Mandla Langa

Mandla Langa
Born	1950 Stanger, Durban
Notable works	The Lost Colours of the Chameleon (2008) The Memory of Stories (2000)
Notable awards	2009 Commonwealth Writer's Prize 1991 Arts Council of Great Britain’s Bursary for Creative Writing

Mandla Langa (born 1950 in Stanger, Durban) is a South African poet, short story writer, and novelist. He grew up in KwaMashu township. His novel The Lost Colours of the Chameleon won the 2009 Commonwealth Writers' Prize (Africa region). Langa studied at the University of Fort Hare, graduating in 1972 with a B.A. degree in English and Philosophy. In 1976, he went into exile and has lived in different countries of Southern Africa as well as in Hungary and the United Kingdom.

Mandla Langa was born in Stanger, Durban, in 1950 and grew up in KwaMashu township 20 miles north of Durban, during the implementation of the apartheid system. He is one of nine children. His brother Pius Langa served as Chief Justice in South Africa. Another brother, Bheki Langa, served as South Africa's ambassador to Russia. Mandla Langa attended Gardner Memorial School, Sibonelo High School in Durban, and then the University of Fort Hare. Despite the substantial number of political strikes during his college career, he was able to complete his BA in English and Philosophy in 1972. He taught at a high school in KwaMashu in 1973–74.

In 1974, he became actively involved as a director of the South African Students' Organization (SASO), maintaining this position until his arrest in 1976 for attempting to leave the country without a permit. As a result he served 101 days in jail. According to Charles Larson (editor of Under African Skies), Langa himself said that his arrest was due to sedition.

While imprisoned, Langa continued to improve his writing skills. After serving his sentence, he fled to Botswana, marking the start of his life in exile. He also spent time in Lesotho, Angola, where he participated in military training at the MK camps, also known as Umkhonto we Sizwe. In addition to Lesotho, Langa spent time in Mozambique, Zambia, Hungary and the UK. He held various ANC posts abroad, including cultural attaché in the UK and Western Europe.

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