The Importance Of Reading In Mzansi

Just like muscles the brain benefits from a good workout! Image Chocolat Negro

We are glad to be able to publish an article written by 2^nd year Walter Sisulu University journalism student Chuma Mxo. This article highlights the importance of reading and how it increases your vocabulary and improves spelling. 

Just like muscles, the brain benefits from a good workout. When you read you have more time to comprehend, think and gain insight. When you watch a movie or listen to a tape the mind does not pause to reflect unless you press pause.

The benefits of reading are keeping your memory sharp, your learning capacity moves quickly and your mind basically opens up. 

Reading tells us about our past. Image by Chocolat Negro

A lot of young people don’t know how important reading is. As a result when they leave high school and enter universities they are at a disadvantage because of their poor marks in English. 

If they are fortunate enough to get accepted, either they can’t write and read properly or even speak English fluently. Even aspiring journalists find no interest in reading, whereas it should be part of their lives to help them with their writing skills.

Reading in Africa: Young people underestimate the importance of reading and are generally not interested. Even aspiring journalists find no interest in reading. But, it is never too late to start a good habit. Photographer:Chuma Mxo

 Dr Alan Weimann, former head of the Department of Media Studies at Walter Sisulu University, says: “I always tell my students that if they want to be good journalists I cannot see how they can cope without reading. When you are not exposed to reading activities you lack broad general knowledge. Reading online is not as effective as reading print.”

He said to understand and be able to assist the students you’ve got to go back and see where the problem originates. If pupils were not taught to read properly in primary school the foundation was not laid and this resulted in a deficit of language proficiency. To improve these pupils should make a conscious effort to read.

The power of reading is potent and strong, Image Chocolat Negro

A literate mind is a more complex one, there’s a richness that reading gives. It increases your vocabulary and improves spelling. It also forces you to look at words that we might not have seen or heard. When you read you become more familiar with texts and you become so much better in picking up errors. 

Thabo Mongoato, who started reading at a very young age, says; “It is difficult for me to remember a time when I did not have a book to read. I grew up in a home that was full of all types of books, magazines, newspapers and all sorts of novels.  This had a profound influence in my formation years and gave me an edge in life and most importantly my school work.”

Image Chocolat Negro

Image Chocolat Negro

Thabo adds: “Reading helped me to obtain good grades; I gained valuable knowledge, I had answers to things that my classmates could not begin to understand. Reading has opened worlds and opportunities that are still closed to those who find reading tedious.”

Thanks to the technology you can find good articles on the Internet. It’s easy to read a quote or an article for a few minutes and then stop and continue with what you were doing.

Dr Sheryl Maastricht, an educational psychologist, says: “Parents should read to their children from a very young age. When kids grow up in an environment where reading is a daily routine they get used to it and grow with it. When kids see their parents reading and enjoying it they also grow to love reading. Parents should also restrict their children from watching too much television as this distracts them from their books.”

But when you invest in reading a good book you end up at least a few hours reflecting on its content as you read. Hence, it is likely to stay with you for a longer time and have a positive influence on you.

Iamge Chocolat Negro

According to Mr Sive Mlamleli, a teacher in reading, said he has encountered some difficulties when dealing with learners who have poor grammar.

“As a teacher, I have found that children who have poor reading habits are poor readers, spellers, and writers themselves; and their grammar is atrocious! They speak well enough but that’s neither here nor there.” 

Mlamleli adds: “Many of the children who do not cultivate the habit of reading cannot visualise words, hence, they become poor spellers, and their vocabulary is very limited. But it is such a struggle to get them to be interested in reading.” Don’t underestimate the power of reading it is strong and potent. It is never too late to start a good habit.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Rally For The Mdantsane Way Magazine - Looking For Our First Supporter

We are looking for our first supporter in this rally

We are trying to raise funds for our township magazine "The Mdantsane Way" . We have  received dozens of applications from young journalism graduates who have just left university and would like to get an internship with us. Most of them come from Mdantsane, the place where they are born grew up and that they love dearly.

The budget we are trying to raise will allow us to recruit and mentor young South Africans for a period of two years. Many of them would be happy with just an intership which would allow them to start their career as journalists.

South Africa has an unemployment rate of 25% and if we achieve the goal we have set for us we will be able to give young graduates a chance and keep them away from the streest and from crime. Additionally young people from Mdantsane will get a chance to write about their township and share their stories withe world.

Now we are looking for our very first donor who would be willing to start this campaign with us. Have a look at our Rally page https://rally.org/themdantsanewaymagazine

You can donate here:

Nqontsonqa, The Praise Poet Of The Eastern Cape

We have the pleasure to publish today an article written by the 2^nd year journalism student Ikhona Pahlane of the Walter Sisulu University in East London. Our informal cooperation with the Media and Journalism Department of the University has allowed us to serve as an incubator for students by publishing their articles in our magazine. 

Today's article is a profile of Nqontsonqa, a spoken word artist who claims his girlfriend is a book. He has recently performed at some major events in the Eastern Cape.

Born and bred in Grahamstown, Nqontsonqa, a praise poet, is rocking stages of the Eastern Cape with his thought-provoking and straight-to-the-point poems.

Siphelo Dyongman, also known as Nqontsonqa, inspires through his poetry and has established a name for himself with his range of colourful T-Shirts branded Nqontsonqa Imbongi Yakwantu  – the praise poet of the people.( Image Ikhona Pahlane)  

The 21-year-old Siphelo Dyongman, known by his poetic name Nqontsonqa said his journey began in Grahamstown, at Andrew Moyakhe Primary School where he was doing grade five in 2002.

“I was part of an Inter-Schools Development festival. I stood up and started to recite a poem and that’s how my poetic career began,” he said.

He has recently released his 2nd album entitled “ANC – Ayindim Ndenzeni Compilation” with a hit single Iphupha that has been aired on radio stations such as TruFm and Khanya Fm.
His album has sold approximately 800 copies, under Nqontsonqa Productions. It is available at Vincent Park and Hemmingway’s Musica stores.

Nqontsonqa is a third-year student studying towards his diploma in journalism at the Department of Media Studies at Walter Sisulu University. “I strongly believe that even with art you need to be educated,” he said.

Through courage, curiosity and confidence, Nqontsonqa has become an inspiration to many people through his poetry. Not only that, but he has also managed to make a name for himself that has transformed him into a brand when he introduced the Indoor Sessions, a platform for unplugged art at Walter Sisulu University in 2012.

“I’ve been in and out of the province hosting and headlining shows until I started my own Indoor Sessions held at WSU’s Heritage Site Campus,” said Nqontsonqa.

He has performed at the Steve Biko Ginsberg Easter Festival and at the Buffalo City Metro Municipality Summer Carnival for the past three years in a row. He shared the stage with newcomer Berita at the Buyel'ekhaya Festival in 2012 and at the Chris Hani Choral Competition. He also features on Berita’s album.

Nqontsonqa has also won awards such as the Best Solo Poet at Injongo Productions talent search and a bronze award in the speech and drama competition held by UBOM Drama theatre. He markets his own t-shirts self-titled “Nqontsonqa Imbongi yakwantu”.

The minute he realised his poetry had a strong hold on people he “pulled up” his socks and saw he could make a living out of it. At the same time he lends an educational voice to those who do not have one.

From the first poem he performed, “My girlfriend is a book”, to many others like “Andiphilanga”, Nqontsonqa’s journey is nowhere near the end. – WSU-SNA

Article and Picture By Ikhona Pahlane, Walter Sisulu University

Incede Womens Project - Art And Recycling In Mdantsane

The Incede Womens Project recycles glass bottles and turn them into beautiful liquor glasses

Nomunde (Patience is her English name, so she tells us) and Zameka are the two savvy ladies behind the Incede Women's Project. The Incede Womens Project's workshop is located in a large room at the Mdantsane Arts Center.

Several women of Mdantsane, concerned about the situation and the future of young people in this country have founded this project a couple of years ago, with the intention to help young people to gain skills in the art sector and thereby allowing them to earn a little income. 

Incede is in the lucky position to be now funded by the Department of Arts and Culture. The efforts of these women, to help create a better community and trying to keep the young people of the streets have been finally recognized.

My name is Patience but I am actually not patient at all, she says!

The Incede Womens Project creates a variety of products with very different materials including pottery ware, mosaic work and has started a line of products, that are made from recycled glass, but we are concentrating in this article on the pottery products, that the women design. 

The products are strongly influenced by the Xhosa culture and the local tradition of the Eastern Cape but they also incorporate many other non-typical Xhosa elements of daily life.

Zameka - a strong vision

Zameka at her working area in front of pottery wares, destined to be painted and glazed

The workshop at the Mdantsane art center seems large to us, but the ladies say it is still not big enough. It is used by many young people, who come there after school to paint or learn the skill of pottery.

Beautiful, colorful handmade and completely RECYCLED glass tiles

The raw material is bought in Gonubie, a little coastal town outside of East London.

The project is well equipped and has all the material needed at its disposition, but the women say what they profoundly lack is marketing, business and selling skills. 

"Once our products are finished, they rest on the shelves in the arts center, Patience says, we don't know how to get them to the clients and we don't know how to attract clients."

The Kiln

Unfinished products

A mosaic clock

The large workshop of the Incede Womens Project

Patience at work

The women belief in their project

The women who have founded Incede believe in the power of work and that if one learns a skill it changes one's outlook on life.

Learning something adds a sense of worth and self respect to your life

"If you are not working, you feel useless. You feel useless and you do not have an income. Sometimes this can not be changed easily because of external circumstances. But if you learn a skill, even if you still have not an income you feel proud and more re-assured of yourself than before," says Patience.

"You have added value to yourself. Life is also about understanding your own value. May be your income will come later or there is the possibility, that you will find money through the skill you have learned in another way, that you have not thought of!"

 

Many women in their later years in life have a deep concern for the future of the young people in South Africa.

Representing the tasks of daily life in the Xhosa culture

If the old traditions die the teachings of these traditions reserved for the young people die as well. But it is a fact of life that certain traditions will die because the effort it would take to uphold them is too big. New ways have to be found to establish values and recognize the value of life. Art can be one of these ways.

The tradition of the rural areas of the Eastern Cape is reflected in these sculptures

Looking at the sculptures one can see, that they have been inspired by daily life. The easy and simple things are shown here. The things, that have to be repeated day after day and that can be a burden sometimes are modeled into sculptures.

I do know nothing about art!

"In fact, I do know nothing about art! But I am very interested in art and all the things that are linked to it", says Patience. 

It is hard to believe, that she grew up "knowing nothing about art", as she says.

Religion is always there

The traditional way of dressing

The traditional way of living

some humor

and something foreign

Makes the eclectic mix of todays South Africa

If you want to support the women or if you are on the look out for some beautiful gifts - Mdantsane is not that far. 

Here are the ladies phone numbers:
Nomunde 0738522088
Zameka  0735794244

Introducing Vuyolwethu Mbatyoti - Volunteering For The Mdantsane Way Magazine

Vuyolwethu Mbatyoti

During the last two months we have received more than 20 applications from young South Africans for an internship with the Mdantsane Way Magazine. We do not have a budget for this at the moment - not yet - but we are working on it and we are sure, that we will have one in the future. One of our objectives is to serve as an incubator in the field of journalism, photography and public relations for young graduates, that come from Mdantsane. We are positive that other companies and organizations will support us in the future with funding.

Remarkable is, that more than 90% of the applicants are willing to work with us and to contribute to the Magazine without getting paid. We are delighted about the fact, that people want to work with us for free to get working experience. But this is not the entire motivation behind the applications we have received. The driving force is, that the people who have applied with us are passionate about Mdantsane and there is the desire to give back to their community. And there are more stories to tell.

Chocolat, the editor started meeting with the applicants during the month of November and the first volunteer we would like to introduce is Vuyolwethu Mbatyoti. 

Meet Vuyo, a great deal of passion

Vuyo wrote to us:

"My name is Vuyolwethu Mbatyoti and am currently doing my Honours in Social Science and I have a degree in Applied Commnication Management from the University of Fort Hare and I am INTERESTED (please note interested written in capital letters) in your magazine and would like to contribute towards its development, not only for the magazine but for the community of Mdantsane at  large. What can I do to be part of your magazine?"

We asked her in turn how she thought she could contribute? She wrote us a a well elaborated one and a half page letter with ideas and suggestions. Perseverance does it. After a three hour conversation ( the intention was 30 min) over one Cafe Latte it became clear that her great passion is the value of education in South Africa.  

Vuyo is 21 years of age, ambitious. and hardworking. She lives in NU 3 in Mdantsane and has a twin sister as well as a younger sister.  It has not been easy for her and sometimes things were really tight in the family. What pulled her through was the love she experienced in the family.

"But look at me now, she says, today the lack of means is no excuse to not study and get an education in South Africa. There is NSFAS and there are other student loans. I studied on NSFAS. The government is doing so much for us as students."

Look At me Now!

  

She is however concerned about the high drop out rate at schools and universities at present in South Africa.

"Our parents have fought, so that we can have education and now the youth is not really interested anymore. It's all about clubbing, spending money and having fun, she says."

I know, that what I am today I will not be tomorrow. I will be better

"I know, that what I am today I will not be tomorrow. I will be better and I will find a job, earn a decent salary and be a role model for others".

The interesting thing about Vuyo is, that she has ideas of her own and tries to find ways to turn them into something

She is unique, but at the same time she is also representative of a large segment of the South African society. The graduates, that leave the universities by thousands facing now the harsh reality of finding employment. Her life and her experiences will tell us more about what it means to be a young South African in an ever changing and challenging social and economic environment.

Vuyo will write about education and we are looking forward to her stories.

So Vuyo, after having introduced you thoroughly today to our readers, we hope that you feel the pressure now (yes that was our intention) so that you can perform at your best and give us your best stories!

Mdantsane Scenery

Color is everywhere