A READING group has been launched in Durban to promote and endorse the culture of reading in the city.
Thabani Zama, chairperson of the Abantu Reading Movement, said the idea for the group came to him in July when he noticed the youth passing by people selling books at the roadside without even stopping to take a look.
“I thought it was very unfortunate that people were not buying books, some of them selling for only R5. People just don’t seem to be reading, it’s not that they don’t want to, it’s that the reading culture is not fashionable for them. I feel it is important to endorse this culture, to create a movement of independent thinkers, to create social cohesion and ultimately bring the community together to work together and breed better leaders. At school, information is initially acquired through reading. Books help us better understand what is happening around us. Our ability to analyse and comprehend is heightened, hence helping us make better decisions,” he said.
He said the ability of every person to read is an essential skill for them to master and in a world where information is the new currency, reading is the best source of continuous learning, knowledge and acquiring more of that currency.
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Thabani said the vision of the group was to endorse and promote the culture of reading, develop the minds of people to think critically and be able to comprehend what is happening around them, create a platform for social cohesion, expose writers, create a platform for readers to engage and dialogue about how we can make our society better and create a platform for writers to engage and interact with readers, thus exposing writers and their books to a vast and broader community.
The first reading session was held at Gugu Dlamini Park by the Workshop in July, and the sessions run on the first Saturday of the month from 9am to noon, with the next session on 2 November.
“We get a lot of different people coming through, including writers who are keen to meet with readers, and use this as a platform to engage with them about their books. It has really been well received,” he said.
He encouraged parents to read to their children, and to read more themselves, as children learn from observing. “I owe my love for reading to my mom, who is an avid reader. Children need to read books that captivate their interest and resonate with them,” he said.
Thabani said he was working on a platform which will be held at Nu Metro Cinema, Cornubia Mall, on 30 November from 9am to noon. This will be a Book Inspired Dialogue Seminar where readers and writers will engage on the writing process.
Contact Thabani on zamathabani@gmail.com or 079 364 8181.
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