The Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport in cooperation with Oxford University Press, is launching a creative writing competition to stimulate the creation of new isiXhosa literature.

Workshops on writing prose, drama and poetry will be presented on 21 and 28 July 2007 in isiXhosa at the Center for the Book by well-known authors and academics.

Entries by unpublished authors for the different genres will be received until 15 December 2007 and Oxford University Press will publish the winning entries during 2008.

Further prizes will include bursaries to study Creative Writing. Workshops will commence at 9:00 and finish at 16:00 and will include lunch on these two days.

Interested people must register by phoning Bianca Meyer or Xolisa Tsongolo at 021-483 9869 or 021-483 0679 13 July 2007.

In order to stimulate a culture of reading and writing and to ensure that Xhosa literature at libraries and at schools are modern and in line with the new school curricula, the workshops will revolve around writing skills and how to overcome the pitfalls of getting published.

Presenters will include people like Dr Abner Nyamende of the University of Cape Town, Mhlobo Jadezweni of Stellenbosch University and the author, Sindiwe Magona. Presentations will be done by isiXhosa speakers to instill pride and emphasize the need and importance of writing and reading in isiXhosa.

More details of the competition and the programs for these workshops, sponsored by the Language Unit of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, will be released shortly.

Interested persons and aspirant isiXhosa authors should contact Quintus van der Merwe or Xolisa Tsongolo at 021- 483 9869.

Enquiries:

Quintus van der Merwe
Head: Language Unit
Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport
Tel: 021 483 9674
Cell: 082 9011 912