Edward Tsumele

Edward Tsumele

South African writers will be represented by a top unionist at an international conference in New York.

South African cultural activist and film industry unionist, Basil Dube, pictured, will represent South African writers at the International Film and Television Writers Summit, which starts tomorrow.

The conference, organised by the International Association of Writers Guilds, will be hosted by the Writers Guild of America.

Dube says the purpose of the summit is to discuss conditions affecting film and television writers around the world.

"I will be reporting on the status of South African film and television writers.

"Despite the challenges and constraints we are facing, our industry is beginning to recognise the need to speed up the transformation process," he said.

Dube said the world was still celebrating the achievement of films such as Yesterday, Tsotsi, Ucarmen Ekhayelitsha and Max and Mona.

"What we need is to produce more quality and original African stories.

We cannot achieve this without the support of government and the business community," he said.

Dube is general secretary of the South African Script Writers Union which has been in the forefront of campaigning for the rights of South African writers.