MATSHIDISO TALENG (South Africa)

By O Bolaji

With the recent release of her first novel - Unfolding the documentary (2016), Matshidiso Taleng has gone a long way in confirming her glittering literary promise which pundits have identified in recent years.  

 

In 2013 Taleng published her debut work, Secrets (poetry) which showcased dazzling verses: earnest, passionate, spontaneous, and rather burnished.   

Pertinent literary aficionados easily commend Taleng for her extraordinary dedication to her craft. She really is imbued with the quintessential spirit and passion for the genre of literature: reading, conceptualising, researching, writing et al.       

Now at the age of 27, a newly published novelist, Taleng is one of South Africa's youngest female black novelists. Of course SA has a rich tradition of quality female black novelists over the decades: Miriam Tlali, Laureta Ngcobo, Sindiwe Magona, Kagiso Lesego, NMM Duman, Futhi Ntshingila - but on the whole, such black women writers are exceedingly thin on the ground.

Hence Ms Taleng can hold her head high, as she continues to etch a niche for herself in the sphere of imaginative writing. She hails "proudly" from the Free State which in recent times has experienced exceeding dynamism and fecundity as far as "Black writing" is concerned.  

Gifted literary practitioner, Thabiso Mofokeng has commented thus on Taleng’s novel: 'Unfolding a superb artistic intuition at work. Punch after punch! Encapsulating a story in a way that incites people to read!'

Talk about growing by leaps and bounds! No doubt the literary world will continue to fix its relentless gaze on Matshidiso Taleng, and her ineluctable development.