NONHLANHLA MKHABELA
BAHLABEKE umxhwele abafundi base-University of KwaZulu-Natal ngenkathi behlanganyele nezimbongi ebezivakashele isikhungo sabo ngohlelo lwe-18th Poetry Africa 2014.
Izimbongi ezingoThuli Zuma noBuddy Wakefield odabuka eWashington, eMelika, bavakashele esikhungweni iHoward College lapho befike bapha abafundi amaphuzu okubhala ohlelweni olubizwa ngeCampus Invasion lapho izimbongi ezikuPoetry Africa zivakashela izikhungo zemfundo ephakeme zaseThekwini.
Omunye umfundi obehlanganyele nalezi zimbongi, uLungelo Ndlovu owenza izifundo zeB Sc in Psychology, uthe uvuselelekile emuva kokuhlangana nalezi nezimbongi.
“Kusho lukhulu kimina ukuthola ithuba lokuhlanganyela nabo. Ngiyamazi uBuddy, kunomngani osanda kungethula emsebenzini wakhe, ngiye ngimbuke naku-YouTube kodwa uThuli bengingamazi. Bengiqala ukuzwa izinkondlo zakhe futhi ngizithandile. Ubhala ngendlela ejulile ekwenza ucabange,” kusho uLungelo othe naye uyimbongi esafufusa.
UBrian Gwamanda owenza izifundo zeB Arts uthe ukuhlanganyela nezimbongi zePoetry Africa kukhomba ukuthuthuka kohlelo lwezimbongi alusungula ngaphakathi esikhungweni olubizwa ngeWord Architect.
“ IWord Architect yindlela yethu yokuhlanganyela sigqugquzelane ethalenteni lethu singabafundi. Kuyimanje sihlela umcimbi wokuklomelisa abakhombise umdlandla kulolu hlelo nonyaka. Kuyasithokozisa uma sizohlanganyela nezimbongi ezinamava eziphuma emazweni angefani zizosikhulisa,” usho kanje.
IPoetry Africa ezophothulwa kusasa iqale ngoMsombuluko. Kwezinye izinhlelo ezikhona wukuvakashela izikhungo zobuciko nezokugcinwa komlando namagugu.
Kuzokwethulwa nezincwadi ezinhlanu okuyi The Poetry kaPitika Ntuli, i From Around The World In Eighty Days, The India Section ka-Ari Sitas, Izithunzi Zemizwa kaMusa kaNhlumayo, Uhlanga yababhali abehlukene ne Poetry Potion Anthology nayo yababhali abehlukene.
Abafisa ukuhlanganyela nezimbongi bangaya emicimbini eba se-Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre ntambama ngo-6, amathikithi abiza u-R40 eComputicket kuthi awomcimbi wokuvala abe ngu-R70.