Dr Thembinkosi "Themba" Qwabe, a writer from Mgungundlovu, has won the 9th AVBOB Poetry Competition with his isiZulu poem titled "Hawu Kodwa Mtanomuntu". The competition was held at the Pretoria Country Club recently. Qwabe's winning poem earned him a prize of R10 000, a R2 500 voucher to buy books, and a trophy. His victory was announced at a ceremony attended by notable figures in the literary world.
The competition, which aims to promote and celebrate poetry in various languages, featured a diverse range of participants. Qwabe was followed by Sizwe Alexis Zungu with his poem "Sengizidelil' Izicofiya Zomhlaba!", Sipho Banda with "Isihlahla Semizwa Yayizolo", Nokwazi Jili with "Selifiphele Nenkanyezi Yokuthula", Thandeka Nxumalo with "Walibangisa Ekhaya", and Ncamisile Nobuhle Hlabisa with "NgoJohann de Lange". The event was attended by Eugene Strauss, the newly appointed Group CEO of AVBOB.
The AVBOB Poetry Project aims to provide a platform for people to share their poetry and promote linguistic diversity. According to Eugene Strauss, the project creates opportunities for people to share their experiences, preserve and celebrate languages, and understand the perspectives of people from other cultures. The event featured a musical performance by Maremo Violin and Jude Harpstar, who played the violin and harp.
The ceremony also saw the presentation of the JdL Award for Poetry, which was established in honor of Johann de Lange, a former editor at AVBOB. The award was won by two poets, Joan Hambidge for her Afrikaans poem "Asindeton" and Sekhobo Moshe for his Sesotho poem "Monokotshwai". Attendees received a copy of the book "I Wish I’d Said… Vol. 9", a collection of poems.
The 9th AVBOB Poetry Competition had a strong lineup of participants, with poets competing in various languages, including isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho, isiXhosa, and English. The competition was judged based on the merit of the poems, and the winners were announced at the ceremony. The event was hosted by Heidi Giokos, a well-known journalist and news presenter.
The AVBOB Poetry Competition has become a prominent event in the literary calendar, attracting talented poets from across the country. The competition provides a platform for poets to showcase their work and compete with others. The event also celebrates linguistic diversity and promotes the preservation of languages.
The 10th AVBOB Poetry Competition is now open for entries, with a closing date of November 30. Interested poets can submit their entries on the website www.avbobpoetry.co.za. The competition offers a chance for poets to win prizes and gain recognition for their work.
Key points
- Dr Thembinkosi Qwabe won the 9th AVBOB Poetry Competition with his isiZulu poem "Hawu Kodwa Mtanomuntu".
