Mongane Wally Serote is South Africa’s National Poet Laureate. He is a celebrated poet, author, ANC struggle stalwart and former member of MK, was a member of the Black Consciousness Movement, a former MP and he is a Ngaka. The National Order of Ikhamanga in Silver was awarded to him by President Thabo Mbeki, for his excellent contribution to literature, with emphasis on his poetry, and for putting his artistic talents at the service of democracy in South Africa. He was the CEO of the Freedom Park Trust and chairs the Jacana Literary Foundation and the Concerned African Forum (CAF) and sits on the Thabo Mbeki advisory board. He has founded the NGOs, Indigenous Knowledge Systems Trust of South Africa (IKSSA) and iARi to promote arts, culture, Indigenous knowledge. He was awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Natal, Fort Hare and University of Johannesburg and Honorary Professorships from the University of South Africa and the University of Johannesburg.
