On January 3, 2018, South Africa and the world lost one of its renowned poets and activists, Keorapetse Kgositsile.
Kgositsile was an influential figure in the Black literary scene across the African Diaspora. His work spawned a generation of black writers and activists across the world.
For his contribution to the literature, Kgositsile earned a number of awards including the Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Prize, the Harlem Cultural Council Poetry Award, the Conrad Kent Rivers Memorial Poetry Award, and the Herman Charles Bosman Prize. He was named South Africa’s National Poet Laureate in 2006 and was awarded the national Order of Ikhamanga Silver in 2008.
Here are some notable quotes from the poet and activist.
