Creative African-language writing in South Africa: Writers unshackled after apartheid?

Abstract

The view persists, both inside and outside South Africa, that African-language writing in this country is childish and immature. This state of affairs is mainly ascribed to censorship and the educational system in black schools during the apartheid era. African writers are said to have been in shackles as they were not allowed to address burning political and social issues in their works. Evidence from independent Africa suggests that writers will not necessarily be free to write what they wish (and should) after the disappearance of apartheid.