The Franschhoek Literary Festival is what it is – a show performed for the amusement of the rich white people, writes Siphiwo Mahala.
Johannesburg - “Look at yourselves – it’s very abnormal!” These famous words from writer Thando Mgqolozana have triggered intense debate about transformation in the country. Mgqolozana was speaking at the Franschhoek Literary Festival, where he publicly declared that he would no longer participate in the “white literary system” as represented by the festival.
The discourse around the skewed racial demographics in the South African literary landscape is not new. In 2011, I declined an invite from the organisers of this particular festival, arguing: “What I find most problematic is that the location systematically isolates the black community.”
I decreed that unless this was addressed, unless they made a concerted effort to reach out to black communities, I would not attend the festival and allow myself to be paraded in front of an entirely white audience.
Needless to mention, the then-director of the festival, Jenny Hobbs, summarily dismissed my suggestions for reform. In a long letter, in which she admitted to being angry, she argued that the assertion that Franschhoek was a racially and economically skewed society was a “superficial assessment” perpetrated by tourism literature.
Hobbs’s reaction revealed her fervent conviction that there was nothing wrong with the festival. It was normal. Where there is no will and desire to change, there can be no redemption.
Barely four months later, the Franschhoek Valley community converged on the Dutch Reformed Church to launch its Transformation Charter. With blessings from Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu as the patron, the charter had clauses such as: “We are not only divided, we are also unequal. Ownership of resources – especially financial ones – is heavily skewed in our community, mainly in line with ethnicity. This disparity is particularly extreme in our valley, probably worse than elsewhere in our country.”
The recurrence of this narrative as triggered by Mgqolozana’s statement implores us all to move beyond the “denialist” mode and confront our realities. Until we face our realities, until we confront our ugly selves in the mirror, until we admit to our abnormalities, we will not create an equal and truly integrated society.
In a written response to Mgqolozana’s assertion, the director of the festival, Ann MacDonald, asserts: “(Mgqolozana) raised important points that must, and will, be considered, and we will invite him to the Franschhoek Literary Festival even if he chooses not to attend.”
It would be a mistake for them to pursue the transformation agenda for the sake of Mgqolozana, or any other author for that matter. Any modification should be for the conscience of the proprietors, for them to be at peace with themselves and the world around them.
Mgqolozana is undoubtedly a gatvol African. I know him as an intelligent and assertive person, which is why I find it unbelievable that it took him so long to decide to quit. As a black author, when you are invited to many of the literary festivals, your unstated role is that of a window dresser – to show that black authors are also invited. You become a statistic.
The Franschhoek Literary Festival is what it is – a show performed for the amusement of the rich white people. I have no desire to change it. I have progressed beyond the reformist attitude of calling for the alchemy of the festival. It is the embodiment of the abnormalities of the book sector. The sector is one of the most untransformed in the creative industries. Any meaningful change in the sector would take due consideration of the entire book value chain.
The rhetorical neurosis of transformation cannot be real in our literary landscape if our focus is changing established structures. We cannot unscramble the omelette.
There is a need to have an extensive conversation pertaining to the ownership of the publishing industry, diversification of content, the funding modes in the book sector, as well as the role of literary journals, reviewers and festivals. This calls for synergies between writers, readers, librarians, media, the civil society and government.
We need to establish alternative publishing platforms and new channels for the distribution of books for easy access by the majority of South Africans. Only then shall we be able to raise a new consciousness and boast truly liberated voices in our literary landscape.
* Mahala is an author.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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