Experienced By Me - Isiziba Siviwa Ngodondolo

The " hood " is a buzz with artists. It is amazing how many creative spirits live in Mdantsane.

Zanele Gamnca- Mweli is one of them. She is a drama writer and has written three books in the Isixhosa language. Her books deal with the society at large and with the role of women in the South -African society in particular. None of her books have been published yet but she has submitted all three manuscripts to the Department of Arts and Culture in Buffalo City. She has been promised that her books would be published. 

She becomes passionate and intense when she talks about her writing. She is determined to publish her book even if the publishing process will not be funded by the Department of Arts and Culture.

Her first book carries the title Masakhane Bafazi - which means Women Let's Build Each Other.

We, as women must not laugh at another woman who has a problem or whose child has done a bad thing, Zanele explains. We must not condemn. The condition of our society is the responsibility of all of us. If you are stronger than somebody else you must give part of your strength to that person.

Zanele is married and has two children. I can feel the love for her children coming through in every sentence when she speaks about her family. No wonder that her second book talks about her own home and carries the title " Experienced by me " Isiziba siviwa ngodondolo. She feels that writers must practice to write in their own native languages.

Her daughter is 18 years old and wants to write drama like her mother. But Zanele shakes her head. I don't want her to do that now. I want her to finish school. 

Her son, eight years of age, loves music and has composed an album for his mother for the world cup 2010. Zanele has recorded this album already. 

Her husband is encouraging her but he shares the fate of many partners, who are not artists and who have to deal with an artist in their family. It is not always easy for him to understand why she writes, Zanele says, but he is very supportive and we are a happy family.