here, HiFive’s Jerry Seekoei caught up with him for an illuminating session on the world of writing…

You’ve got a fair amount of recognition as a writer – many books published, reviews, published studies discussing your work…I was quite staggered to see how many references you have on the internet. Your recent awards too have also been well publicized. How does it all feel?

BOLAJI: I have a feeling I’ve heard this question before! (laughter). At the end of the day life goes on, really. From a simplistic point of view I believe that what really pleases a writer most is when a reader comments favourably on one’s works. The other day I met a stranger who just came to me and said: “Mr. Bolaji, I read the Sesotho translation of your play (The subtle transgressor), I could not put it down for a second. It was superb. I give it ten over ten!”

Some other observers also believe that you are lucky to have some people (writers/critics) impressed with your work. Mr. (Pule) Lechesa for example has been described as your “disciple”. Others like Petro Schonfeld and Prof Pretorius also love your work…

BOLAJI: I suppose some people would always be particularly enamoured with one’s works. Some of these people will now go out of their way to ensure that such works are even more publicized or analysed …a very pertinent example is Flora Weit Wild who over the years has done wonders in promoting Dambudzo Marechera’s literary works. It appears she has published more books - studies - on him than he (Marechera) ever wrote! However there are many others who have also promoted my work and written a lot about it…people like the late Pule Lebuso, Flaxman Qoopane, Charmaine Kolwane, Urbain Tila…my thanks to all of them.

Do you have favourites among your published works?

BOLAJI: Really I have said it before, that I am not one of those writers who go on and on reading and re-reading whatever they have published. I believe that a writer should move on after every “literary project”, as it were. Ideally whilst working on a particular book, there should be some excitement about it, but when it’s made available to the public there is no need to cling to the works with exceeding élan! Yes, inevitably there would be some mistakes in the books which the critics would gleefully point out. That is their province. I remember that a certain critic claimed to have detected “hundreds” of mistakes in Wole Soyinka’s The man died. But this did not stop the book being celebrated the world over.

Some other “critics” also claim that throughout all your books you hardly have anything bad or negative to say about whites

BOLAJI: There is no need being confrontational just for the sake of theatrics, or playing to the gallery, or whatever. I did not grow up under apartheid – actually my first years were spent in London (England) and I had a wonderful white Nanny who took care of me. White people have helped me a lot over the years in furthering my writing career. I have a number of very good white friends. I suppose many whites would be “bad” in the same way many blacks would be “bad” too. Recently a top footballer announced that racist jibes against him never worried him “it’s done by a minority and they just need to be enlightened” he said.

There is plenty of ignorance in respect of writers. Are writers “famous” even to themselves or in particular areas?

BOLAJI: We can all be quite ignorant when it comes to literature. As Lechesa pointed out in his book, The evolution of Free State Black Literature when Toni Morrison won the Nobel Award for literature a fellow American commented “Who is he?” As we might know Toni Morrison is actually a very famous black female American writer. What usually happens is that we all have our favourite writers. I have met many writers locally who hardly know icons like Es’kia Mphahlele or Gomolemo Moake or Njabulo Ndebele…such people usually know a lot about Ngugi, Achebe; by the same token most know little or nothing about Wole Soyinka who was the first African to win the Nobel Award. I myself only recently got to read some of the books written by Aryan Kaganof – a very funny, blunt, candid writer. It helps when those who love books – or budding writers – have been introduced to certain writers at school.

So perhaps you mean that we can sort of “specialize” as regards our knowledge or interest in writers/literature?

There are so many writers all over, these days that we can be forgiven for some ignorance. Again it’s like football, soccer in a way – you get fanatical supporters of a team, e.g Bloemfontein Celtic supporters here who know EVERYTHING about the team on a daily basis. Many of them will tell you they know little or nothing about international football. Yet you get other football lovers locally who know very little about local teams but can give you daily news on Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid etc! Hence there are writers who know a lot about literature locally, a fair number of them might also have some general knowledge of writers nationally – the Zakes Mdas, Ndebeles, Mzamanes, Tlalis, Ngcobos etc. Then there are some who read only certain Eurocentric writers – others like Caribbean authors…another ilk are those who read only particular type of books, maybe romance, historical, biographies

Or mystery/detective fiction…

Yes. I have a soft spot for that! There are readers who read only the Dick Francis’, Agatha Christies, Sidney Sheldons; and the African works in this wise. You know, there are African writers who also write such (mystery) books; like Kalu Okpi, Victor Thorpe, Bolaji! (laughter all around)