Symposium supported by NIHSS Dear Participant Who was Can Themba? The Can Themba Symposium is the first of its kind. It celebrates According to Stan Motjuwadi, the House of Truth was “Can’s way Daniel Canodoce Themba (Can Themba) was born on 21 June 1924, in Marabastad, Pretoria. He studied at the University of Fort Hare the life of Daniel Canadoce (Can) Themba—a distinguished South of cocking a snook at snobbery, officialdom and anything that from 1945-1947, graduating his BA degree with a distinction in English. He taught at various schools in Johannesburg and in 1953 he joined African writer, journalist and teacher on the 51st anniversary of his smacked of the formal. Everybody but a snob was welcome at the Drum magazine as a reporter and later became the associate editor. He left Drum in 1959 and in the early 1960s he went into exile in passing. Themba was born in Marabastad, Pretoria, on 21 June 1924, House of Truth.” Swaziland. He was declared a statutory communist by the apartheid government and his works could neither be published nor quoted in and died in Swaziland on 8 September 1967, at just 43years old. South Africa. He died of coronary thrombosis on 8 September 1967. It is against this backdrop that I penned the first Can Themba Although he passed away without a single book under his authorship, bioplay and titled it The House of Truth, thus revealing a new way of his works have outlived him and he remains one of the most perceiving his complex world from the inside. I had the privilege influential scribes in the history of literature and journalism in South of conducting the first full doctoral study on Can Themba, and Africa. At the time of his passing, Themba was banned as a “Statutory the play is an offshoot of this research. This research would not Communist”: it was illegal to publish his works in South Africa. More have been possible without the generous financial support from than half a century later, his name is still part of the public discourse the National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS). and this bears testimony to the resilience and enduring nature of What is probably least documented about Can Themba is his his thundering voice. legacy as a teacher. A graduate of the University of Fort Hare, In 1972, Heinemann Educational Books in London posthumously Themba taught at several schools including Madibane High published the first collection of Themba’s works, titledThe Will to Die. School in Western Nation Township, Central Indian High School Following his unbanning, in 1982, David Phillip obtained the rights to in Fordsburg and St. Josephs Missionary School in Swaziland. He republish The Will to Die inside South Africa. This was followed in counts the likes of Casey Motsisi, Stan Motjuwadi, and Emeritus 1985 by another collection of his works edited by Essop Patel and Bishop Desmond Tutu, among the list of his most prominent simply titled, The World of Can Themba. The most recent collection of former students. Themba’s works was published by Penguin Books in 2006 under the This aspect of his life is captured in Can Themba: The Teacher in the title, Requiem for Sophiatown. Newsroom, a documentary that is another offshoot of my academic Amongst all Themba’s works, his short story, “The Suit”, is the most research. In this ground-breaking documentary, Themba’s life, famous and probably the most successful short story by any South writing, teaching, his ecstasies and anxieties are relived through African. “The Suit” was first published in the inaugural issue of Nat the voices of his former students, mentees, colleagues and public Nakasa’s literary journal, The Classic, in 1963. In a period of 55 years, intellectuals. “The Suit” has been republished numerous times and adapted into This background evinces a Can Themba that was a multifaceted different arts genres ranging from graphics, theatre and film. being and, therefore, means different things to different people. Themba is described by eminent literary scholar Ursula A. Barnett, The Can Themba Symposium offers a unique opportunity for as “the most interesting personality and perhaps the most talented participants to interrogate Themba’s writings, life and legacy of the writers of the late fifties and early sixties.” Lewis Nkosi, on from different perspectives. This gathering of artists, academics, the other hand, observes that Can Themba had the “liveliest mind journalists and legends in the arts, culture and heritage sector and the best command of the English language.” These assertions opens a new chapter in the infinite journey of rediscovering and confirm one’s view that Themba was indeed ahead of his time. reimagining the life of Can Themba. Themba cherished candid debate and intellectual engagement, having established his apartment at 111 Ray Street in Sophiatown, and aptly called it the House of Truth, as the proverbial parliament of the people. He opened the door to all those who had no aversion Siphiwo Mahala, PhD to the truth. Symposium Convener PG 1 | The Can Themba Symposium The Can Themba Symposium | PG 2 Day Programme Evening Programme Venue: Mannie Manim, Market Theatre 11:00 – 11:45 Accreditation and Refreshments 12:00 – 13:00 Opening Ceremony Programme Director: Prof Nhlanhla Maake 12:00 – 12:10 Opening Remarks – Dr Siphiwo Mahala, Symposium Convenor Can Themba 12:10 – 12:40 Guest Lecture – Prof Muxe Nkondo The Teacher in the Newsroom 12:45 – 12:55 Vote of Thanks – Zama Buthelezi, Market Theatre 13:15 – 14:00 Legends Reminisce about Can Themba Facilitator: Dr Siphiwo Mahala Prof Pitika Ntuli Dr Joe Thloloe Parks Mangena Dr Don Mattera Venue: John Kani Theatre, Market Theatre 14:30 – 15:30 Turning the Mundane Mud of Sophiatown into Gold Dust Programme Directors: Sello Maake kaNcube and Zukiswa Vutela Facilitator: Prof Nhlanhla Maake Tshepo Letsoalo 18:00 – 18:30 Accreditation and Entertainment Dr Joyce Sukumane 18:30 – 18:40 Opening Remarks – Mr Ismail Mohamed, CEO: Market Theatre Khayelihle Gumede 18:40 – 18:50 Musical Interlude Kaizer Ngwenya 18:50 – 19:00 Reflections from the Supervisor (UNISA) – Prof K.M. Masemola 15:45 – 16:45 Recounting a Journo’s Journey: Perspectives on Can Themba 19:00 – 19:15 Background to the Documentary – Dr Siphiwo Mahala, Executive Producer Facilitator: Kevin Davie 19:15 – 20:10 Screening of the Documentary – Can Themba: The Teacher in the Newsroom Fred Khumalo 20:10 – 20:30 Q&A Gail Smith 20:30 – 20:40 Vote of Thanks – Prof Sarah Mosoetsa, CEO: NIHSS Bheki Makhubu 20:40 – 22:00 Performance – Kabomo and Sipho Hotstix Mabuse Lucas Ledwaba PG 3 | The Can Themba Symposium The Can Themba Symposium | PG 4 Programme Directors Keynote Speaker: Prof Muxe Nkondo Professor Muxe Nkondo was taught by Can Themba in the late 1950s. He served for eleven years as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Venda; three years as Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice Principal (Academic Affairs) of the University of the North (now University of Limpopo); ten years as professor at various American universities and colleges; an Andrew Melon Fellow in English at Harvard University; Visiting Professor at Harvard and Visiting Scholar at Oxford, one of the five hundred scholars from Africa and the Diaspora invited by the African Union in 2004 to participate in a conference in Dakar, Senegal, on the role of intellectuals in Africa. In 2017, the Minister of Arts and Culture identified him as one of the Advocates for Social Cohesion and Living Legends. Currently, among other positions, he is a member of the UNISA Council. His publications include Turfloop Testimony: The Dilemma of a Black University in South Africa (Ravan Press, 1976). Sello Maake kaNcube Zukiswa Vutela Sello Maake kaNcube is an internationally acclaimed South African Zukiswa Vutela is a renowned Branding expert and Radio personality thespian with over 30 years of experience. He starred in the first based in KwaZulu-Natal. She cut her teeth at East Coast Radio and adaptation of Can Themba’s “The Suit,” a role for which he won the she was the Marketing Manager of Ikwekwezi FM. She managed Best Actor Award. He also played the role of Can Themba in the the first Children’s Parliament belonging to the Nelson Mandela bioplay, The House of Truth. Can Themba is one of his major sources Children’s Fund. She was the Project Manager of two literature of inspiration as an artist. He is popularly known for his TV roles. Festivals: Poetry Africa & Time of The Writer Festival as well as Jomba! and the Durban International Film Festival, for a decade. Executive Producer Siphiwo Mahala is a seasoned novelist, short story writer and playwright plying his trade in both English and Xhosa languages. His Performers works appear in various journals and short story anthologies across the world. His books include the award winning debut novel When A Man Cries (2007), which he translated to Xhosa as Yakhal’ Indoda (2010), and African Delights (2011), a collection of short stories which was listed by The Guardian newspaper as one of the top ten must-read books in the world. He is the author of the critically acclaimed play, The House of Truth, performed by Sello Maake kaNcube. Mahala is a graduate of the University of Fort Hare and holds a Master of Arts degree in African Literature from the University of the Witwatersrand (2003). He conducted the first full doctoral study on Can Themba, for which he earned a PhD in English Literature from UNISA (2018). Kabomo Sipho Hotstix Mabuse PG 5 | The Can Themba Symposium The Can Themba Symposium | PG 6 Documentary Synopsis In this documentary, Can Themba’s life, writing, teaching, the ecstasies and anxieties are relived through the voices of his former students, mentees, colleagues and public intellectuals.