An author and Mpondo girl from Mzintlava Administrative Area, Luqoqweni locality in Lusikisiki was amongst the authors from South Africa who represented South Africa during Moscow International Book Fair which was held in Moscow, Russia. Nomawele Njongo was amongst the 13 literary practitioners from various provinces and only one from the Eastern Cape represented SA at the 27th International Book Fair for high-quality fiction and nonfiction recently. Nomawele who is also the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Funda Mpondo International Literary Festival represented Mzansi distinctively in global spectrum.
Speaking to Eastern Cape Voice Nomawele said “my nomination for the trip came somewhat unexpectedly. “In October, I saw a notice in a Whatsapp group that the national Department of Arts and Culture was seeking authors to represent South Africa in Moscow, I reached out to the department to confirm the information, and they asked me to submit a short biography. I was explicitly told that submitting my details did not guarantee selection, as a panel still needed to review all nominations and recommend a representative to the Minister for final approval. When I received a confirmation that I had been selected, I was over the moon. Honestly, I could hardly believe it. It felt like one of those moments where you stop and think. This is how God works,” she said.
Meanwhile, Nomawele earlier invited to the United Kingdom for the Global Advocacy Forum and Awards, but she couldn’t make it because the trip was not funded. “I was supposed to leave on 29 November 2025. Missing the trip had been disappointing, but now, here I was officially representing South Africa at an international literary event in Russia,” she said. Nowamele was expressed her excitement for the trip as she regards it it was an opportunity to showcase her work and also be part of a team of South African authors. “The sense of camaraderie, shared excitement, and knowledge that our stories would reach a global audience made the experience even more meaningful,” she concluded.
