Getting to know the sepedi author and poet
Sepedi poet and author, Moses Seletisha, a South African Literary Award winner in 2017 with his book Tšhutšhumakgala, which is about a man called Tlokwe Maserumule who has lived his political times unapologetically.
POLOKWANE – Moses explains that the meaning behind the concept of Tšhutšhumakgala is ‘coal train.’ “It has been a slow journey for him as a former Umkhonto we Sizwe cadre. From where he spent six years on Robben Island, with the likes of Nelson Mandela and Elias Motsoaledi.
Moses grew up in Tsimanyane, Sekhukhune district and now stays between Polokwane and Mpumalanga showcasing his talent everywhere. He attended his primary school at Tsimanyane Primary School and his high school at Ngwanakwena Secondary School, and completed his matric in 2006. Though he started writing during his high school years, Moses decided to take a gap year after matric, so that he can create some space for his writing and poetry. In 2014, he decided to study a BA degree in environmental management at Unisa, he is in his final year.
“I wrote Tšhutšhumakgala in 2013, and what inspsired me to write the book was a Sepedi writer and multiple award-winning author, Dr David Maahlamela. He made me realise the importance of embracing native languages. I believe we both got inspired by our very own ‘Shakespeare of the North,’ Dr OK Matsepe,” Moses added. The book features big names such as Mathews Phosa and Justice Dikgang Moseneke as his lawyers. His book’s afterword is written by Limpopo Premier, Chipu Stanley Mathabatha.
Moses further explains the man in his book, Maserumule use to work in the kitchen at Robben Island as soup cook, he was the very first black prisoner to have been allowed to marry a woman during his days at Robben Island, and he was granted 10 seconds for his honeymoon,” he said. Throughout his poetry and writing career, Moses has recently performed at the Polokwane Literary Fair, Northern Cape Writer’s Festival, Grahammstown National Festival, Kimberly Book Fair, Franschoek Book Fair as a poetry award-winner for the Sol Plaatje European Union Poetry Award 2017. He was later invited to perform his award winning poem Mahlalerwa at the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation this year on June 16.
“The challenge of writing in Sepedi is that you get to cater for a small audience. You get to give a brief explanation of your recital before performing, so that the non-Sepedi speakers are not left out, which is something that crushes the pride of the poet at all times. Then the invites become too scarce for the non-English poets,” he said.
Moses is currently working on his project is a Sepedi translation of a play called Nothing But The Truth, written by a famous South African playwright Dr John Kani. Follow Moses on his Facebook: Moses Seletisha
