Funda Mzantsi reading programme helping to rehabilitate inmates

Cape Town – More than 400 prisoners participated in the 10th Funda Mzantsi Championship, hosted by the National Library of South Africa (NLSA) in collaboration with the Department of Correctional Services and the George Municipality last week.

The project was developed in response to a survey conducted by the South African Book Development Council in 2007, on general reading habits in local communities, which revealed that South Africa is not a reading nation. 

The five-day competition included book reviewing, spelling bees, debates and a book reading competition in the 11 official languages.

Altogether the championship saw 122 book clubs comprising of groups from the department, various schools, universities and community libraries. Last year, 75 clubs participated.

NLSA acting chief executive Lufuno Nematswerani said: “Through this Funda Mzantsi Championship, we are able to bring together minds, young and old, breaking the racial, gender and social status boundaries in pursuit of the same goal. 

"It is so encouraging and motivating to see the impact of the competition. We continue to pledge our support to the UN theme of 2019 being the ‘International Year of Indigenous Languages’.”

Judge President of the Western Cape Division of the High Court John Hlophe was the keynote speaker. He said the Funda Mzantsi Programme seeks to empower the offender.

“This is a deliberate attempt to generate your interest in education in a progressive step in the right direction. We would like you to belong to a society in a second chance.

"We need to accept offenders back into the community once there is evidence that they are rehabilitated. Reading and learning is not a once-off thing, it is an ongoing process.”

George Library manager Rachel Williams said the competition addresses the 2030 National Development Plan, which encourages a love for reading.

Cape Times