Launch of The Face of the Spirit: Illuminating a Century of Essays by SA Women

An essay collection I contributed to - "The Face of the Spirit: Illuminating a Century of Essays by South African Women," published by the Department of Arts and Culture, will be launched on the 8 March in Cape Town and the 9 March in Johannesburg.

I am so revved about it, because it's a different kind of writing from what I do at work and I feel honoured that my essay was also selected for inclusion.

Here is the invitation belowas was published on the Centre of the Book's announcement list. The organisers say all book lovers are welcome.

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Minister Z. Pallo Jordan invites all book lovers in Cape Town to The Centre for The Book, on Thursday 8, International Women’s Day where he will launch two books by women. The Minister will then launch these books at Museum Africa on the 9th March where he invites all book lovers in Johannesburg and Pretoria to attend.

As 2006 marked the 50th Anniversary of the Women’s Anti-Pass March to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, many projects were embarked upon to commemorate this historic event. 2006 was declared the “Year of the Women in South Africa” and the theme was “The Age of Hope: Through Struggle to Freedom”.

The publications of these books form part of the projects in recognition of the women’s courageous and selfless act in 1956. As Minister Jordan says, “it is a small token of our appreciation”.

One of the books is ‘The Face of the Spirit: Illuminating a Century of Essays by South African Women’, which spans a century of writing by over seventy women recounting their experiences in the different time frames. It provides a deep understanding of the oppression that women faced and their struggle for a democratic society.

The other book is titled, “Tshimangadzo Mufumakadzi wa Africa - Age of Hope Poetry Collection”. A national competition was launched on 2nd October 2006 to facilitate women’s participation in poetry as a literary and performance skill developing and enhancing the profiles of marginalized women poets.

Women from all the provinces contributed poems in all the official languages of South Africa. Please note that these books will be launched in Cape Town and in Johannesburg.

Cape Town
Date 8 March 2007
Address: Centre for the Book
62 Queen Victoria St.
Time 18:00 for 18:30
RSVP Premi Appalraju
021 465 5620
082 903 6778


Johannesburg
Date 9 March 2007
Address: Museum Africa
121 Bree Street
Time: 18:00 for 18:30
RSVP Nolan van Rooy
012 441 3447
073 144 1766


Kindly RSVP to your nearest centre to allow for catering preparations. Your attendance to the launch is well appreciated.