January 31,

Ulli Beier- Esq. , The Editor,Black Orpheus,

, Mbari,/ P.M. Bag 5150,̂ 'Ibadan, Nigeria.

/Dear Mr. Beier,

' Since it is such a long time that V7e last met, I do i suppose that you will remember meeting me. We did meet, howev< v>fhen Julian Beinhardt brought you to Drum during your visit h«

be calledI have since started to v/ork on a literary magazine i the Classic. For a long time I expected to publish <

material from South Africa. My attitude is now changed and think The Classic will be a better paper if it draws,materia, from all over the continent of Africa. As a result , 1 should he most grateful obtain short stories, noems, excerpts from unpublished plays or novels or other works as well as litersr; articles from West Africa. May I ask you to please contact tw< or more local writers and let me have some material from them' If possible, I shall be glad to exchange material with your magazine.

The Classic will be printed as soon as I have four more strong stories which should be in a fe\*/ weeks time. Our first number will contain the following; Short stories by Levr Nkosi, Richard Rive, Easey Motsisi, possibly one ;by Arthur Mg; poems by Gan Themba', ^asey Motsisi and others, an article on by Julian Beinhardt, a piece on a local ochestra by Mngoma, aj article by me on Athol Fugard’s most successful experimental theatre v^orkshoo in Johannesburg etc. /

Arthur Maimane has offered to let me published hi prize-winning short storje which featured in Mbari’s resent contest. Can you please post ife a copy of the story to me if ‘ does not interfere too much with your plans? It is tx'ue that 'Unnina* .far bahind . If -von n o t ! I * the Time* JUItei*®-

THE AFRICAN WRITERS AND ARTISTS CLUB NW/48X ONIREKE STREET IBADANPMB 5180 IBADAN NIGERIA • TEL 21167

/

/ (y— ^ ^ ^

/ o r c A

A ^ ~̂~J\'i,-̂ Cĵ

‘2 - - ^ ' ' ' ^ ^ / C t ^ o c - e i ^

/< /

(9 ^ ' p i- t B U S ' / ^

/ztr

9 L ^

Please reply to:56, Redcliffe Square, London, S.W.IO.

The NewAfrican

P.O. B O X 2 0 6 8 C A P E T O W N

19th March, 1968.

Dear Mr* Nhkasa,1 -write te ask whether yeu are able te ceutribute an

article, en any subject ef yeur cheice, te a future number ef the NEW AFRICAN.

As yeu knew, Randelph Vigne has been banned frem attending all meetings, and, as such is automatically unable tem continue to do the normal woric of an editor -nwritingo This explains the fact that this letter comes to you from London, where I have taken up a post on the staff of London University* 1 shall be continuing as Bdi-tor, and -will be conducting much of the correspondence that is necessary from here*

The NEW AFRICAN will, however, continue to be published in Cape Town and it is to our CapeTown office that you should send any article or storyfayou contribute* We would prefer something about 1,500 - 2,000 words long*

I look forward to hearing from you soon*Yours sincerelw,

NevL ll”e Rubin Editor

Nat. Nakasa Esq*,Drum,15, Troye St*,JOHANNESBURG*

P R O P R I E T O R S / l N S I G H T P U B L I C A T I O N S ( P R O P R I E T A R Y ) L I M I T E D

D I R E C T O R S / Jf . R . V I G N E ( C H A I R M A N ) V . B E N J A M I N

J . M . C U R R E Y ( B R I T I S H ) N . D . R O S S N . N . R U B I N

o

Collegio La Salle B O X 544

Asmara, Ethiopia,March 27, 1963

Drum Puhlications, Ltd, Johannesburg,Union of South Africa.

Gentlemen:I am very anxious to get hold of a copy of Darkness apd

Light, by Peggy Rutherford, published by your house some time ago.

If this title is still available, I would be very much pleased to have you send me a copy, along with the bill, including such charges as postage and handling. I shall then be glad to send you a draft on the State Bank of Ethiopia in payment.

If no copy of the book is available for sale, you may be able to send through a copy on what may be termed inter- library loan. Either through your office or the office of whatever university faculty you may have there in Johannesburg, a copy could be sent to me here at Collegio la Salle, or to the Istituto Universitario Santa Pamiglia, where I am at present, Head of the English Department. After a six-months loan period I would see that the issuing office had the title returned.

If either of these suggestions do not meet with your favor, you may consider entrusting the volume to the British Council's Library at Addis Ababa, with instructions to put it at my disposal, or you m i ^ t send it to Her Majesty's Consul here in Asmara, Mr. John H. Reuterdahl at 67 Avenue Menelik II.

With the trust that you will help me in this little matter or that you will favor me with an early reply if you are unable to do any of these things, I remain.

Yours very truly.

^ -/e/Brother Aurelian Thomas, P.S.C., / (B.A., M.A., M.l.S.Columbia)

JOHAITNESBURG,8th April, 1963*

The Secretary,Anglo—Transvaal Consolidated Investment Co., Limited,P.O, Box 7727,JOHANNESBURG.

Dear Sir,^hank you for your letter of the 1 st instant and the

cheque of R50 enclosed as a contribution to our quarterly magazine, "The Classic".

We are grateful for your donation and will approach you again next year.

The magazine is now with the printers a ^ a copy of the magazine will be senfc to you as soon as it is available for distribution.

Yours faithfully.

NIMROD MKELE. CHAIRMAN

ANGLO AMERICAN CORPORATION OF SOUTH AFRICA, LIMITEDIncorporated in the R ep u blic o f South A frica

44 Main Street, Johannesburg A . A * C .

POST OFFICE BOX 4587 TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS ‘ANMERCOSA’ TELEPHONE 835-81II

REPLY PLEASE QUOTE DGB/PB TELEX J7167

27th April, 1963.

The Chairman,The Classic Magazine Trust Fund, P.O. Box 6434,JOHANNESBURG.

Dear Mr. Mkele,

I refer to your recent letter in which you ask that we support your new literary magazine.

We were most interested to hear of this new venture and certainly wish ’’The Classic” every success. On behalf of this Corporation and its associated companies, I have pleasure in enclosing our cheque for RlOO as a contribution to your Fund.

H i Yours sincerely.

D.G. BRADFORD for MANAGING DIRECTOR

\Ar

Directors: H. F. Oppenheimer (Chairman) Sir Keith Acutt, K .B .B . (British) (Deputy Chairman) B . B. Hagart (Deputy Chairman) W. D. Wiison (Managing Director) Sir George W. Aibu, Bart. E. C. Baring, O.B.B. (British) D. O. Beckingham E. T. S. Brown P. H. A. Brownrigg, O.B.E., D.S.O. (British) W. Marshaii Ciark, O.B.B.

Sir Frederick Crawford, G.C.M.G., O.B.B. (British) P. V. Bmrys-Evans (British) C. W. Bngeihard (American) A. Boyden Harrison, O.B.B.H. C. Koch P. J. Oppenheimer (British) M. W. Bush J. W. Shiiiing The Hon. H. A. V. Smith (British) S. Spiro, M.C.

Alternate Directors: C. B . Anderson F. S. Burning G. C. Fletcher, M.C., D. B. Hoffe N. K . Kinkead-Weekes (British) H. B. Lewin C. S. McLeanB. S. Newson, O.B.B. (British) D. G. Nicholson (British) G. W. H. Belly H. H. Taylor (British) A. Wilson

J O M M E S B U B G .

3rd May, 1963.

The Fianaging Director,Anglo American Corporation of S.A. Ltd., P.O. Box 4587,JOH-MESBUKG,

ATTENTION MR. D.G. BHADPOaP.Dear Sir,

Thank you for your letter of the 2?th April and the cheque of ElOO enclosed as a contribution to our quarterly magazine, "The Classic”.

A copy of the magazine will be sent to you as soon as it is available for distribution.

Yours faithfully.

NIMROD MKELE. CHAIRMAN.

Mr. Nat Nakasa, JOHANNES HJRGc

C O N T A C T , P.O. Box 1979, CAPE TOWN.3rd Juae, 1963-

Dear Mr. Nakasa,1 Believe "The Classic" is about to make

its public appearance. Could you let our readers have about 2-300 words on the contents of the first issue and perhaps how it came about. I've also been voraciously kssn looking forward to it.

If possible, could you let us have something on it by Friday. This is our deadline for our next issue.

Thanking you in anticipation.Yours sincerely.

Harold H ead EDITOR

2 (B) HaniJtiton Retrace Londoji'^Ko

1963

/

Mr Natha^iiel The £

THE FOREIGN SERVICEOF THE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICAU . S . IN FO RM ATIO N SER V IC E

American Embassy Pretoria

June 28, 1963

Mr. Nathaniel Nakasa DrumP.O. Box 3^13 Johannesburg

Dear Mr. Nakasa,

I am returning the Notarial Deed o f Trust for C lassic which you sent me. The summary o f co sts , e tc . which you a lso sent was qu ite adequate, and I quoted It in my despatch.

Now w e 'll have to w ait for possib le response. I'm not te r r ib ly o p tim istic because there are sim ilar e f fo r ts In most countries, a l l o f them In need o f subsidy. But l e t 's keep up hope.

Yours very c o r d ia lly ,

Arg^jl J. Tresidder Public A ffa irs O fficer

AJTresIdder/db

I N T E R N A T I O N A L P R E S S I N S T I T U T E

A F R I C A J O U R N A L I S T S ’ T R A I N I N G S C H E M E

The Royal College P.O. Box 30197 NAIROBI Kenya

Telephone: ■ ■ ■ 23358Cable Address : INTERPRESS NAIROBI 12th July, 1963.

Mr. Nat Nakasa, DRUM,P.O.Box 3413, Johannesburg.

Dear Nat,Many thanks for sending me the first nxunber of the '’Classic”. It

arrived while I was away in Europe, otherwise I would have written to you sooner. Heartiest congratulations on getting the magazine produced and in print, which is always a tremendous vindertaking, as I well know. The magazine had been read here with great enjoyment an

/5. ^ (cl, oj. C^^^^C■’ 7^4 JCi^

;i h \r ! A l iU.r u / V olJ zc

CP,lOyOe.^

L '%(. ^ ‘'L >̂-t.

^ r s a^ , ' i f - ‘̂ ( A “

R.T.B. Butlin, Esq., O.B.E., Cultural Attache,British Embassy,Hill Street,P R E T O R I A .

Dear Mr. Butlin,

Leslie Minford, the British Consul General Deputy, has informed me that he has written to you about me. I am Nathaniel Nakasa, editor of The Classic, a copy of which I enclose herewith.

I wish to know whether it would be possible for roe to obtain a British Council grant, or any other grant, to enable me to undertake a 2-months study tour in Erwland. In view of my work, this would be tremendously helpful as I would be able to make contact with a number of important personalities in the literary world.Writers like Laurence van der Post, Tom Hopkinson,Nadine Gordimer and Dan Jacobson have all discussed this matter with me, and urged that I should consider such a trip seriously and immediately.

I should be very glad to visit you in Pretoria to acquaint you with the details of my background, at your invitation. At the moment 1 am working as a free lance journalist, contributing to the Hand Daily Mail,Post and other papers. In my work overseas I have done magazine features for the New York Times, papers in Sweden, and Kristall in West Germany. My work has been inspected by Anthony Sampson of the Observer, who e xpressed favourable opinions on it.

Looking forward to hearing from you.Yours truly.

R»T.B. Butlin, Esq*., O.B.E., Cultural Attache,British Embassy,Hill Stroet,P R E T O R I A .

Dear Mr. Butlin,

Leslie Minford, the British Consul General Deputy, has informed me that he has written to you about me. I am Nathaniel Nakasa, editor of The Classic, a copy of which I enclose herewith.

I wish to know whether it would be possible for me to obtain a British Council grant, or any other grant, to enable me to undertake a 2»months study tour in England. In view of my work, this would be tremendously helpful as I would be able to make contact with a number of important personalities in the literary world.Writers like Laurence van der Post, Tom Hopkinson,Nadine Gordimer and Dan Jacobson have all discussed this matter with me, and urged that I should consider such a trip seriously and immediately.

I should be very glad to visit you in Pretoria to acquaint you with the details of my background, at your invitation. At the moment I am working as a free lance journalist, contributing to the Itand Daily Mail,Post and other papers. In my work overseas I have done magazine features for the New York Times, papers in Sweden, and Kristall in West Germany. My work has been inspected by Anthony Sampson of the Observer, who e xpressed favourable opinions on it.

Looking forward to hearing from you.Yours truly.

Adam L. Payne^ Saq.,Public Ralations Offiosy Anglo-American Corporation, P.O. Box 4587,JOHANNBSBtraO. 24th July, 1963.

Dear Mr. Payne,I wish, once again, to take this opportunity to

thank you very much for the grant which your Corporation hae made available to The Classic.

O

1 have also received the introduction letters to the Natal Mercury and the Daily News in Durham. These will be, 1 am sure, of tremendous value to me when 1 reach Durban.

1 shall telephone you on my return from Durham to arrange for am appointment with the Bditor of The Star.

Thamklng you,

Yours truly.

O n e E x e t e r Av e n u e K e n i l w o r t h ,C a p e

7 7 - 5 3 9 7

a i h j b ?

Dear Nadine,Enclosed is a cheque for , for the 40 copies of THE CIjArSIC

you sent me. Nusas sold f«nie and I gave away the rest - being the world's worst salesman. I feel rather ashamed about not pushing it harder but about six weeks ago I started getting Kupugani on its feet in Cape Town and this has really crowded almost everything else out of my life. Anyway I hope you have heard from Insight Publications to whom*I handed it. And congratulations on the Ford grant which makes me, personally, feel a good deal better.

Hope to see you when I pass through Johannesburg at the end of August or at least say hello to you.

Until then, our fond love to you both

/t/

^ . R-. d

T, Hopkinson Esq.,International Press Institute,The Royal College,P.O.Box 30197,Nairobi.Dear Tom,Thank you very much for your letter and the much needed suggestions you gave us.

I expect Nadine Gordimer will have told you a lot about "The Classic" by now. She told me she would be meeting you during her stay in Kenya.

Everything seems to be going well Just now. Although I am desperately in need of contributions. How about your students or anybody else in those parts? I should be delighted to receive something from there. We need it.

My own life is being generally re-organised. I have left "Drum" and am now a freelance Journalist - a hard business, althc Interesting.

There is also a possibility that I will go to Europe and England if I get a grant and a passport.

Dan Jacobson and Van der Post have invited me to London and offered financial help - at least Van der Post offered cash.

Meanwhile, the British Coimcil is considering my appllca tion for a grant. So It does seem likely that I may bo seeing yt some time if the Gods Mess me with a passport.

Do you think you could get a story from Arthur Maimane while he is in Nairobi? That would be a great help.

Peter Magubane tells me he will be writing to you soon.Regards to Dorothy.

Yours alwavs.

I M I S n iO NRajat Neogy Editor

Christopher Okigbo Editor for West Afrktt

A JOURNAL OF THE ARTS, CULTURE AND SOCIETY, P.O. Box 20026 KAMPALA, UGANDA, c a b l e s : TRANSITION

Aufeust, 1:5/1963Mr Neville RuMn,Editor/THE T O APRICAN 19 Richmond Bjidge Mansions, T-vtlckenham, Middlesex England.

D*ar Neville,

this letter is prompted hy Ezskiel Mphahlele’s suggestion in his letter of August 5 regarding the closer oollahoration of editors of Bipck Oruheus. The New African. The Glassio and Transition.

The suggestions I maJce here could he used as a basis for further discussion between ourselves.lo In principle! the purposes of these journals are to spread and oireulate new ideas. Whether this takes the form of new literature or statments of political thought is immaterial. In furtherance to this policy there can be no argtxment against such material gaining the widest possible audience through reprinting in other joto^als,2. Each of these four journals has its own history and pace of development. Each has its separate identity. The original material that each of these journals secure is very largely determined by these and similar factors. This fact is suggested so that it is remembered that reprinting of material should only be undertaken when (a) the subject is of universal significance (eg.Nelson Mandela’s court speech) (b) that it is relevant to the particular problemsof the region it is reprinted in (o) that th€& material and its author deserve wider publicity and audience.3. The problem of the same material being duplicated in all journals Cannot be avoided even if, as Zeke suggested, an editor who had automatic access to material did not distribute it further. Pour other editors also have this automatic access, so that the material appears fotir times over. In view of this I would suggest the follo-j'Tingii) That the PanAfrioan continent rights of all material appearing in those journals should be held in such a manner that each journal would have first priority rights to reprint in Africa. Any journal revesting for reprinting facilities should be offered these onlyif the 4 (or as many parties) have no further claim to the material,ii) To facilitate this exchange, advance lists of material to be included in each issue should be circulated between the 4 (or more parties.),iii) If payment is made for reprinting, it should be made to the

Collection Number: A2696 Collection Name: Nat Nakasa Papers, 1962-2014

PUBLISHER: Publisher: Historical Papers Research Archive, University of the Witwatersrand Location: Johannesburg ©2017

LEGAL NOTICES:

Copyright Notice: All materials on the Historical Papers website are protected by South African copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, or otherwise published in any format, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Disclaimer and Terms of Use: Provided that you maintain all copyright and other notices contained therein, you may download material (one machine readable copy and one print copy per page) for your personal and/or educational non-commercial use only.

People using these records relating to the archives of the Historical Papers Research Archive, at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, are reminded that such records sometimes contain material which is uncorroborated, inaccurate, distorted or untrue. While these digital records are true facsimiles of paper documents and the information contained herein is obtained from sources believed to be accurate and reliable, Historical Papers, University of the Witwatersrand has not independently verified their content. Consequently, the University is not responsible for any errors or omissions and excludes any and all liability for any errors in or omissions from the information on the website or any related information on third party websites accessible from this website. This document is part of a collection, held at the Historical Papers Research Archive, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.