House of Siza founder, Sizakele Mokhele, shines spotlight on Black identity, roots, and representation through creativity
As a youngster growing up in Soweto, Sizakele Mokhele vividly remembers being surrounded by “Black pain,” a series of traumatic lived experiences that would shape her perception of the world around her. The township holds a special historical significance, as home to many struggle icons and heroes, and as having been the epicentre of the 1976 student uprising.
In 2016, the desire to tell stories of the Black experience catapulted Sizakele from a thriving corporate career in the ICT sector into the world of creative writing. “I obtained a scholarship to study IT, and this was exciting as it was a career path that I thought would allow me to shake off poverty and escape my circumstances,” she says.
With the leap of faith, she enrolled for her Master of Arts in Creative Writing at Rhodes University, opening her up to the infinite possibilities that pursuing her life’s passion would open up for her.
In addition to being a lecturer at the Sol Plaatjie University in Kimberley, Northern Cape, Sizakele is also the founder of House of Siza, an entity that creates innovative platforms for members of the Pan-African family to re-discover themselves through literature, poetry, music, art and ubuntu. Through House of Siza, she has been able to curate different kinds of creative work and projects, all intended to spark critical conversations and awakening around the concept of Blackness.
Apart from publishing nine children’s books, Sizakele wears many hats, including being a renowned poet, co-hosting The Art of Lexicia podcast, and working on Gallery360, an Art-centric e-commerce app.
“Language carries memory, culture, and lifestyle, but if misunderstood, can also be a barrier that limits how children navigate through life. Therefore, it is pertinent for Africans to have an opportunity to reclaim that through translations; literature and art,” she explains.
The provision of Vuma Fibre Reach connectivity in Soweto by Vuma, South Africa’s leading fibre to the home provider, is something Sizakele doesn’t take for granted because it has allowed her voice to reach so many ears.
“Covid-19 presented us with an opportunity to bring art to the people in innovative ways. The app we are currently working on will not only curate live experiences and exhibitions, will also bring people together and the connectivity we get from Vuma will drive that,” says Mokhele.
Through Vuma’s My Community Connects (MCC) platform, Sizakele hopes to raise awareness and build a community around Black consciousness, using creative tools to spark conversations. Brand Manager at Vuma, Mathilda Robertson says, “We are passionate about great connections, because they allow talented South Africans to showcase their ability and creations and ultimately get noticed, we are excited for the world to experience the depth of Sizakele’s work”.