National Book Week celebrations are underway across the country this week. The annual event, celebrated this year from the 7th to the 13th of September, aims to develop the country into a reading nation. The event is an initiative of the South African Book Development Council (SABDC) together with the Arts and Culture department. Research and experts suggest that South Africa is one of the most illiterate countries in the world.
SAbookcouncil.co.za states that only 14% of the country’s population is active book readers and only a mere 5% of parents actually read to their children.
Director of Library and Information services at the Human Science Research Council (HSRC), Segamesti Molawa, who is also president of the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA), emphasises that most South Africans only open books when they really have to…
“We find it easier to read for academic purposes because we have to, but we never read for fun. That is what we really need to change as a nation,” she said
National Book Week coincides with International Literacy Day, which was celebrated on September 8th.
In commemoration of the two events, Mangaung public libraries are running various programmes in the areas of Bloemfontein, Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu in a bid to promote reading. The libraries further observe the event by acknowledging the city’s ever growing reading community.
While research suggests that South Africa’s reading community is not growing, Bloemfontein is experiencing the opposite. This is according to coordinator of the city’s public libraries, Renett Bam.
“Just in the last two months we have seen the number of readers increase significantly at various libraries,” she said.
A Bloemfontein author, poet and journalist, 60 year old Flaxman Qoopane, meanwhile encourages parents to introduce children to reading when they are still in the womb. He, however, reiterates that it is never too late to start reading.
In a bid to promote reading, Qoopane has opened a small community library at the back of his home in Bloemanda, where he lives with his family.
He says the library, which he calls Hillside View Children's Library, is a place that helps shape children’s futures.
“We must teach children to read and we must make sure that they understand the importance of reading. You don’t have to wait until the baby is born or has reached a certain age. Read to your unborn child because that’s where it starts,” he said.
Various activities including book distribution, storytelling and motivational talks are held across the country. This is as a way to create a reading nation.
SELLWANE KHAKHAU
sellwane@centralmediagroup.co.za
