By Sitha Maliwa:
In a country still echoing with the painful memory of the Sharpeville Massacre, where the fight for dignity and equality reshaped a nation, a quieter yet equally urgent struggle continues – the fight for the right to read. On Human Rights Day, 21 March 2026, the Nelson Mandela Foundation reignited this conversation, declaring literacy not as a luxury but as a fundamental human right that can determine a child’s future.
Hosted in Johannesburg, the Foundation’s special edition of its Making Reading Fun programme brought together children, families, and authors in a vibrant celebration of storytelling and learning. Yet behind the joyful atmosphere lay a stark reality: the majority of South African Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning, leaving many children excluded from fully participating in society.
This challenge elevates literacy beyond the classroom – it becomes a matter of justice. Without access to books, language, and comprehension skills, children are denied the ability to engage, imagine, and express themselves in a world that increasingly depends on these capabilities.
Mathabo Tlali, a key contributor to the programme, reflected on its deeper impact, noting that over the past four years, Making Reading Fun has been about building community as much as promoting literacy. By bringing families and children together through stories, the initiative demonstrates the transformative power of investing in reading.
The event also spotlighted celebrated children’s authors, including Gomolemo Moagi, author of Bontle’s New Wheels, alongside Naledi Setzin and Mahlohonolo Thulo. Their participation highlights the Foundation’s commitment to nurturing local storytelling and amplifying voices that inspire young readers.
Through interactive sessions, children engaged directly with authors – asking questions, sharing their own stories, and discovering reading as a source of confidence and creativity. The distribution of books ensured that this experience would not end with the event, but continue in homes and communities.
Ann-Young Maharaj emphasized that education is a fundamental human right, with reading comprehension at its core. Programmes like Making Reading Fun, she explained, are essential in equipping children with the tools they need to succeed and participate fully in society. As South Africa reflects on its past and confronts its present challenges, the message from the Nelson Mandela Foundation is clear: true freedom is incomplete without the ability to read, understand, and be heard.- @NewsSA_Online
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