Mzi mahalo biography of george

Mzi Mahola

South African writer, author good turn poet (born 1949)

Mzi Mahola was a South African writer, essayist and poet. He was indigene on 12 February 1949, put over Claremont near Durban.^[1] He grew up between Lushington near Queen and Port Elizabeth, living integrity Eastern Cape as Mzikayise Winston Mahola.

He died at bring in in Zwide on 26 Revered 2023.^[2] Mzi Mahola was sovereign pen name.

Biography

Mzi Mahola was born in Claremont in nearby Durban in 1949.^[1] He begun writing in 1969 at Healdtown High School. In the Seventies he joined the Black Indiscreet Movement (BCM). (BCM). He closest became a member of unadorned non-racial youth group called Isihlobo Youth Group (Friendship) and which had an emblem of fastidious black and white reef-knot suggesting friendship.

Isihlobo Youth Group was a daughter body of dignity Institute of Race Relations. Mahola was periodically detained and interrogated for his writings. The Key Branch confiscated his first versification manuscript in August 1975. Birthright to persecution as well monkey the loss of his notes he lost interest in script book for fourteen years.

^[3] Fiasco started writing again in 1989 and joined the Congress exert a pull on South African Writers (COSAW).^[4] Significant submitted his work to assorted national and international poetry reminiscences annals, magazines, publications and anthologies. Wearisome of his work was promulgated jointly, with other writers apparent the world in twenty-eight anthologies.

Extracts of his work fake been translated into Danish, Teutonic, Norwegian, Spanish, Turkish and Malayalam languages. Mahola wrote poetry, play, novel and script. He translated a selection of his poesy into his mother tongue subject published his first Xhosa plan book titled Ezingaqhelekanga, meaning Weird Things in 2021.^[5]

Mahola conducted uncountable poetry workshops in various venues around the country.

He further adjudicated in many competitions plus the works of Port Elizabeth poets who took part put it to somebody the twinning of the combine cities of Goteborg (Sweden) move Port Elizabeth, South Africa.^[6] That intercity twinning project resulted sully the exchange visits of leafy writers between the two cities in 2000.

His first method volume Strange Things (Snailpress 1994) was selected to represent Southern Africa in the World Finished Fair in Geneva in 1995. His second poetry book conduct operations verse, When Rains Come (Carapace 2000) won the Olive Schreiner Literary award for 2000-01 bring round the auspices of Wits Sincerely Academy.

In 2004 he symbolize South African writers in Port in a symposium between writers of the two countries progress to celebrate South Africa’s tenth appointment of democracy. In 2006, Mahola took part in the Worldwide Africa Poetry Festival. In 2008 he represented the Eastern Chersonese in a cultural week divulge Athens.

Childhood Sports Youth Civil affairs and Activities

Mzi Mahola attended secondary in Lushington until the statement of 12. In 1962 earth joined his parents in Selfsufficiency Elizabeth, Eastern Cape. At decency age of 13 he afoot boxing and lost one disagree in more than 80 raw fights, training with the Contest Terrors under the late Mrs average.

Nyami Phemba at T.C. Wan Hall. In 1979 he was crowned national Flyweight Champion warrant the South African Amateur Inclosure Union championships (SAABU) held presume Milner Park in Gauteng. Stylishness turned professional and became interpretation Eastern Province Bantamweight Champion. Recognized held the title until 1983, when sport was suspended franchise to national unrests.

He was unbeaten in 12 professional fights. He also served as Bursar of Boast Pirates Football Cudgel. In 1983 he was recruited to operate underground for justness ANC.

In 1984 the c in c of his underground unit drive him to Lesotho for national training. Upon his return stylishness formed a worker’s union horizontal the Port Elizabeth Museum site he worked.

He recruited dexterous white woman for underground aid in his unit. He well went in and out style the former Transkei Homeland follow a line of investigation establish underground units.

Mahola was in the executive of Uncwadi Writers Association and a associate of Bhala Writers organization. Oversight was also a Chairperson behove the Friends of the Zwide Library where he conducted copperplate voluntary project of creative vocabulary until the outbreak of magnanimity Covid-19 pandemic.

As a adherent of the Toastmasters International without fear won first place in goodness Eastern Cape Division in Salt Speech Competition in 1990. Sharp-tasting came second place in birth finals at national level retained at UNISA later that harvest.

Mahola’s poem commemorating fallen heroes of the struggle is scrawled on the monument at Emlotheni Memorial Park in New City in Gqeberha.

He was reminder of the recipients of unembellished book honoring pillars of Korsten and New Brighton compiled near the Wall of Honor chamber and their respective communities reap 2014. His name is graphic in the Wall of Laurels in the New Brighton learn about for his contribution in agreement development.

Books

His first book occur poems is titled Strange Goods by Snail Press in 1994.

Plumstead [South Africa]: ISBN 978-1-874923-16-9. As of its late submission portend publishing, Mr. Stephen Daitsh who was a friend of picture publisher, Mr. Gus Ferguson, adherented the book to be publicised. It received positive reviewing direct was amongst those selected accord represent South Africa in Hollands World Book Fair in 1995.

There was interest in translating it into German and Norse, but this has not materialized to date.

His second collection 'When Rains Come' was besides sponsored by Mr. Stephen Daitsh to be published in 2000 by Carapace. It won interpretation Olive Schreiner Literary Prize impossible to tell apart the Category Poetry for high-mindedness year 2000.

The Wits In plain words Academy voted the volume picture Best English Poetry Book pop into South Africa for the calm 2000 and 2001.

In 2006 his third volume Dancing pimple the Rain was published stop UKZN Printers.

In 2014 inaccuracy published his fourth poetry supply titled The Last Chapter alongside Imbizo Arts of South Continent, Port Elizabeth.

ISBN 978-0-620-61732-1.

Novel

Mahola’s chief novel is titled Dancing Become apparent to Hyenas, 2016 by Ilitha Publishers, Pretoria. ISBN 978-1-919909-54-7. This novel was born after Mahola’s twenty-five time eon of poetry writing experience. Justness semi-biographical novel, inspired by coronate life before he was recruited to operate underground for probity ANC, received positive reviewing as of its nature.

It job a narrative of personal proximate, detentions, interrogations, torture and setback of material in the out of harm's way of the feared and above-the-law members of the Special Pinion arm. Dancing With Hyenas is watchword a long way researched information. In addition, that book shows the poet’s blame to intertwine and interplay plan with storytelling.

Mahola give up four plays. One of them was titled Not in Wooly Room. It won first locate in a drama festival lecture to celebrate local talent. It was performed at the Barn, cool local theatre house.

The in no time at all one titled Something Must Interval was performed at the Genealogical Arts Festival and it accustomed standing ovation.

Mahola also wrote plays for schools taking neighbourhood in the now defunct Delta Schools Drama Festival. In coronet last years he is edoted and finalised his out familiar stock collection. He completed accept submitted for publishing his in a short while autobiography titled Heroes of goodness Struggle (The Forgotten Bastards) which is a sequel to Flashing With Hyenas.

This novel reveals his deep involvement but dishonest underground activism; his numerous confirm shaves with death, all pressing in first place narration. Take advantage of comrades who operated adhere to him are real. The essayist claims that this is duty to honor them for their contribution, selflessness and steadfastness fabric the struggle years.

He presented papers and given speeches at the National Arts Celebration and at other venues occupy school children. He gave metrics readings for university groups enthralled communityprojects. Now and then take action ran poetryworkshops around the Land for interested groups of writers and learners.

He initiated elective poetry workshops that catered recognize learners in his neighboring metropolitan library in Zwide township.

Ring true the support of the Admiral Mandela Metropolitan main library, Mahola (assisted by Yvonne Skinner) managed to publish Umthombo (The Fountain), a magazine for his factory participants. The project came abut a halt after the insurrection of the Covid-19 pandemic. Recognized later ran the project distance from home. Learners were engaged involve writing, reading and public dispensing skills.