In a life-changing breakthrough for his literary career, Cove Rock-based writer
Kwandakwethu “Kwanda” Mbete has been selected as Buffalo City’s representative in a
competitive provincial publishing initiative supporting 11 emerging authors across the
Eastern Cape.
The programme, which opens doors for local storytellers to enter national and international
markets, provides full publishing support to bring Mbete’s debut novel to print through Jacana Media.
The 37-year-old warehouse worker and freelance graphic designer, earned his place on
the provincial cohort following a rigorous competition organised by the department of
sport, recreation, arts and culture (Dsrac).
The call drew more than 180 manuscript submissions from across the province, with
commercial publishers independently evaluating the entries for content quality, structural
readiness, and commercial potential before selecting Mbete’s work.
Mbete, who was born in Khayelitsha but grew up in East London, (now KuGompo City)
previously honed his writing skills through corporate document drafting, and extensive
reading, said the announcement marked a pivotal milestone in his career.
His upcoming Afro-surrealist novel draws heavily on the unique rhythms, dialect, and
everyday realities of KuGompo City, blending modern urban experiences with fantasy and
local folklore.
Through Dsrac’s partnership, Mbete’s manuscript will be published by Jacana Media
“Getting published by Jacana is a humongous
thing,” Mbete said.
“ Most publishing houses don’t accept
unsolicited manuscripts from unknown writers,
so we are deeply thankful to Dsrac for this platform.”
Mbete’s path to storytelling draws from a diverse background. He spent most of his
formative years in KuGompo City, completing his primary and early high school education in the city before returning to Cape Town to finish high school to pursue a qualification in businessmanagement.
After a stint working at a call centre in Gqeberha, he returned to KuGompo.
“I developed my writing skills from doing a lot of reading, and I used to do corporate writing – combining my business management course to create documents for clients as a freelancer,” Mbete said.
“The city has shaped my voice in how I structure my sentences and deliver them.
“In KuGompo, we’re very playful in how we put things. “Even serious topics can be turned
into something light just by how you frame them.
“The book touches on real-world experiences in the city – from gangsterism and drugs to
strange experiences like witchcraft, spirits, and demons, but framed in a modern African way,” he said.
While the editing process is about to commence with an assigned veteran editor,
Mbete views the journey ahead with both gratitude and eager anticipation.
“I feel very grateful – not only to Jacana Media and Dsrac, but also to uThixo [God] and my
parents.”
“I’m looking forward to working with my editor, though I’m a bit apprehensive, because it’s
the first time someone will be looking at my work so deeply and giving raw feedback.
“But if it ensures the book comes out great, I welcome it.”
Beyond publishing and distribution to bookstores and public libraries, Dsrac is
equipping 16 selected writers with laptops to support ongoing content creation, funded through a R1-million public-private partnership with the
Fibre Processing and Manufacturing (FP&M) Seta. The department will also roll out writing and financial literacy workshops to help authors turn their literary craft into sustainable micro-businesses.
