To most 80′s bloomers in Johannesburg the name Rose Francis conjures up flashbacks of a ‘girl about town’, high fashion, and beauty ramps. Amongst the first real high profile black women models in Johannesburg, Francis (51) was ubiquitous on billboards, print and TV ads throughout the 80′s. Along with now actress and author Nakedi Ribane they paved the way for black models to make the transition from township hall beauty pageants to industry recognition locally, and even internationally, working in London, New York and Paris amongst other global cities. Today Francis is an entrepreneur who has yet again blazed a trail in an industry she is equally passionate about – the publishing industry. “In a way my career has come full circle, because my first job was as a reader at a press-cutting agency in my hometown, Durban” she says of her early days in the publishing industry.

It was at the advent of her fortieth birthday that she once again took the road less travelled-her love of history, communication and marketing fused to form African Perspective Publishing. African Perspective Publishing has been in business for five years. It is the latest trajectory in the communication space which began while she was still a model. Part of the journey, its very beginning, was her opening of Rose Francis Communications. “I opened Rose Francis Communications in 1980” she says,”It was a natural progression for me because even as a model I had always seen myself as a conveyor, through fashion, of ideas and messages. I reached a point where I wanted to project myself beyond size and height.”

Being black, she identifies with other black South Africans whose history as a collective was subject to drastic distortions and in some instances deliberate ommisions in the interest of maintaining the status quo during apartheid. “I started African Perspective Publishing with the sole mission to put our history in its proper perspective-to fully explore the African perspective in the collective human narrative in our time” she relates. Through her company, she hosts a number of school programmes to encourage reading and writing amongst teens.”Like any other black business, we harbour a social commitment,” she points out.”The goal is to ultimately get the children to discover, like our name espouses, alternative perspectives on life and what is possible for one to achieve.”

In its relatively short existence African Perspectives has published and distributed an eclectic and wide variety of local fiction, non-fiction and poetry, such as Memory Is The Weapon by esteemed author and poet Don Mattera, an account of growing up in early 50′s Sophiatown. Amongst other publications are The Empowered Native, a fictional take of the 1976 Soweto riots by Letepe Maisela (to be released on mp3 CD in May), Dreams Of Flight by Myesha Jenkins, WENA, a collection of contemporary poetry by Ntsiki Mazwai and The Politics Of South African Football, by Oshebebeng Alphie Koonyaditse. In March the company launched both Fat Songs For My Girlfriends, a book of poems by noted stage actress Napo Masheane, and The Che Guevara Reader, a collection of private writings by the revered Latin American freedom fighter Che Guevara.

We asked her about the state of publishing in Africa five decades after luminaries such as Nigerians Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka, and Kenyan Ngugi wa Thiongo catapulted African literature onto the international scene.”There is no dearth of brilliant writing on the continent today: Kenya, Tanzania, Egypt, Ghana, Sudan, Uganda and Nigeria boast of vibrant and exciting literary scenes. Young fiction writers across the colour line are coming to the fore in South Africa too. It spells for a massive resurgence of African literature,” she says. As with many publishers in South Africa, she finds that the price of paper is extremely high, and constantly has to concede to printing her titles abroad, where prices are cheaper. She also laments the fact that it is becoming increasingly difficult to remain competitive in an environment where retail and shelf space costs are constantly rising. Despite the hindrances, the company has garnered deserved recognition in the publishing industry and business at large. In 2000, the company was listed as one of the Top 300 empowerment companies by the South African government’s Department of Trade and Industry. In 2010 Francis received a World Media Award for Best Publication from the United Nations for Nostalgic Waves from Soweto: Poetic Memories of June 16, a poetry anthology by veteran actor Sol Rachilo.

Francis believes that radio is a powerful tool that can be used to spread African literature to illiterate people.”Radio as a platform presents a unique opportunity for African publishers to reach people where they cannot be reached by other forms of media,” she says. She should know, she has travelled the continent extensively delivering papers and attending literary conferences and festivals. It was the exiled South African writer Lewis Nkosi who proclaimed that-unlike his peers, his work would not be confined to politics and the township. Similarly, she points out that “African writers today are too immersed with political prose. We need to recognise that Africa’s jewels and treasures are hidden in the most ordinary things.”

African Perspectives holds monthly readings on the first and last Thursday of every month at Darkie Cafe. Darkie Cafe is on the corner of Anderson and Ferreira streets, in the Central Business District in Johannesburg. Entrance is free. See African Perspective Publishing on Facebook for a listing of upcoming readings.

Story by OKA contributor Daluxolo Moloantoa.