Children in and around the Gamagara Local Municipality were spoilt rotten when they were given gift packs and library toys by the local mayor councillor Edward Hantisi. This was during the 2018 National Book Week event which was held at Siyathemba Community Library in Kathu on Tuesday, 04 September 2018. The event which was marked under the theme "#OurStories" formed part of a country-wide campaign aimed at instilling a culture of reading amongst South Africans.
South Africa’s largest and most recognised reading promotion campaign is back! This year marks the ninth annual National Book Week. This year's is intended to highlight not only the fact that storytelling is deeply ingrained in African culture, but that South Africans can – and should – be the authors of their own stories. Africa’s rich storytelling tradition dating back thousands of years was brought back to life when MMe Kebelediwaeng Marry Manye narrated a story to an audience comprising learners from various ECD and the elderly attending the event. Professor Andries Olifant from the South African Book Development Council says the practice has always been an engaging and entertaining way of transferring knowledge. "The ancient roots of this tradition are often not well known or understood, so one of the objectives of National Book Week is to reclaim this lost history for current and future generations". said Professor Olifant.
Research indicates that 58% of South African households have no leisure reading books. This deficit fuels the widespread problem of grade fours (4) not being able to read for meaning. Professor Olifant says it is with this in mind that National Book Week features the #READABOOK/#BUYABOOK initiative, which aims to encourage reading amongst South Africans and bring more leisure books into households through an in-store donation platform provided in bookstores.
The Gamagara Municipal Mayor councillor Hantisi together with DSAC's Parliamentary Liaison Officer Mr. Stanley Galane handed out gift packs and library toys and also spent time with learners at a mobile library, a book review session and jumping castle was provided for during the event. The mayor also read a short story to children of Mpelege pre-school.
Delegates including Professor Olifant paid a visit to learners at Sishen Primary School where he told a story in a bid to revive this ancient practice. They rolled out National Book week workshops, reviewed a book by Lerato Trok and children were entertained by the National Book Week Mascout Funda Bala.
The #BUYABOOK initiative, through the SABDC’s publishing partners, had select titles at Exclusive Books, Bargain Books, Bridge Books, Love Books and Ethnikids for only R20 from 20 August – 09 September 2018. This all formed part of National Book Week’s aim to get as many books into South African homes as possible. The event was concluded by a poetry session at the Siyathemba Community Library at Kathu. The campaign is also used as a platform to promote books written and published in indigenous languages.
