Carla Abrahams reads a poem about colours and how this relates to God.

Judging from the voices of University of the Western Cape students, whether through poetry, song or rap, talent scouts might want to make a beeline to the Bellville campus. 

The Udubs Open Mic event, recently hosted at the atrium of the UWC Library saw more than 15 performers capture the hearts, minds, and most importantly the ears of their fellow students.

The Writing Centre has been hosting Open Mic events since 2019, taking a break during Covid. According to Arona Dison, Coordinator of the UWC Writing Centre, the Open Mic event was intended for students to “express and own their voice and foster a sense of belonging on campus”. 

“What struck me was the amount of men who performed and how many of them were expressing vulnerability and grappling with what was expected of them as a man,” said Dison.

Indeed, the Open Mic provided a platform and a safe space for students on campus to process their challenging lived experiences.

Opening the event, Dr Shirlene Neerputh, who is the director of UWC’s library services, said the UWC Library was a space for students and a hub where knowledge prevailed, where students and staff were empowered for knowledge creation.

“The Library is a place where you should relax and just breathe the enormous amount of knowledge,” said Dr Neerputh.

Director of the Centre for Student Support Services, Dr Laetitia Permall, representing Deputy Vice Chancellor for Student Development and Support, Matete Madiba, said the Open Mic was a space for presence, where voices could rise, truths could be shared and creativity can flourish.

“I think in the 21st Century, creativity is no longer a luxury. It’s a core competency. It allows us to make meaning in a world that is constantly shifting, whether through words, images or sound. Creativity helps us navigate complexity, it helps us to navigate new features and express who we are beyond what the world sees,” said Dr Permall.

Beyond a skill, Dr Permall said creativity served as a connection to ourselves, to others and what matters most.

“It transforms, it awakens,  it reminds us, and you're not just a surviving…when students harness this creative force, something extraordinary happens, you don’t just grow, you ignite growth in others. Your voice becomes a spark, your story becomes a mirror, your art a bridge.

“And through this creative expression, you don’t merely participate in the world, you help to reimagine it. You co-create spaces into belonging and in doing so you begin to heal what disconnection has fractured,” said Dr Permall.

A slightly nervous Ibongwe Yolanda Mnguni started off the Open Mic session with a poem from the perspective of a foreigner about to cross a land border after an arduous journey by foot.

Boitumelo Mushendami explored queer love in her poem which had some of those in the audience in raptures as she gave vivid descriptions which transported the listener away from the confines of the UWC Library atrium to a distant space. 

In between those performances, the small crowd of curious students and staff who had gathered on the circular wall of the atrium were entertained with UWC’s rappers and singers who could definitely be worthy contestants on a television show because indeed, UWC Has Talent!