Sandile Dikeni was born in Victoria West in the old Cape Province -- today the Northern Cape -- but would finish high school in the Eastern Cape in what was then the Ciskei.
He made attempts at studying law at both Wits University and the University of the Western Cape but would eventually receive a National Diploma in Journalism through the Peninsula Technikon.
Dikeni became drawn into student politics and unrest during the dark days of the 1980s, and would spend some months in prison. It was then he discovered that poetry had a power to move people and could be used for political purposes. He began to conduct readings of poetry while in prison. After his release, he would continue these readings at political and cultural events. He has, however, also appeared on international stages around the world.
He worked as a journalist and became editor of Die Suid Afrikaan, a bilingual political journal. Thereafter he was involved in radio with the SABC and later became the arts editor at The Cape Times.
His poetry, however, had already found its way into newspapers and, in 1992, his first anthology called Guava Juice was published. This was soon followed byTelegraph to the Sky. Initially he was known as a political poet but, after the democratic elections in 1994, he moved steadily into themes of broader appeal. His public recitations are always from the heart, never bound to his text and therefore always differing from the printed versions.
Today he lives and works in Cape Town where he is still committed to poetry, with regular workshops at the Phillipi informal settlement.
He made attempts at studying law at both Wits University and the University of the Western Cape but would eventually receive a National Diploma in Journalism through the Peninsula Technikon.
Dikeni became drawn into student politics and unrest during the dark days of the 1980s, and would spend some months in prison. It was then he discovered that poetry had a power to move people and could be used for political purposes. He began to conduct readings of poetry while in prison. After his release, he would continue these readings at political and cultural events. He has, however, also appeared on international stages around the world.
He worked as a journalist and became editor of Die Suid Afrikaan, a bilingual political journal. Thereafter he was involved in radio with the SABC and later became the arts editor at The Cape Times.
His poetry, however, had already found its way into newspapers and, in 1992, his first anthology called Guava Juice was published. This was soon followed byTelegraph to the Sky. Initially he was known as a political poet but, after the democratic elections in 1994, he moved steadily into themes of broader appeal. His public recitations are always from the heart, never bound to his text and therefore always differing from the printed versions.
Today he lives and works in Cape Town where he is still committed to poetry, with regular workshops at the Phillipi informal settlement.