readership
Johnny Masilela
DIPHORORO TSA BOPHELO edited by MV Shai (Heinemann Mamela Afrika Series)
In his foreword, the editor and compiler of this Sepedi language collection of short stories, MV Shai, goes to great pains to explain what protest literature is all about. Were contributing authors asked to come up with political stories?
The first story, A Ka Boela Setulong …? (Can He Retain His Job …?), was written by Shai himself. It is based on conflict between a group of examiners and the regional director of education. We are not told where. The conflict somehow gets sorted out, but it is not clear what it was all about, let alone how exactly it was resolved.
Among the other stories, issues such as love across the colour line and tribalism are dealt with. Unfortunately, the stories are not always well made. It is to be hoped that Heinemann’s mentor programme, linked to this series, will help develop authors’ skills.
But can such books help create a general readership in African languages? So many readers of literature in those tongues read only the Bible -and Isuspect most middle- class black people who are into reading books would prefer to read books in English.