#InTheSpotlight Philani Dladla – Book Reviewer turned Author

Philani Dladla is a young man who grew up with “dreams too big” for his small hometown of Port Shepstone in KwaZulu-Natal.Here, he attended a small, rural school which taught its pupils in isiZulu. When Philani received a book from his mother’s employer, he realised that in order to understand what the words meant, he would have to learn English. Even though it was a heavy, non-fiction book about politics, it was the first birthday gift he had ever received and Philani loved it. He read it over and over, grappling with the difficult language. “It was a challenge for me. But I wanted to know what was so special about this book.”And he will tell anyone who asks that his favourite childhood book was, in fact, The Last White Parliament (by F van Zyl Slabbert). It was his only book.From Pavements to ProsperityWhen the old man died, he left his book collection to Philani – who, by this time, had left the seaside village for the bright lights of Johannesburg. He had followed in his mother’s footsteps and become a healthcare worker. He worked in a home for the elderly and enjoyed looking after and chatting to the residents. He was doing well and moved into his own apartment.But, his new world came crashing down.“I got too comfortable and I started experimenting with drugs. I suppose I did it to fit in with my new friends. Johannesburg is a tough place,” he told Nal’ibali.Before long, he had lost all that he had worked for and he found himself living on the streets. There he saw horrible things happen to the people around him, and it made him realise that his addiction would lead him down a fatal road.“I decided I needed to save myself. I chose not to keep any money so I could avoid buying drugs. Anything I got I immediately spent on food… and books.”Not only did he read self-help books in order to end his addiction, but he also read novels and biographies – anything to keep himself meaningfully occupied. Then, Philani started reviewing them and selling them to motorists driving up Empire Road. He charged according to how he rated the work.His unique approach soon captured attention and he became known as “the pavement bookworm”. One day, a documentary filmmaker Tebogo Malope, interviewed him about his roadside bookstall and posted the video online where it went viral.His life changed.Reading – A Weapon of ChoiceToday Philani is known around the world and he is in high demand because of his story. He counts professors, authors, students, professionals and others as his clients and friends. He has become a motivational speaker and has been asked to give a talk at TEDx later this month. (21 August 2014)Despite this newfound fame, Philani remains humble and dedicated to the homeless and the children who live in poverty in the inner city. He is committed to sharing the power of reading and how it helped him to overcome adversity.“I don’t want to move from here,” he says and points to his flat which overlooks Joubert Park. “I want to be in this community and help the people here. I need to show them there is more that they can do than just lie around in the park and take drugs. If they read and write, they will be more employable.”Philani believes that reading is the way out of these dire circumstances.“For me, reading is a weapon of choice to fight social challenges. If you read, you think,” he says.His wish is that the more privileged in society would take the time to get to know how the other half lives.“Maybe if they knew, they would think twice about buying that new car and maybe give the schools some computers. It doesn’t take a lot to put a smile on these children’s faces. And they will never forget your face if you give them something. People out there forget that these guys are human.”You Don’t Have to Be Rich to Be GenerousPhilani Dladla is proof that it doesn’t take a lot to make a big difference.You would probably never peg the homeless 24-year-old as a serious bookworm if you saw him on the streets of Johannesburg. But Dladla loves books, and sells them to make his humble income.Dladla, dubbed the “pavement bookworm” by South African filmmaker Tebogo Malope, reviews his books and even discusses authors with passers-by, holding impromptu book club sessions throughout the day.Although Dladla earns money by selling books to adults, his real passion is giving them to children for free. For Dladla, books saved his life. Once a drug addict, his passion of diving into stories is what brought him out of that life. Now, he hopes that passion rubs off on others, especially the kids he interacts with daily.“Reading is not harmful. There’s no such thing as harmful knowledge. It is only going to make you a better person,” Dladla said. Dladla’s life is a testament that you don’t have to have money to be generous.