Projects & Events

A poet from Kraaifontein whose writing journey
began eight years ago. His work captures everyday life, freedom, and the
struggles and triumphs of young people from pre and post democracy,
drawing inspiration from global events and experiences. Pretorius is known for
hosting online poetry slams on social media platforms and has also competed
in national platforms such as the AVBOB Poetry Competition.
He regularly performs at cultural and community events, including the Castle
of Good Hope’s Heritage Day program, Women’s Day celebrations, school and
church gatherings. Beyond performance, Martin is passionate about nurturing
young voices through workshops, teaching learners how to turn their thoughts
into poems and stories that spark real change.

Performer: Yes
Language: English
Workshop Facilitation: Yes
Commission Writing : Yes
Social Media Handle – N/A
Contact Details – 0827075051 (Sister)

Nondwe Mpuma, born eMaXesibeni in the Eastern Cape, currently based in
Cape Town is a poet, lecturer, and an inspiring literary voice. She holds an MA
in Creative Writing from the University of the Western Cape, where she now
teaches. Her work has been widely published locally and internationally, and
she is the recipient of the 2017 Patricia Schonstein Poetry in McGregor Award.
Her debut collection, Peach Country, earned recognition as one of Brittle
Paper’s “Notable African Books of 2022” and Griot Global’s “100 Notable
African Books of 2022.

” It was also shortlisted for the 2023 Humanities and
Social Sciences Award for Best Fiction: Poetry. As a former member of The Red
Wheelbarrow Poetry Collective, Nondwe is active in performances at poetry
sessions, social and corporate events, and facilitates poetry and writing
workshops for both youth and adults.
She approaches commissioned work selectively, favoring projects that allow
space for creativity and fluidity, while continuing to inspire new voices in
South African literature.
Language: English and isiXhosa
Workshop Facilitation: Yes
Commission Writing : Yes
Social Media Handle – @nondwe
Contact Details – nondwem@gmail.com

Boitshepo Kate Modiboa, originally from the North West and now based in
Cape Town, is a passionate spoken word poet whose journey began in primary
school. From her first performance in grade 3 to writing and performing
poems for cultural events such as Africa Day and Heritage Day in high school,
her love for poetry has remained a constant.
At university, she has performed at UWC Open Mic sessions, with her work
published in Open Mic: A Creative Writing Journal. She is also an active
member of Everything Poetry, a campus poetry club that hosts monthly
sessions.
Language: English and Setswana
Workshop Facilitation: No
Commission Writing : Yes
Social Media Handle – @katemodiboa
Contact Details – boitshepomodiboa@gmail.com

Jerome Coetzee is a writer, poet, researcher and Artistic Director of the Centre
of Excellence in Bishop Lavis. His research explores Afrofuturism in
contemporary Afrikaans literature, blending creativity with critical inquiry.
Coetzee’s works have been published in LitNet and The Wee Sparrow Poetry
Press (2022). He is the winner of the National Poetry Prize (2021) and was
longlisted for the Sol Plaatje European Union Award (2022).
Expanding his craft across various mediums, Jerome co-wrote the play A Pot
of Pap at the End of the Rainbow Nation (2024) and contributed to the
documentary Cooking up Feminism (2025) for Food Agency Cape Town. He
performs at poetry sessions, festivals, corporate and social events while also
facilitating workshops on creative writing, artistic expression, and
collaboration with a particular interest in interdisciplinary collaborations
within university science departments.
Language: Afrikaans and English
Workshop Facilitation: Yes
Commission Writing : Yes
Social Media Handle – @coetzee_jerome
Contact Details – wiental19@gmail.com

Yanga Gceya, also known as Yanga Gee, is a dynamic MC, storyteller, and poet
whose work blends art, activism, and education. Originally from Umtata and
now based in Cape Town, Yanga has hosted events for organisations such as
WWF-SASSI and Abalobi, bringing energy, connection, and purpose to every
stage. With a strong background in communications, he has led stakeholder
relations, marketing, and advertising campaigns, with expertise in
development, sustainability, social justice, education, and leadership—most
recently focusing on impact within the Blue and Green Economy.
By day, Yanga is an environmental educator and programme manager with the
award-winning international NPO Captain Fanplastic, as well as a
communications consultant. Beyond this, he dedicates his time to human
rights advocacy, working with international organisations on HIV/AIDS, social
justice, substance use and abuse, and mental health interventions.
Through poetry, workshops, and public speaking, Yanga uses storytelling as a
tool for education, behaviour change, and social transformation, inspiring
audiences across corporate, community, and cultural spaces.
Language: English, IsiXhosa and Afrikaans
Workshop Facilitation: Yes
Commission Writing : Yes
Social Media Handle – @yanga_g
Contact Details – gceya.y@gmail.com

The Tatoo Fanatic, Jaide Mckriel is a Cape Town based writer and poet whose
work is defined by vivid imagery, bold originality, and a fascination with the
obscure. With a lifelong passion for storytelling, she creates immersive worlds
that push boundaries and challenge convention, drawing inspiration from
fantasy, human emotion, and the mysteries of the unknown.
Her poems, including Dreamy Daniel Descends and Here Comes Help!,
showcase her ability to weave curiosity, wonder, and exploration into powerful
verse. Jaide performs regularly at poetry sessions such as Third House Poetry,
where her captivating delivery brings her writing to life.

Language: English
Workshop Facilitation: No
Commission Writing : Yes
Social Media Handle – @jkemac_poetry
Contact Details – jaidemckriel@gmail.com

Thandiwe Nqanda is an internationally acclaimed South African poet, MC,
author and performer, known for her powerful storytelling and ability to merge
poetry with music. Her debut collection, No, Time To Mourn (2023), marked a
significant milestone in her literary career. She has participated in local and
international initiatives, including the 16DaysOfActivism16Poets project, and
performed on Totally Radio in Brighton, UK. In 2022, she represented the
People’s Voice as Guest Poet for the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Thandiwe’s poem the mourners was published in the South African journal
New Contrast (Issue 207, 2024). She has participated in festivals such as the
Open Book Festival, National Arts Festival, The Folklore Festival, Victory Song
Foundation and Dapper Travel’s Winter Soiree. In theatre, she co-wrote
“Grieve, That Is How You Survive” (premiered at the National Arts Festival,
2023) and created “IT IS TIME,

” a musical poetry show blending jazz and verse,
collaborating with musicians such as the multi-award winning Kujenga and the
Guftahs.
She regularly participates in poetry sessions, open mic events, jazz
performances, festivals, and corporate events. Thandiwe also contributes to
panel discussions and workshops both within and beyond the arts.
Language: English and isiXhosa
Workshop Facilitation: Yes
Commission Writing : Yes
Social Media Handle – @thandiwe_nqanda
Contact Details – zanemvulacreativehub@gmail.com

Anele Kose is a Cape Town–based poet, author, and playwright originally from
King Williamstown, with roots in Mdantsane, one of the largest townships in
the Eastern Cape. His writing journey began in the late 1990s, influenced by

rappers such as 2Pac and Dead Prez, exploring black consciousness and pre-
democracy politics. Over the years, Anele’s passion for poetry has expanded

into novels and theatre, with a commitment to promoting, celebrating, and
preserving isiXhosa.
He is a published author with works including Iingxoxo ze Lobola, adapted into
a theatre production, Iziphumo published by the National Library of South
Africa, and Ukuhlanjwa kwe Phepha. Anele has participated in a residency for
African Studies in Chicago (2018), appeared on ETV’s Kelders van Geheime
(2025), and has been recognized as a finalist for the Adam Small Debutante
Writers’ Award and winner of the Drama for Life Festival in Johannesburg.
Anele performs widely at poetry sessions, corporate and social events, radio,
and Television. He facilitates workshops in literature and script development,
including translating Shakespeare’s Othello into isiXhosa for Baxter Theatre.
He also offers services as an editor, translator, proof reader and a ghost writer
in both English and isiXhosa.
Language: English and isiXhosa
Workshop Facilitation: Yes
Commission Writing : Yes
Social Media Handle – @#1poet
Contact Details – kose.anele@yahoo.com

Ntsako Laynn, originally from Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga and now based in
Cape Town, is a poet whose work fuses raw emotion with bold imagery to
explore identity, masculinity, memory, and spiritual yearning. His poetry
speaks for the voiceless, blending the intensely personal with the socially and
politically charged, inviting audiences to reclaim truth, sanctify sorrow, and
dream of healing.
On stage and page, Ntsako balances vulnerability with authority, using rhythm
and resonance to connect deeply with his audience. He has performed
alongside Xabiso Vili, Alicia Harris, and Busisiwe Mahlangu at slams, poetry
sessions, open mics, corporate events, and private gatherings.
He has refined his pen, transforming pain into power through poetry.
Language: English, Sepedi and Tsonga
Workshop Facilitation: No
Commission Writing : Yes
Social Media Handle – @iaam_layn
Contact Details – mohlalap07@gmail.com