Randburg librarians shine as they put South Africa on the map of Wikipedia contributors in Africa
South Africa recognised as part of the Wikipedia contributors in Africa.
Two Randburg Library librarians were recognised as Wikipedia contributors in Africa during the African Librarians Week Wikipedia Campaign in May.
Matete Lesele and Njabulo Mdunge were contributors to the campaign which was an element of a Wikimedia outreach drive by the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (Aflia) to involve library communities in assisting to filling significant missing information in African content on Wikipedia.
Lesele was awarded a certificate of excellence for being the fifth-highest contributor to the campaign and the only South African in the top five. Mdunge was awarded a certificate of excellence for being one of the top 30 contributors.
“The campaign is trying to give Africans the power to have their narrative told or to add citations. When I read about their [Aflia] aim of giving Africans a voice and the power to write our stories, that’s what excited me. It brings me joy to know people will get verified information on South African content. We’re proud of what we do, and we love our profession,” said Lesele.
Mdunge urged other librarians to join such initiatives. “What I appreciate about being a librarian is that you get to interact with the community and assist kids with the proper style of academic writing or referencing. As a librarian, you should be aware of current events, national news, and where to acquire information if a patron asks for further information,” said Mdunge.
MMC for Community Development Ronald Harris commended the two for their achievements.
“This is a true example of our youth taking the lead in correcting the history of our democracy. The youth remain our future leaders and it is upon us to support and guide them into the future. The City of Johannesburg is proud of their contributions,” said Harris.
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