Our Mission and Purpose
The mission of Boni Books is to develop a niche market of African languages books for schools, libraries, and institutions of higher learning. We want to see the growth and development of African languages to promote multilingualism and social cohesion in South Africa. We also want to promulgate standards of teaching and learning African Languages in schools and in the academic institutions.
Ownership and Management
The company is 100% black female owned. It has two female directors. Both founding partners Mzamokazi Mayekiso and Fikile Khuboni have unique resumes and background experiences. They each bring to the table distinct personal qualities that complement one another as they manage and grow their business together.
Fikile Khuboni brings a wealth of experience from the University of Witwatersrand, having worked as Senior Tutor in the Languages division, specializing in African Languages. This enabled her to realize the gap that exists in the publication of African Languages in SA and the undervaluation of these Languages in the country that has 11 Official languages and prioritizing one dominant language.
A lot has been said about promoting these languages, yet little is being done. Also working with +- 6000 schools around Gauteng, she realized the need for more user-friendly books that can help promote these languages. Schools are in dire need of books that talk to the 21st Century Child and a tech savvy one.
Fikile is a language specialist who boasts about her MA in IsiZulu from the University of Natal (now UKZN) and who for more than 10 years have been and still is involved in quality assuring IsiZulu First Language matric papers for Umalusi. At Boni Books, Fikile is a publisher and has already commissioned and published several titles.
As a Tutor Fikile realized the importance of professional development for teachers out there in the field and the need to mentor the incoming cohort of young teachers who are trying to put the theories learnt into practice. These young teachers do need someone to hold them by hand so that they may have a better understanding of what is expected of them in this new environment.
Mzamokazi Mayekiso brings a wealth of experience in marketing and book publishing. Having worked at Gaffney group publishing house, She gained experience in the publishing industry from starting a book until it lands on the end user. She has been exposed to how the book industry in South Africa operates and trends that are coming up. As she is mainly marketing and selling our products she has also learned and saw the potential and forecasts on business development.
She has also facilitated workshops on Creative writing and publishing, this came along as there is a need on upskilling upcoming Authors in this sector and also helping emerging Authors to publish their books in African languages.
Our Business
BONI Books (Pty) Ltd aims to publish books in African languages. Located in Highlands North, Gauteng, the company will become highly profitable through the sale of books, study guides and workbooks and providing workshops and mentorship for both the private sector and government schools. BONI Books will own and control master copies, copyrights, and licenses of all its products which will enable BONI Books to create immediate revenue streams while growing its book catalogue into a large income generator.
Our Goals and Objectives
Our Goals are :
To establish and maintain a unique position among Book publishers as the best publisher for First Additional African languages.
To build a profitable, reputable, and stable book publishing company.
To achieve profitability and month-to-month positive cashflow.
Doing more with the implications and consequences of E-Commerce and mastery of e-marketing.
Our Objectives are :
Producing publications in a timely and efficient manner and continually reviewing, evaluating successes and failures of our books for the future.
Developing and publishing books and workbooks to expand markets ensuring that they are user friendly.
To continually review and evaluate the usefulness of our products to the future generation of learners and the changing landscape.
To enhance customer service, market research and product development.
To create eBooks as when the need arises.
Products, Services and Member Benefits
BONI Books Publishers (Pty) Ltd is a member of PASA, is fully developed as a publishing company that is looking forward to growing bigger. The company was established in 2017. Since then, it has been in operation. The company focuses on producing and publishing African language books for both private and public schools. To date, the company has sold plus or minus 10 000 books. Even during the Covid pandemic Boni Books was able to continue with its mandate of book publishing. Since its formation in 2017, Boni Books has and is continuing to publish numerous books in other Indigenous languages.
Our Target Market
Boni Books’s target market is primary schools, secondary schools, tertiary institutions, school, and public libraries as well as adult education centres nationwide. Our target audience are learners, teachers, and parents. Our target location is the whole of South Africa, both rural and urban. We have deliberately targeted urban places because we believe that we can make an impact by introducing our African languages books in these places so that our languages reach even the ones that those languages are not their mother tongue.