South Africa is somehow stated as a non-reading country where illiteracy is part of our daily issues we come across. However, the means of combating illiteracy are made. Last week Durban Westville hosted the Funda-Mzantsi competition where offenders participated in various activities at the recreational hall.
The 12th annual reading competition was initiated by the National Library of SA (NLSA), this was to encourage literacy and the “culture of reading” within South African communities.
The offenders that participated in the competition came from various correctional centers within the KZN province. They took part in literate activities that were part of the competition these included: isiXhosa, English, Sesotho, and Afrikaans spelling B, book reading, book reviews and debate.
A press release by the Kokstad Correctional Services announced that, “cream of the crop from offenders was selected to represent KZN in George Western Cape in October whereby they will be competing with other offenders from countrywide and local book clubs for national championships”.
The DCS believes that these type of competitions help rehabilitate offenders from going back to criminal activities as it was also proven that “reading, writing and studying offenders are less likely to do recidivism and gangsterism activities”.
Not only has the Funda- Mzantsi help normalize and rehabilitate offenders, it also exposes upcoming authors and books that aren’t given recognition in mainstream.
“This was also the platform of young upcoming Matatiele born author, Mohlauli Lethola who’s book was read in this competition. Lethola has a very rare skill of writing from both Isixhosa and Sesotho, he novels Hlobo Luni Lomfazi Olu and Dimakatso Bo Phelong were read in this competition”.
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