Mpumelelo Bernice Mtjekelo is a multidisciplinary cultural leader, poet, performer, and founder of Spoken and Unspoken Word (Pty) Ltd, a creative arts company transforming lives through performance, facilitation, and youth mentorship. Based in Bloemfontein, Free State, Mpumelelo’s platform reaches over 80 creatives across the country and uses poetry, storytelling, and theatre to tackle social issues like mental health, gender-based violence, and youth unemployment.
Her work is deeply rooted in both practice and purpose. As a performing artist, she has graced stages like VADA Nite, The Thoughts Lounge, and Abantu Book Festival. She’s also the author of the spoken word album Reflections of a Broken Mirror, featured on Motheo FM, and an internationally published poet with The House of Smalls (UK).
Spoken and Unspoken Word hosts monthly events and school-based workshops, with thematic programming aligned to national holidays and advocacy days. In 2023, the company created employment for five African youth, with ongoing mentorship opportunities for young writers, facilitators, and production crew.
A graduate of Empretec, Activate! Change Drivers, and the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Rapid Incubator, Mpumelelo also holds credentials in Film & Television, Business Management, and Financial Literacy. She’s been featured in Bloemfontein News, Daily Sun, and Play On, and began her media journey as a teen columnist in Free State newspapers at age 16.
Mpumelelo Bernice Mtjekelo is not just a performer — she’s a platform builder, a healer through words, and a cultural torchbearer for her generation.
