Zubayr Charles

Zubayr Charles is a 29-year-old UCT graduate and master of creative writing from Bo-Kaap, South Africa. Aside from writing, he has been teaching English at local high schools for the past seven years. He was part of the Baxter Theatre’s “How to write a musical workshop” under the mentorship of David Kramer in 2019, attended LitNet’s Jakes Gerwel Kommadagga nonfiction and short story writers’ residency under the mentorship of Rachelle Greeff in 2020, and has been completing his first novel – which was submitted as his creative thesis at UCT under the supervision of writer and professor Imraan Coovadia in 2021 and 2022, and for which he attained cum laude. He was part of the Stemme Projek at the 2023 Suidoosterfees, in which he contributed as a dialogue writer. An excerpt of his second play, titled Please don’t call me moffie, starring Anzio September, was showcased at the 2023 Teksmark Festival and will be showcased at the Baxter Theatre this year. Additionally, Zubayr has found success in writing essays, which are published on LitNet: https://www.litnet.co.za/author/zubayr-charles/. He hopes to finish his first poetry work this year and to continue to tell stories, as well as break into South Africa’s theatre industry.

Q&A with writer and director of Mercy, Zubayr Charles

Izak de Vries, Zubayr Charles Lifestyle and entertainment 2024-03-12

"A common discourse in Islamic and Cape Malay households here in Cape Town is the severe disdain projected onto those who place their parents in old-age homes. My goal with Mercy was to portray the subtle nuances and complexities as to why people make those decisions."

Abassie se warme worsies

Zubayr Charles Opinion 2023-10-05

"There is something so intricate and special about going to a butcher, reaching the glass cabinet, glaring at the various kinds of meat, stating your order, watching the items get weighed and finally paying."

Haram

Zubayr Charles Stemme | Voices | Amazwi 2023-09-14

Vir Stemme, LitNet se dialoogprojek saam met die Suidoosterfees, NATi en die ATKV, is tien dramaturge genader om kort dialoë te skryf. Twintig akteurs is gevra om daarin te speel en tien regisseurs het elkeen ’n stuk afgerond. In Zubayr Charles se dialoog Haram vertolk Bianca Flanders en Marunzo Thomas die rolle. Quanita Adams was in die regisseurstoel.

"Maar jy’t eintlik vet geword" is just not a nice thing to say

Zubayr Charles Opinion 2023-03-16

"I was tired of wanting to regain compliments on my exterior, yet I was also tired of the dreadful comments directed at my weight. I had to learn how to love myself again."

When we want success for ourselves, we must want success for others

Zubayr Charles Opinion 2022-07-19

"Izzart removed the laces of the sneakers and washed them separately. He tapped lukewarm water into a transparent bowl and generously sprayed TopShelf Sneaker Cleaner product on various targeted areas – everything done with precision."

Ramadaan on Dorp Street

Zubayr Charles Opinion 2022-04-28

"So, as I stand on my stoep, looking up at the two rows of houses, I make the niyyah to pop around to each home and ask my neighbours what makes Ramadaan so special here on our street."

Where is your happy place?

Zubayr Charles Opinion 2022-02-25

"With the sun reaching nearly 40 degrees, some of the uncles are not singing from the flat-surfaced rock, and instead they sit under a gazebo, serenading the beachgoers with their velvet voices."

It’s not just a barbershop, it’s a community

Zubayr Charles Opinion 2021-12-01

"What my friend failed to mention was that the gevaarlike Jordanian couldn’t help us both at the same time, and due to my impatience, I landed in the chair of Abbaas Sylvester."

WhatsApp in grendelklaskamers help skoliere beter kommunikeer

Regardt Visser, Willene Theart, Zubayr Charles Akademies en skole 2021-01-29

"Leerders wat gewoonlik skaam sou wees in ’n fisiese klaskamer, sou nou meer gereeld vrae vra deur persoonlike boodskappe te stuur, en so ook aangemoedig word om te kommunikeer en meer interaktief deelneem aan die leerproses." – Willene Theart, onderwyser van Hoërskool Strand.

Kommadagga essay: Music and my father

Zubayr Charles Opinion 2020-11-12

"My father and I go for months without speaking to each other. This ongoing cycle usually starts after he says something crude and vulgar, mixed with colourful language, and I’m left thinking about why I forgave him for his prior transgression."

Top