Actress, producer, and human rights activist Nomzamo Mbatha has taken a powerful step toward improving literacy in South Africa by opening a new library in Cape Town.
Through the Nomzamo Lighthouse Foundation, and in collaboration with the Cotton On Foundation, Mbatha helped build the Beyond Words Library in Philippi. The project was also supported by The Bookery, which carefully selected more than 4,200 books for the space.
The library, located at Masivuke Primary School, is the first under the Beyond Words initiative and aims to provide children with access to books, safe learning spaces, and opportunities to grow through reading. The initiative was created to help address the ongoing literacy crisis in the country.
Mbatha shared that the journey to bring the library to life was not easy, revealing that the team faced multiple challenges along the way. “We fought through rejections from construction companies that refused to work in ‘dangerous, risky, tough’ Philippi,” she said.
Despite these obstacles, the team remained committed to creating a meaningful space for children in the community. The library includes unique features such as reading nooks and a “reading tree,” designed to make learning both engaging and inspiring. Reflecting on the purpose behind the project, Mbatha said, “All this for the little folks who get to have a safe space to discover, dream and learn the language to shape their lives for the better.”
Opening up about her personal connection to literacy, Mbatha explained how reading shaped her own life. “Books. Reading. Language sharpened my toolkit as a child… it gave me a lens to see beyond the confines of KwaMashu,” she shared.
She also highlighted the urgency of the literacy crisis in South Africa, pointing out that many children struggle to understand what they read. “Roughly 81% of South African Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning… access to books is not a luxury, it’s the very foundation they need,” she said.
In addition to books, the library also includes a digital literacy component, made possible through a donation from Bet Software, further expanding learning opportunities for learners.
Mbatha described the launch at Masivuke Primary School as just the beginning. “A space to read, imagine, and believe that the world is bigger than what they’ve been given access to,” she said, expressing hope that the initiative will continue to inspire young minds.
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