North-West University (NWU) academic Karabo Mangwekea recently conducted a study to explore the prevalence of anti-apartheid themes in transitional and modern Setswana poetry.

The study focused on selected poems from the period before 1948 – when the apartheid rule was introduced – until just after 1994, when the apartheid rule came to an end.

Karabo says even though the notorious apartheid rule led to black resistance through various means, including protest and committed literature, the general perception is that, unlike English and Afrikaans literature, African language literature shied away from such engagements.

“The study seeks to disprove such perceptions regarding Setswana poetry by demonstrating that Setswana poets have indeed been responsive to the socio-political issues of their times,” he adds.

“It also identifies certain factors that might have led to these erroneous perceptions, such as the hegemony predominance and over-reliance on English at the expense of African languages and literature, as well as the oppressive apartheid policies enforced by its bureaucratic agencies such as censorship structures, education departments and language boards.”

Karabo says this study employs the post-colonial approach to expose elements of anti-apartheid engagement and protest, as well as the Russian formalist approach to analyse artistic devices in the selected poems.

More about Karabo

Karabo Answer Mangwekea is passionate Setswana academic and researcher born in Tlakgameng Village.

He obtained all his formal qualifications at the NWU, which include a BEd, a BA Hons and an MA in Setswana.

Karabo worked as a Setswana teacher at the North West Department of Education from 2014 to 2019, and is currently a Setswana lecturer in the Faculty of Education’s School of Language Education on the Potchefstroom Campus.

He is currently studying towards his doctorate.

 Karabo Mangwekea.