On this compelling episode of Sip, Paint & Vent with Zoy, the mic is passed to two fearless voices in the arts—Kabelo Mofokeng, a poet and author, and Ntsiki Mazwai, a poet and podcaster. Together with host Zoy, they dive deep into the layered experiences of Black creatives navigating post-apartheid South Africa. The trio unpacks the cultural dissonance faced by Black youth who attended Model C schools—spaces that often alienate African identity—and the painful gap between creative output and community engagement. Kabelo, known for his work on poetry, clan names, and totems, candidly reflects on how disheartening it is when your intended audience simply doesn’t read. It begs the haunting question: is poetry, in our context, a dying field?The episode takes a powerful turn when Zoy asks a bold, loaded question: “Is it still safe—or even wise—for young people to pursue creative writing or the arts?” Ntsiki doesn’t sugar-coat her response. With razor-sharp honesty, she argues that being an artist in South Africa is like inviting punishment upon yourself—there’s no structure, no regulation, no protection. “There’s no watchdog,” she says, “no one ensuring artists aren’t being exploited.” While larger industries like music and acting may have some semblance of support, poetry—despite being more intellectual, cultural, and refined—is almost treated like a forbidden practice. “It’s like it’s banned,” she adds, laying bare a sobering truth: the literary arts are left to starve in a society that romanticizes creativity but refuses to sustain it. For her, telling young people to study creative writing feels reckless in a climate where survival is uncertain, growth unsupported, and exploitation the unspoken norm.

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