Mandla Langa speaking at the Grahamstown launch of 'The Texture of Shadows'

Mwelela Cele's introduction to Mandla Langa

Launch of The Texture of Shadows by Mandla Langa at Rhodes University in Grahamstown (eRhini) on Thursday the 5th of March 2015 at 17:00pm. 

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Greetings to Academics and Students. As has been mentioned, my name is Mwelela Cele and I am the Librarian at the Steve Biko Centre Library and Archive, where our concern is with both the past and the future, honouring the legacy of Steve Biko, and facilitating the application of his philosophy to help improve the current conditions and prospects of the disadvantaged, and the prospects of future generations. The Steve Biko Centre is situated in Ginsberg King William’s Town (eQonce). I greet you all, and all protocol observed.

I would like to begin by thanking Rhodes University’s Unit for Humanities (UHURU) for organising this launch and giving me the opportunity to introduce Mandla Langa. Similarly I also thank most sincerely Siphokazi Magadla from the Rhodes University Politics Department, and Dr Richard Pithouse for inviting me to this launch, and for giving me this honour.

Mwelela Cele's Obituary for Jeff Guy

For Prof Jeff Guy

I received the news of Professor Jeff Guy’s passing while I was at another fountain of knowledge, the National English Literary Museum (NELM) in Grahamstown, doing work-related research about writers and poets of the Black Consciousness era, focusing specifically on those that left us this year, namely Mbulelo Mzamane, Mafika Gwala and Chris Van Wyk.

Welcoming Address by Mwalela Cele at the Presentation by Professor Lewis Gordon at the FrankTalk Dialogues, Steve Biko Centre, 3 October 2014

“A people without a positive history is like a vehicle without an engine.” Steve Biko as Frank Talk (We Blacks)

“Black Consciousness is an attitude of mind and a way of life, the most positive call to emanate from the black world for a long time.” Steve Biko

(Black Consciousness and the Quest for A True Humanity)

Thank you Program Director: Greetings ladies and gentlemen.

Welcome to the Steve Biko Centre, a project of the Steve Biko Foundation.

And welcome to the special edition of the FrankTalk Dialogues entitled:

‘What is Black Thought?’ I would like to greet our Guest Speaker, Professor

Lewis Gordon. I welcome him very warmly to the spiritual home of black consciousness, right here in Ginsberg, King William’s Town (eQonce).

Welcome Remarks 'Memoirs of a Born Free: Reflections on the Rainbow Nation'

Mwelele Cele

Book Launch: Welcome Remarks

Memoirs of a Born Free: Reflections on the Rainbow Nation

Good evening honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen, colleagues … My name are Mwelela Cele, and I am the Librarian at the Steve Biko Centre Library and Archive. Our concern is with both the past and the future, honouring the legacy of Steve Biko and facilitating the application of his philosophy to help improve the prospects of our fellow South Africans, and the prospects of future generations.

It is indeed an honour to welcome you all this evening to the launch of a very significant new book: memoirs of a born free: reflections on the rainbow nation. Warmest greetings to the author Malaika Wa Azania, to Mama Biko, to representatives from government, friends of the author and friends of the Steve Biko Foundation and Centre. It is a particular pleasure to have with us our colleagues from heritage institutions in our region - librarians, archivists, curators, museum professionals. We appreciate the support of our friends and colleagues from Amathole museum here in King William’s Town eQonce. It is a pleasure to greet political and cultural activists, intellectuals and lovers of books and knowledge. I want to also welcome our partners in different projects, and welcome the neighbours of the Steve Biko Centre. I want to take this opportunity to thank Jacana Media, the publishers of memoirs of a born free: reflections on the rainbow nation, our partners in organising this event.