Open Mic: A Creative Writing Journal

After the Thunder

Amohelang Mopeli — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

After the Thunder

Taught by Her Silence

Amohelang Mopeli — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Taught by Her Silence

The test

Nomqhele Hlongwane — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The Test is a sculptural meditation on comparison, surveillance, and the extraction of value from Black identity. Its title reflects the ongoing examination Black bodies face from colonial instruments of measurement to modern policing of natural hair, beauty, and comportment.

Fragile Link

Mische Muller — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Fragile Link

Lion Hearted

Prince Nxumalo — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Lion Hearted

Portrait

Prince Nxumalo — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Portrait

Men Say No Too

Nsuku Mdau — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Men Say No Too

Speak Out

Khongelani Njomane — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Speak Out

Beef

Lee Ann Williams — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Lee-Ann Williams - Arts and Humanities, English Literature Department. Lee-Ann holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and an Honours degree in English Literature from the University of the Western Cape (UWC).

Out Run My Shadow

Lwandiso Sijemlana — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Out Run My Shadow

The Un-Objective Human

Lwandiso Sijemlana — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The Un-Objective Human

I Refuse to Be Called a Black Woman

Ibongwe Mnguni — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

I Refuse to Be Called a Black Woman

The Social Politics of the Coloured Identity

Wendall Ockert — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Every few years the internet collectively happens upon a group of South Africans calling themselves coloured. In recent memory, South African singer Tyla’s identity was thoroughly scrutinized by the chronically online Americans; sparking contentious debate once again. At its essence; a divide exists, one group sees the term as racially prejudiced due to their historical relationship with it, while coloured South Africans proudly claim it as their identity, heritage, and culture. My orientation is simple; this is who I am and I am proud of it. The context of a word determines its meaning-and neither I, nor my experiences will be erased by people unable to conceptualize the importance of context.

International Day of Peace Open Mic and Dialogue

Oluwaseyi Agboola — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

International Day of Peace Open Mic and Dialogue

Senzani Na?

Miriam Tandiwanashe Mukonza — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Senzani Na?

The Culture of Peace

Oluwaseyi Agboola — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The Culture of Peace

UWC art and identity project, 2025

Fran Saunders — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The 10-week Art & Identity extracurricular workshops I offered on Saturdays on campus over the second semester, 2025, were a response to the vision of your rector, Professor Robert Balfour (UWC Vice Chancellor) – himself an artist and poet and aware of the cognitive and personal benefits of arts-based education.
A group of 16 participants were drawn from 113 responses to an open advertisement offering free participation in this initiative. The selection was made on a first-come-firstserve basis, and the workshops were to be held on Saturday mornings. The students represented diverse disciplines: Law, Linguistics, Natural Sciences, Economics and Management Sciences, Arts and Humanities and Linguistics. Very few of these students had been exposed to art education; some had never before picked up a brush to paint.

Blessings in disguise

Lutan Griffiths — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Blessings in disguise

Blue lightning flower

Lutan Griffiths — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Blue lightning flower

Untitled

Mathapelo Khwinana — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Cover art

Untitled

Mathapelo Khwinana — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Untitled line drawing

Two figures

Mathapelo Khwinana — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Two figures

Circles

Siphosethu Dyan — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Circles

African myth

Siphosethu Dyan — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

African myth, colage

Editorial

Nosipho Gxekwa, Tando Keke — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

editorial

Kasi Tours

Ntsako Lyn — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Reflection of an African Household

Lesego Kgatla — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Reflection of an African Household

Miseducation of a Gen Z

Omphemetse Matlou — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Miseducation of a Gen Z

Ahmad and the fishing net

Lee Ann Williams — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Editorial team

Mische Muller — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The editorial team consists of a group of students who have worked tirelessly to help develop the journal. This team helped develop the Open Mic and other events events, hosted by the library from which contributions to the journal are sourced. the team is supported by administrators from the Writing Center and the Library.