By Nondumiso Ntsele and Singisa Mdungwana
The bustling town of Makhanda witnessed a momentous occasion as the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA), in collaboration with the Department of Sports, Recreation, and Arts and Culture, celebrated the South African Library Week (SALW) with an auspicious launch. Embracing the theme “Libraries Foster Social Cohesion,” the event took place on Friday, 15 March, at Chief Makhanda Regiment Drill Hall.
Attending the occasion were various dignitaries, including the deputy minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Nocawe Mafu, the mayor of Makana, Yandiswa Vara, the South African Library for the Blind Board chair Xolisa Yekani and LIASA president Nazeem Hardy. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation and enthusiasm. The event drew diverse attendees, from librarians all over universities in the Eastern Cape to community elders and members of the visually challenged community.
With the primary aim to raise awareness about visual imparity, the launch emphasised the needs and perspectives of the visually impaired, making the visit to the Makhanda Library for the Blind a prerequisite for all the attendees.
Speaking on access to information as a tool for overcoming illiteracy issues in the country, Hardy emphasised: “Libraries are continuously reinventing themselves in order to create spaces that are in a sense responding to people’s needs and the ways they want to access information”.
Local schools around the town joined together to support this momentous event. Victoria Girls’ High School, Oatlands Preparatory School and Kutliso Daniels were among the many schools that took part in the walk organised for the event. The students’ spirit-filled singing filled the air with a sense of joy and energy, lifting the spirits of those who were walking in the scorching sun.
Despite the heat, the students’ enthusiasm kept everyone’s spirits high, making the walk a fun and memorable experience. Participants were encouraged to walk, wear blindfolds, and experience a day in the life of a blind individual. The walk began at the National Library for the Blind in High Street and proceeded down Hill Street to the Chief Makhanda Regiment Hall, where the event would continue.
Arriving at the Drill Hall, Mafu spoke to one of the students about their experience of walking blindfolded. When asked how it was to walk while blindfolded, the student responded that it was “not nice at all”. The deputy minister took this opportunity to highlight the importance of respecting and supporting those who are visually impaired.
“May this moment be a powerful reminder of the challenges that blind individuals face on a daily basis.”
Mafu expressed her deep sense of honour and gratitude for attending the Eastern Cape for such a prestigious event. She highlighted the vital role that libraries have played throughout South Africa’s history, acting as a repository of stories and memories that help preserve the country’s history and its democracy. She emphasised the importance of these stories in reminding South Africans of how their democracy came to be.
“It is through libraries that copies of our democracy are preserved”.
In the spirit of Human Rights Month, Mafu reflected on the importance of remembering the lives and history lost in the Gaza War. She stated that while it is crucial to celebrate the progress made in the fight for human rights, it is also essential to acknowledge the ongoing suffering of those impacted by conflict. “In this Human Rights Month, our thoughts are with those who are affected directly and indirectly affected by the war in Gaza,” she said. Her words served as a powerful reminder of the ongoing need for compassion and action to protect the rights of all people around the world.
The event continued with various speakers discussing the importance of accessibility and inclusivity for those with visual impairments. Xolisa Yekani, SALB board chair, spoke on inclusion. He emphatically expressed how pleased he was that the president announced sign language as one of the official languages. He also spoke on the importance of accessibility, mentioning that “when we speak of access for blind people, it means a lot of things. He also added that for blind people not to have access to information makes them “double-blinded”.
Speaking to Grocott’s Mail, Linda Ntaka, the National LIASA Public Relations Officer, stated they felt the need to collaborate with SALB because their theme as an organisation spoke more on inclusion. “It is important for us to go back to the community where we can raise awareness so that we can make people acknowledge that there are people with challenges, and those people need us more.”
“We are carrying this theme (Libraries Foster Social Cohesion) throughout the year to include whoever we have been living behind for the past 30 years of our democracy.
Concluding the event on a high note, Mafu thanked all the librarians for their services and everyone who made it possible and declared the 2024 Library Week officially open.
