Writers work for Xitsonga on TV

A GROUP of writers are working together to produce a Xitsonga drama, which would be aired on an SABC channel to promote the Xitsonga language.

The writers, who are all authors of Xitsonga school dramas and are brought together by an organisation called Pfukani Vatsonga-Machangana (PVM), met at Ritlhavile High School in Giyani on Thursday.

“With this initiative, we aim to develop and promote our language through visual content like other ethnic groups promote their languages,” explained Siyaphi Khosa, the chairperson of Pfukani Vatsonga-Machangana, which was founded in 2011.

“Xitsonga has been marginalised throughout the years. We want to reverse this by promoting our language through visual content,” he added.

The organisation is in the process to make arrangements to stage a workshop before December 16 where writers would work with SABC experts on the specifications that are required to produce a drama for television.

“We need to move faster so that we can have something ready when the SABC migrates from analogue to digital terrestrial television in June 2015,” Khosa said.

He said the organisation needed to establish a provincial structure so that it could reach more writers to promote the Xitsonga language.

“We started our organisation at home in Giyani and now we we have a big task ahead of us to gather and unite writers in other provinces such as Mpumalanga, Gauteng and North West, and bring them together for this project,” he said, urging all Xitsonga speaking communities to unite and support the initiative.

Those who would like to participate in the project can contact Khosa at 083 304 2469 or send an e-mail to Siyaphi@pvm.org.za.