From left: Dr Mandla Ntombela (Library Manager, Msunduzi Municipal Libraries), Lindelani Dhlodhlo (Chief Librarian, Mandeni Municipal Libraries), Lungisani Mavundla (author), and Sbongiseni Ngubane (Library Manager, Unisa KZN Region)
Seasoned librarians and authors gathered at the Londiwe Shabalala Hall in Mandeni on 16 October 2025 to nurture young talent through a writing workshop.
The workshop was a collaborative effort by Mandeni Municipal Libraries, Unisa Library and Information Services in the KwaZulu-Natal Region, Msunduzi Municipal Library Services, and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sports, Arts and Culture. The collaboration among the four institutions demonstrated the power of partnerships in advancing cultural and educational goals to transform lives.
Learners from various local schools, young aspiring authors, educators, and library professionals cohesively embraced a day of inspiration, learning the fundamentals of writing, and learning the art of reading for comprehension.
As Steven Pinker wrote, “Speech and writing differ in their mechanics, and that is one reason children must struggle with writing: it takes practice to reproduce the sounds of language with a pencil or a keyboard.”
Beyond being simply words to communicate meaning, writing can advance to a level of craftsmanship – and that ultimately makes writers artists.
Advancing the culture of reading through book clubs
The workshop aligned with the Unisa Library’s ongoing efforts to promote a culture of reading and writing, giving significant priority to African indigenous languages. Although the focus was on the process of writing and comprehensively understanding short stories and novels for academic competence and literary credibility beyond schooling, the workshop culminated in a clear message: every language is indispensable in terms of its richness in unique vocabulary and syntax. Writers can therefore advance in terms of stylistics by reading different genres and exploring how literature is structured in other languages. Great writers, thus, are great readers and self-motivated people.
Spreading awareness about the Legal Deposit Act
Featuring awareness about the functions of legal deposits proved highly impactful, as it prompted questions even from published authors eager to learn more about their significance. Some published and prospective authors asked about the locations of legal deposit repositories. Yet, to their surprise, KwaZulu-Natal is home to the Bessie Head Library in Pietermaritzburg, one of South Africa’s designated legal deposit libraries.
The Legal Deposit Act 54 of 1997 was promulgated to provide for the preservation of the national documentary heritage through the legal deposit of published documents. Therefore, in terms of Section 2 of the Act, authors are required to provide, free of charge, one copy of every published work to each legal deposit library, including the National Library of South Africa, within 14 days of publication.
Above enhancing creative capacity
In addition to creative capacity building, the workshop emphasised the importance of libraries as centres of knowledge, creativity, and empowerment. Through initiatives such as this writing workshop, Mandeni Municipal Libraries and Unisa Library and Information Services continue to promote access to information, support youth development, and advance literacy in the KwaZulu-Natal region. The Unisa Library is proud to add creative and informative value to this community-driven initiative.
Successfully participating in this writing workshop reaffirms a shared commitment to empowering the next generation of writers and ensuring that the stories of local communities are documented, celebrated, and preserved for future generations.
* By Mxolisi Phakeme Nxumalo, Communication and Marketing Intern, KwaZulu-Natal Region
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