What I know

Right... one of those rare updates, and this one is worth it even if it is just to roast a few old friends and some new friends. The idea was to throw it up in the mag I used to edit, however... long story with no moral or good intentions so lets let that sleeping dog stay coma. It may even go a step further actually, hope y'all don't mind and I am posting faces and names... but the point of the exercise is to highlight how brand Botswana is doing amongst my contemporaries. Unfortunately I missed going to eKasi and I am sure it would have been an eye opener on many levels. And so with less ado I give you... The 1 thing I know about Botswana by some young creatives in Jozi.















VUYO - independent publishing professional
I don’t know much about Botswana I am very curious about it, but I have to admit to being semi-ignorant of it and its history. I know a fair amount about Botswana. One of the first things I learnt about Botswana is that the Pula is worth more than the Rand.


LERATO - writer
Its god damn hot! There is a lot of sand, and there is no suburbs or hoods its all one thing... like a residential area.












VANESSA - advertising account executive
AIDS! My mother warned me,” Yoh ko Botswana o be careful ngwanaka, o be careful. O useh Choice! E seng ye perpole o dirise ya ko cliniking.” Other than that I have been reading books about it, its a huge expansive landscape.




GLADWYN - designer
Nothing! I know there are animals there and the desert. I know there is Gaborone. What I know about it is that there is no hoods and everything is like in the middle you know...?









SEBATHA – student bcom law
Botswana has the death penalty, interesting enough I also know that... I am not sure if its a rumour, but they throw you off a cliff. Tswanas don’t mess around hey, they don’t waste time or resources like that, they do it the effective way, they chuck you off a cliff. And I know the currency is pretty good... that’s what I know about Botswana.

ONTHATILE - photographer
I know that Botswana is safe, you don’t need burglar proofs and what not. So I heard you can leave your doors totally unlocked.


KABOMO - poet
I have done three festivals in Botswana, and not to dis my country, when you say poet poems to Botswana people you feel like they care about the work. In Joburg, sometimes you feel like they care about the hype around the coolness of poetry like, “O Kabomo is on stage, look how he is dressed, look how he is raising his hand.” So afterward people talk about everything else except the content. And every time I have come to Botswana the conversations I have with Botswana people after I perform its always questions about the content. "So you said this what inspired it; What were you thinking...?" And for me as a writer that’s the most beautiful thing ever so I love reading my poems to Botswana people. I guess that’s the one thing I love about it.

Yeah we love it too... don't we. Keep a sharp ear out for a special Podtape featuring sound bites from this snapterview. *hides