South African writer, Esinako Ndabeni has released a new digital zine titled Riotzine, a collection of writing and visual art by South Africans born after 1994.
Ndabeni, co-author of Born to Kwaito: Reflections on the Kwaito Generation and author of Sacred Earth Philosophy, describes the project as “a small but potent offering” exploring identity, disillusionment, resistance, and hope.
In her editor’s note, she says:
“The stories in this zine speak to one another; orbiting the complexity of identity in our context. From Lois Flandorp raging against the effects of capitalism on her education, to Joshua Ward traveling to the UK for the first time as a white South African and feeling like an impostor, to Kenyaa Mzee grappling with the aftermath of coming out as queer — the narratives reflect a vast landscape of experience, all informed by the same systems.”
She continues:
“The visual artists also submitted works that echo and expand on these themes. Among them is multidisciplinary storyteller Khanya Zibaya, whose series, IKHOMPi, is a meditation on complexion. Cape Town-based artist Mandisa Hlahatsi submitted two cheeky paintings — UNDIAGNOSED AT WORK and TOO TIRED TO FUCK MIDWEEK — that grapple with capitalism, mental health, spirituality, and sexuality.”
Esinako Ndabeni is a writer and traditional healer living in South Africa. She is the author of Sacred Earth Philosophy (2024) – a memoir/manifesto for ecospirituality from the perspective of African indigenous knowledge systems. She is also the co-author of the book, Born to Kwaito: Reflections on the Kwaito Generation (2018), a collection of essays on the post-apartheid musical genre. Her writing has appeared in various literary and mainstream publications.
The zine aims to create dialogue around identity in contemporary South Africa. Riotzine is available to read online via Issuu.
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
