Winston Mzikayise Mahola started experimenting with poetry when he was at school. The State Security forces of the apartheid regime confiscated his MS in 1976 and due to their pressure he lost interest in writing for the next 13 years. He started writing again in 1989. In 1994 he published his first poetry book titled “Strange Things”. It was selected to represent South Africa in the World Book Fair in 1995 in Geneva. It was translated into German and Danish languages. He has contributed his poems jointly with other poets of the world in 13 anthologies.

In 2000 his second volume titled “When Rains Come” won the national Olive Schreiner literary award for the period 2000-2001. Some of his poems have been translated into German and Turkish languages. The KZN University Press is editing his third volume titled “Dancing in the Rain” for publishing this year. David Phillip Publishers are evaluating and editing his first semi-biographical novel for possible publishing. Presently he runs poetry workshops for young people in his province. He also runs a voluntary poetry project in the municipal library in his area, which he started in 2004. The present poems show his concern in the madness of the world to fight wars on innocent people. His poems have warmth unseen elsewhere. They shower abundance of empathy for man in his struggle for existence.

   Impassable Bridge
   Their Democracy
   He Came Down The Street
   In Memoriam Sizwe Kondile
   The Question
   Untitled
   Next Time Use A Rope
   People Change
   You Must Know
   Ukuhlangana Norhulumente
   Those Who Hold The World