By Mbali Tanana
Growing up in the dusty streets of Joza Township from a very young age Siphiwo Mahala would entrap himself between pages and escape into a world of books where he found solace — his first glimpse into literature and the arts.
Today, the Makhanda homeboy — who was recently appointed as the board chairman of the National Arts Festival after five years serving as a board member– said the new role was humbling and a great honour.
“When I was asked by Elinor Sisulu to serve on the NAF board in 2019 I saw it as an opportunity to honour a festival that has shaped my artistic journey and a way for me to give back to my community. It was a wonderful chance to be part of the growth of the festival. Having worked in arts management for nearly two decades, I saw this as a meaningful opportunity to help build the festival from the inside. It was a moment of pride, but also of immense responsibility. I’m privileged to now be the chairperson of the board and to have the support of a team that comprises some of the most accomplished individuals in our country,” he said.
Mahala said his life as an arts practitioner has now come full cycle.
“My arts journey began as a young audience member at the Festival, and my professional career also started here. In 2001, I was appointed by the Grahamstown Foundation as the Schools Festival Officer. I resigned in early 2002 to further pursue my studies at Wits University.” That journey from curious township child to arts administrator, academic, playwright, and now chairperson of the festival board, reflects both personal growth and an enduring connection to the Festival.
The Johannesburg-based academic said that returning to his home soil in this capacity is testament to the transformative power of the arts and the importance of dreaming beyond one’s current limitations in life.
“It was through literature and the arts that the seeds of my dreams were sown. Despite having an impoverished background and schooling from under-resourced township schools, the power of imagination offered me dreams beyond my immediate circumstances. Those dreams set me on a literary journey, one that led to intellectual growth and academic achievements. Today, that boy from Joza is a professor of English literature at the University of Johannesburg,” he said.
Looking back, he said one of his fondest memories of the Festival was in 1988 when he was in Standard Four (Now Grade 6) where he was schooling at N.V. Cewu Higher Primary School.
“Our Principal, Mr Jamela, announced that there was a festival in town and that even black people were allowed to attend. From that moment, I never stopped attending the Festival. I was largely a beneficiary of the street performances and complimentary tickets. I was captivated by the raw energy of minimalist theatre, especially the likes of Andrew Buckland, Bheki Mkhwane and Ellis Pearson. Occasionally, I would sneak into venues during what we called “skollie time” – when door attendants allowed us in without tickets. That is how I watched How Long by Gibson Kente, and witnessed the brilliance of the African Jazz Pioneers. It was also at the Festival that I first saw Sello Maake kaNcube in the 1990s. I knew him as Archie from Generations. Then in 2016 — he was here to perform in a show I had written — that’s when my journey as a playwright began.
Mahala said that in his new role he has aspirations to see the Festival grow and evolve. “My most immediate ambition is for the Festival to transition from being an event that merely survives to one that truly thrives. My dream for the medium term is to see the Festival grow not just in size, but also in its capacity to create employment and opportunities for artists. I want to see performances staged in the townships, platforms created for emerging voices, and greater visibility for the immense artistic talent found in Makhanda, throughout the Eastern Cape, and across South Africa. Ultimately, I would like to see the Festival growing to become a gateway to international platforms for South African artists,” he said.
