Showing that the pen is mightier than the sword

LIMPOPO – A long-serving policeman has stepped up to confirm that the pen is indeed mightier than a gun.

Const Lethunya Muroa, spokesperson for the Marble Hall Police Station in the Sekhukhune area, is currently drifting away from matters of violent crime to the more invigorating pastime of writing.

Since he joined the police force a decade ago, Muroa has been proudly upholding his employer’s motto to serve and protect.

In the process, he could have failed to acknowledge his God-given talent of writing.

However, Murao who was born and received his basic education in Hweleshaneng village outside Lebowakgomo, insists he is a natural born penman.

He claims his potential to write was self-discovered during his formative years when he was still a learner at Bolopa Primary and J K Tabane Secondary Schools in his rural home village.

As is the case for many authors to successfully publish their work, he also experienced and endured several obstacles to have a breakthrough.

Muroa joined the police service in 2006 at the Lebowakgomo Police Station. A year later, he was moved to the Tubatse police station before he was deployed to the Marble Hall Police Station where he is currently the spokesperson.

As millennium fever hit the world in 2000, the new era was also the culmination of Muroa’s creative climax.

“I wrote many poems during that time and some of them were published in three different anthologies, while others are still in the hands of publishers,” he says.

Muroa, a specialist in poetry anthology, has published three notable titles: Seswansho sa Setshaba and Meshitotheto ya Segagesho, published by Oxford University Press and Tša Borala by Timbila publishers.

He has a few awards under his belt and would like to enrich his silverware cabinet with more.

“In 2008 I was awarded the Motswedi Creative Writing Award in Poetry and was the first runner-up in the Motswedi Creative Writing Award in Short Stories.

“I did not think of writing a radio drama until I took advantage of an opportunity after hearing an advertisement on Thobela FM. I sent my CV and was called to attend a workshop. This resulted in the radio drama, which I named Madimabe a Megabaru.”

The drama highlights the abuse endured by elderly and mentally-challenged people and proved to be popular to the audience.

“It seems lot of listeners enjoyed it because I received many comments pertaining to its contents. I really appreciate support from family members, relatives, colleagues and the community at large. Credit, though, must go to the actors and producers because without them my drama would not have come to life,” he adds.