Johannesburg, 08 September 2021.

Today, on International World Literacy Day 2021, Author and Entrepreneur Sakhile Sibiya is releasing his first book, Black Man! Are You Stupid? The book promises to be a brutal and rude awakening to the black community.Black Man! Are You Stupid? is a social commentary that seeks to create restlessness as well as break the yoke of mental oppression that seem to be a comfortable nest for many Black South Africans.

Through reflections and observations, the author interrogates the attitudes and habits of Black people and provides an analytical view of the almost non-existent black economy.When asked why he wrote this book, Sibiya said:“My intention is to ignite the long-overdue robust debates and discussions amongst Black people at all levels. This book is a wake-up call to Black people in my nation and around the world. I seek to challenge mindsets and behaviours; and ultimately, change the narrative of the black race”.

Here are some of the many uncomfortable questions this book seeks to confront:

Why is it that Black people struggle with self-love, self-acceptance and self-appreciation?

Why do Black people struggle to embrace and celebrate their cultures, languages and heritage?

Why do Black people tend to idolise Whites and almost everything associated with them?

Why do Black people exert themselves towards improving whatever is white while abandoning whatever is black and allowing anything that has to do with being black to deteriorate?

Why have Black people adopted the White man’s perspective as the standard to determine good or bad, acceptable or unacceptable, beautiful or ugly, right or wrong, excellent or average, fashionable or otherwise?

• Why do Black people serve all other races while none of those races serve them?Why is it that Africa is the wealthiest continent on earth in which Africans remain the poorest?Why do Black people aspire towards whiteness and detest blackness?
• Why do Black people view the English language as a measure of intelligence and sophistication, while other Whites, for example, the Germans and Italians, care nothing for it?
• Why do Black people in South Africa enjoy the blessing of being the majority but look up to White people to feed, clothe and employ them?
• Why do Black people allow White people to remain the dominant race in the mainstream economy?
• And most importantly, what can the Black nation do about this sad status quo?

One of the most interesting chapters, “Is Kak Maar Is Oraait”, relates how black people have accepted intolerable atrocities to and in the black nation, to the extent that they perpetrate them with their own money.No doubt this is a thought-provoking, lip-biting book which does not beg for acceptance or approval.  The author is steadfast about the message of this book. He intends to offend and agitate but also lead action and stir change. Black Man! Are You Stupid? is available for purchase at www.sakhilesibiya.com .

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Black Self-Love Advocate Sakhile Sibiya is a Pastor, community builder, entrepreneur, thought leader and diversity consultant whose driving passion is to change the black man’s perspective of self, his fellow black men, and the rest of the human race.  

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This International Literacy Day, celebrated globally on 8 September, iconic tyre brand Dunlop will be sharing the joy of reading with South African families in partnership with NGO, Book Dash. International Literacy Day coincides with South Africa’s National Book Week celebrated from 6 to 12 September, and highlights the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights, with the goal to create a more literate society. 

South Africa is not considered a reading nation. The vast majority of the country’s school children still have inadequate literacy resources at home and in their communities. While there have been improvements in recent years, the country continues to underperform relative to the literacy levels of most other middle-income countries. Families, and not only schools, are considered important in shaping the literacy journey of the nation’s children. 

This is why, on the evening of Wednesday, 8 September at 19h00, South African families are invited to tune in to Dunlop’s livestream reading of four South African bedtime stories read in four of the country’s official languages. What’s more, viewers can also pay it forward by making an easy Zapper or EFT donation of R30 to Book Dash, which Dunlop will match, to get books into the hands of kids who need it most. 

Dunlop’s livestream event will be hosted on its YouTube channel and will see special guests and Dunlop employees reading stories by South African authors in English, Afrikaans, isiZulu and Setswana. 

Lubin Ozoux, CEO of Sumitomo Rubber South Africa, which manufactures the Dunlop, Falken and Sumitomo tyre brands, said, “This is our way of bringing South African families together safely to share in the joy of reading. As a local nonprofit that is passionate about tackling the challenge of low literacy levels in South Africa, Book Dash is an ideal partner to help us in this pursuit.” 

Earlier this year, Dunlop sponsored 700 Book Dash books to be distributed to needy children and is now calling upon its employees and extensive dealer network to support its mission to kickstart the literacy journeys of South African children. 

Igniting a love of reading 

Lending his uplifting perspective to the Dunlop livestream event for International Literacy Day will be proudly South African musician, Majozi, who will read the story of Lory Dory, written by Brendon O’Neill. “Some of my fondest memories growing up, involved reading. Whether it was discovering new words or new worlds, reading was and still is, an integral part of my creative foundation starting from a very young age. Reading is so important for the minds of our children,” he said. 

Also joining in will be Dr Nokubonga Khoza of Durban, reading a Zulu Book Dash bedtime story, Little Ant’s Big Plan, written by Candice Dingwall.  Completing the line-up are Dunlop employees Itumeleng Majofi and Eugene Oosthuizen who will read Tortoise finds his home, in Sesotho, written by Maya Fowler and Lesedi’s Sandbox, in Afrikaans, written by Mathapelo Mabaso. 

Research shows that children who love reading typically excel at school and go on to become constructive members of society. However, as it stands, eight out of every 10 South African children cannot read properly. This is largely due to not having access to quality, culturally relevant reading material in their home languages.  The inability to read makes a lifelong impact, hitting the brakes on how far these children can go in life. 

With education as a key pillar of Sumitomo Rubber SA’s corporate social investment strategy, the company supports two Ladysmith schools with learning materials, mentorship and careers days, and recently partnered with Book Dash to create the Dunlop “Are we there yet?” podcast which offers captivating locally inspired audio stories and is available on the Dunlop MyTyres app and other podcast platforms. 

Each year Book Dash gathers creative professionals who volunteer their time, skill and passion over a 12-hour day to speedily create culturally relevant books, in South African languages and distribute them to underprivileged children. Volunteers include professional writers, illustrators, designers, photographers, technical and art directors, and storytellers. Since 2014, Book Dash has created more than 100 books and distributed more than a million copies to children, with the goal of putting 100 books into the hands of every child under the age of five.

We all know how important books and reading are to our children, but there are some hidden benefits you might not have realised. Author and Mom, Candice Noakes-Dobson, who writes the A Little Horse Called Pancakes Book Collection, shares some of the hidden benefits of reading with your child that she has discovered.

1. It helps to build a stronger bond between you and your child, and gives them a sense of closeness and well-being that will help them feel more loved, which in turn helps them to learn more
2. This closeness also helps children build a positive association with reading, which helps foster a love of books and reading as they grow older.
3. It helps your child to calm down and fully relax
4. It helps to open communication lines with your child, helping them talk and open up to you
5. It helps to build listening skills and grow their imaginations
6. It helps to increase their attention spans which helps them to be able to concentrate for longer periods of time
7. It helps them to learn early thinking skills like understanding cause and effect, exercising logic, as well as thinking in abstract terms. They are also able to learn the consequences of actions, and the basics of what is right and wrong.
8. It can help your child through a stressful situation by reading them a story about a character going through what they are going through and seeing how they are able to overcome it.
9. Many studies have shown that children who do well at school were all read to as young children, so you will help have a positive influence on their learning abilities.
10. Reading to your child helps them to become a lifelong reader!!

For more info on the Pancakes book collection please visit:

• Facebook - @pancakesbookcollection
• Instagram - @alittlehorsecalledpancakes

Candice Noakes-Dobson returns with her 4th installment in the A Little Horse Called Pancakes Book collection – A Little Horse Called Pancakes and the Big Scare. This story is adapted from real-life characters and events within the Cape Town horse-riding community. Set against the backdrop of an all-important dressage competition, the story sees the legendary miniature horse taken ill by a life-threatening sickness. Disaster is averted by the love and care of AnnaB, once again illustrating the amazing bond between human and pet, before Pancakes finds a unique way to repay her love.

“We are so excited to also feature South African dressage superstar, Nichola Mohr, in this story too. She has been such an inspiration to AnnaB, and is living proof that with hard work anything is possible,” says Candice. Nichola is currently in Germany with her horse, Callaho Winston, as they prepare to hopefully be the first South African born horse and rider team to compete at the Olympic Games.

As with the other books in the series, this story hopes to inspire not only a love of reading in children, but also a love for all living animals and how powerful these friendships can be. All proceeds from the book are donated to SARDA (South African Riding for the Disabled Association).

For more information about Pancakes and the adventures that he and AnnaB get up to on a daily basis please follow them on social media:
Facebook – @pancakesbookcollection
Instagram – @alittlehorsecalledpancakes