Uncorrected first draft of Albie Sach's book titled murals of Maputo sent to Medu for comments in 1981.

Artists: Judy Seidman and Thami Mnyele

Artists: Thami Mnyele

An art exhibition catalogue titled 'Statements in spring' by Thami Mnyele and Medu Collective at National Museum and Art Gallery, Gaborone, Botswana, 3 to 12 September 1980.

This statement is made for 9 August 1981 celebrating twenty fifth anniversary of women's march in Pretoria, written by Medu collective. A reflection of women who took to the streets during that event was a show piece of a militant struggle against fascist rule in South Africa.

Artists: Heinz Klug

Artists: Judy Seidman

What is the place of artists, cultural activists and writers in the struggle against Apartheid? This edition of the Medu Art Ensemble newsletter, the last of 1981, shares experiences of artists and their range of cultural activities. The issue consists of poetry, articles, short stories and book reviews. The first poem is about the silences imposed by Apartheid, composed by John Donne. Ngugi Wa Thiong'o's article on "Education for a national culture" focuses on the importance of understanding your background and culture, particularly in the context of a liberation struggle. It is certain that artists have a role to play in this process! A short story about "The New Place" by Mongane Serote focuses on an experience of forced removals and resettlement that many black South Africans faced. Front page graphic by Mike Kahn on silkscreen.

In this paper, it is argued that the theatre of Athol Fugard very rarely engages with the experiences of the proleteriat and the oppressed. The author argues that while Fugard did manage to transcend racial categories in his early work and engaged extensively with the scene and identities of the black working classes, he has failed to consistently produce meaningful plays which engage these audiences.