Zama Madinana is a South African poet, based in Johannesburg. His work has appeared in The Shallow Tales Review, Kalahari Review, , Hotazel Review, Olney, and other literary publications. Zama’s work focuses mainly on love, politics and social issues. In 2021, he won the third prize of the Sol Plaatje EU Poetry Award. He was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2022. His full-length poetry collection, ‘94 was published in June 2023. In addition to regular performances and readings in Johannesburg and across South Africa, he has performed his poetry in various countries including Botswana, Mozambique, and Lesotho.
KARIBU
we sunbathe our hopes
at traffic lights
we are all zama-zama here
we dig & drill
our chances
we are all here
with our genocidal scars
tutsi & hutu
we seek for warmth
between the great rocks
of the drakensberg mountain
we all here to wash
our wounds
from the healing waters
of uthukela
we are all here
bathed in grey dust
of johannesburg’s deserted
mines
we are all here
with our tattered
dignity
scrubbing
the dance floors
of hillbrow brothels
with our big bums
we are all here
with no passport
no id
& no asylum
we are all makwerekwere here
selling fruits & vegetables
on kerk street
just to survive
just to survive
just to survive
FUNERALS
here in ladysmith
rifles cough out
angry
waves of fire
coffins befriend
the weekends
o, taxi wars that never end
& taverns
are homes of violence
here in ladysmith
whoonga addicts
ravage & mutilate
grannies’ private parts
MABONENG
soak me in the searing
sounds of bob marley
& baba mali
teach me portuguese
from the wet classrooms
of a brazilian lady’s lips
allow me
to swim in the blue lagoons
of her eyes
before we eat njera
or ujeqe
down fox street
maboneng
city of a million lights
at night allow me
to drown
my sorrows
in your hideout bars
& in the morning
bury my bhabhalazi
in a strong smell
of your rusty coffee shops