Mduduzi Zakes Mda's new book, Sometimes There is a Void - Memoirs of an Outsider, Penguin 2011, is an interesting insight into the author's development and growth as an artist and writer, and an academic teaching creative writing. It is also very revealing on aspects of the life of AP Mda, the author's father. Zakes has done tremendous work in the literary sphere with his output of fiction and drama such that he now commands serious respect and a good profile of readership internationally. In other words he is not a tickey-line author confined to sympathetic followers of like minded uncritical readers. This point has to be said so that the uninitiated understand the impact of his comments to the world of book readers, and to celebrate his achievements after many years of dedication, discipline and devotion to his craft. In the light of your recent unravelling of the Gerhardt interview with AP Mda in the company of struggle stalwarts such as Oom Gqobs and Mfaxa in January 1970, I hurriedly read Zakes Mda's memoirs and would now recommend that you also make the time to read the book. Zakes Mda and I have been friends (within the fraternity of poets, novelists, painters, and musicians in Southern Africa) since the mid seventies. We were advocates of Black Consciousness and revolutionary struggle. We were also non-sectarian and criss-crossed into all schools of thought and examined the ideas of all leaders. Zakes never really wanted to discuss the contributions of his father in the Azanian Revolution, and he was all the time reticent about such things. Arrogant young people disregarded the older generation as meek and ineffective opponents of the regime. Zakes however wanted to be his own man - not to be seen under the shadow of his father. He has had an interesting upbringing alright, worthy of being penned down into a book. I his experiences with the PAC and the BCP in Lesotho in the 60s and 70s quite revealing. The void he writes about is symbolically presented as unfulfilled expectations, unintended outcomes and gaps in the journey of his personal life in very tough circumstances. It is also an honest assessment of charlatans masquerading as leaders and public representatives, when they are in fact exploiting the ignorance and trust of the people for selfish reasons. This void is currently in political parties. We cannot begin to compare AP and Lembede with the numbskulls in the youth leagues presently. The book reveals important titbits such as, for example, that Sabelo Phama lived in the Mda household and spent long evenings until dawn with the old man discussing the maelstroms of the revolution. AP was closer to Chris Hani's parents in Lesotho and he took Sabelo there on regular visits. Sabs, as he always was, even did chores in the Hani parents' home at the time when he was Secretary for Defence in the PAC Central Committee and Chris Hani was commissar in MK. Today Sabelo Phama is a forgotten hero and unknown even within the ranks of the Africanists. Read the book and let's talk. Jaki
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