Programme

Please note that you need to book for all events, even if they are free.

Read the festival catalogue here, or download a print-friendly programme here.

The First Woman

Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi speaks to Wanjiru Koinange about her latest novel.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 10:00am -

11:00am

Venue: Workshop

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Extraordinary Lives

Desiree Ellis, Sindiwe Magona and Patric Tariq Mellet speak to Firdose Moonda about overcoming the horrendous impact of apartheid.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 10:00am -

11:00am

Venue: Star Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Vulnerable Bodies

Dawn Garisch, Busisekile Khumalo and SJ Naudé speak to Joy Watson about approaching death and grief.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 10:00am -

11:00am

Venue: Avalon Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Open Talk

Hugo ka Canham, Lebohang Masango, Thandiwe Ntshinga and Uhuru Phalafala present insights into living in a world designed for white comfort.

MC: Pumla Dineo Gqola.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 12:00pm -

1:00pm

Venue: Star Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

The Promise

Damon Galgut and Sylvaine Strike speak to Africa Melane about the process of getting from page to stage.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 12:00pm -

1:00pm

Venue: Avalon Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

SOLD OUT

Unpacking the NSP

Jeanne Bodenstein and Nechama Brodie speak to Joy Watson about the successes and failures of the National Strategic Plan on gender based violence and femicide.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 12:00pm -

1:00pm

Venue: Workshop

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

In the Tent _ Zibu Sithole

Be one of three people at a short reading and Q&A session with Zibu Sithole.

Authors:

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 1:15pm -

1:45pm

Venue: Marketplace Tent

Price: Free entry

Tickets: Required

Desiring Urbanity in African Literature(1)

Farai Mudzingwa, Wisani Mushwana and Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah speak to Mapule Mohulatsi about African cities as spaces of reinvention and desire.

Brought to you by the African Literary Cities Project.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 2:00pm -

3:00pm

Venue: Star Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Banality of Violence

Nechama Brodie, Caryn Dolley and Morabo Morojele explore the normalisation of pervasive violence in the company of Erin Bates.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 2:00pm -

3:00pm

Venue: Avalon Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

The Myth of Control(1)

Busisekile Khumalo, Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu and Zibu Sithole discuss female characters and agency with Nwabisa Mayema.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 2:00pm -

3:00pm

Venue: Book Lounge

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Striving for Social Equity

Joy Watson and contributors Irvin Kinds, Sinelizwi Ncaluka and Cassandra Roxburgh launch this crucial collection of essays.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 2:00pm -

3:00pm

Venue: Workshop

Price: Free entry

Tickets: Required

Post-Apartheid Universities(2)

Jaco Barnard-Naudé, Desiree Lewis and Joel Modiri speak to Barbara Boswell about improving the university experience for all.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 4:00pm -

5:00pm

Venue: Star Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Writing the Natural World

Isobel Dixon, Pieter Odendaal and Bridget Pitt explore spiritual connections to the land in the company of Kanya Viljoen.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 4:00pm -

5:00pm

Venue: Avalon Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Showcasing Self-published authors 1

Four writers take to the stage to highlight their own work.

Eleanor Damon, Gail Gilbride, Mogamad Salie and Liza Scholtz will be introduced by host Nancy Richards.

Note that the writers will be selling and signing their work after the event.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 4:00pm -

5:00pm

Venue: Workshop

Price: Free entry

Tickets: Required

Burden of Secrets

Marina Auer, Sarah Isaacs and Jane van der Riet speak to Qarnita Loxton about breaking the silence.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 4:00pm -

5:00pm

Venue: Book Lounge

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Salon Hecate

Join Helen Moffett for a Salon that will switch focus from local authors and creatives to a global line-up.

This event will feature Sipho Banda, Isobel Dixon, Sarah Lubala, Athambile Masola and Hilda Twongyeirwe.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 5:00pm -

6:30pm

Venue: The Electric

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Mother Wound

Megan Choritz, Moshitadi Lehlomela and Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu speak to Buhle Ngaba about damaged mothers, wounded daughters and the possibilities of healing.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 6:00pm -

7:00pm

Venue: Star Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

The Future of Publishing

In the context of a drastically weaker rand, loadshedding woes and concerns about representation, Mervyn Sloman talks to Eugene Ashton (JB), Mbali Sikakana (NB) and Karina Szczurek (Karavan) about their thoughts and plans for the future.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 6:00pm -

7:00pm

Venue: Avalon Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Poets in Conversation IG artwork

This platform offers the poets, Siphokazi Jonas, Xitha Makgeta, Lisette Ma Neza and Burcu Sahin an opportunity to consider their experiences following the Hear My Voice Poetry Retreat, and respond to the query, “What does collaboration entail in the face of contemporary issues?”

Curated by Hear My Voice with support from the delegation of Flanders: Embassy of Belgium, and in partnership with The Open Book Festival, Flanders Literature and Göteborgs Litteraturhus.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 6:00pm -

7:00pm

Venue: Workshop

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Conversations with Mohale

Pumla Dineo Gqola, Lebohang Masango, Maneo Mohale and Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah speak sex, pleasure and consent.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 7:30pm -

9:00pm

Venue: Star Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

The Good the Bad and the Ugly(1)

John Maytham talks to Mills Soko about scenario planning and influencing the future.

Date: 8 September 2023

Time: 8:00pm -

9:00pm

Venue: Avalon Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Feminist Imaginings

Pumla Dineo Gqola, Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah and Hilda Twongyeirwe imagine the intergenerational communication of the future in the company of Mbali Sikakana.

This event is in collaboration with the NRF SARChI Chair in African Feminist Imagination at Nelson Mandela University.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 10:00am -

11:30am

Venue: Star Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

The Way of Water(1)

Ron Irwin, Farai Mudzingwa and Marita van der Vyver speak to John Maytham about the significance of water in their novels.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 10:00am -

11:00am

Venue: Avalon Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Connecting to Self

Nadia Kamies, Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu and David Ralph Viviers speak to Wamuwi Mbao about the need to find the past in order to find oneself.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 10:00am -

11:00am

Venue: Workshop

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Storytime at the Stadium _ Daniella Djan

Join Daniella Djan aka Madam Daleena for a storytime and activity session.

Authors:

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 11:00am -

12:00pm

Venue: Stadium

Price: Free entry

Tickets: Required

Creative Responses to Conflict(1)

Andrew Brown, Wanjiru Koinange and Sarah Lubala speak to Bongani Kona.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 12:00pm -

1:00pm

Venue: Book Lounge

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

SOLD OUT

Queering the Page

Wisani Mushwana, SJ Naudé and Pieter Odendaal speak to Branden Grant about queerness and masculinity.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 12:00pm -

1:00pm

Venue: Star Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Teamwork

Sam Beckbessinger & Dale Halvorsen and Qarnita Loxton & Gail Schimmel speak to Kelly Smith about the ins and outs of collaborative writing.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 12:00pm -

1:00pm

Venue: Avalon Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Collecting the Words

Diane Awerbuck, Sue Nyamnjoh and Zibu Sithole speak to Karina Szczurek about their writing journeys.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 12:00pm -

1:00pm

Venue: Workshop

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Storytime at the Stadium Rene Toesie

Join René Toesie for environmentally themed stories and activities.

Authors:

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 1:00pm -

2:00pm

Venue: Stadium

Price: Free entry

Tickets: Required

In the Tent _ Jarred Thompson

Be one of three people at a short reading and Q&A session with Jarred Thompson.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 1:15pm -

1:45pm

Venue: Marketplace Tent

Price: Free entry

Tickets: Required

SOLD OUT

Surviving Masculinity

Sipho Banda, Hugo ka Canham and Morabo Morojele speak to Koketso Sachane about changing the narrative.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 2:00pm -

3:00pm

Venue: Star Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Compelled to Speak

Festival Coordinator, Frankie Murrey, is forced on stage by Mervyn Sloman to talk about her exquisite collection of short stories.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 2:00pm -

3:00pm

Venue: Avalon Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Fracture

Sarah Lubala, Maneo Mohale and Uhuru Phalafala talk to Nondwe Mpuma about finding words to speak about the shatterings of life.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 2:00pm -

3:00pm

Venue: Workshop

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Caught in Transition

Sven Axelrad, Jarred Thompson and Marita van der Vyver speak to Alex Dodd about ways of living with death.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 2:00pm -

3:00pm

Venue: Book Lounge

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Noni Jabavu

Athambile Masola speaks to Nomfundo Xaluva about the importance of bringing Noni Jabavu’s work back into print.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 2:00pm -

3:00pm

Venue: 16 on Lerotholi

Price: Free entry

Tickets: Required

Constructed Identities

Lynsey Ebony Chutel, Thandiwe Ntshinga and Pieter Odendaal speak to Nadia Sanger about the roots of racial identity in South Africa.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 4:00pm -

5:00pm

Venue: Star Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Cape Town City Stories(2)

Caryn Dolley, Patric Tariq Mellet and Chase Rhys speak to Barbara Boswell about writing the memories and (sub)cultures of Cape Town.

Brought to you by the African Literary Cities Project.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 4:00pm -

5:00pm

Venue: Avalon Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Based on Truth

Craig Higginson, Wanjiru Koinange and David Ralph Viviers speak to Christy Weyer about blending research and fiction and blurring boundaries between past and present.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 4:00pm -

5:00pm

Venue: Workshop

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Letterhead Literary Quiz

The One-Stop Words Shop invites you to a quiz about all things bookish: characters, first and last lines, crossovers in culture, and more.

Assemble your team of up to six, show off your skills, and secure bragging rights and prizes at an evening of fun and competitive quizzing.

Your Quiz Hosts are Nick Corbett and Nathalie Ledwidge.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 4:00pm -

5:00pm

Venue: Neighbourgood East City Communal Area

Price: R30

Tickets: Required

Act of War(1)

Andrew Brown, Craig Higginson and Farai Mudzingwa speak to Ziyanda Stuurman about the impact on the people who have to fight.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 6:00pm -

7:00pm

Venue: Workshop

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

uNobuntu

Attend the Cape Town premiere screening of uNobuntu, the personal journey of a daughter who helps her mother fulfill a life-long dream to publish a treasured 40-year-old manuscript.

The screening is followed by a Q&A session with Nombeko and Sihle-isipho Nontshokweni.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 6:00pm -

7:30pm

Venue: Avalon Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

A performance that expresses the lived experiences of womxn and the LGBTQI+ community.

This production is the result of a collaboration between poets and musicians. Featuring in this year’s edition are Lisette Ma Neza (Flanders, Belgium), Burcu Sahin (Sweden), Siphokazi Jonas (South Africa), Xitha Makgeta (South Africa), Lee Mokobe (South Africa), Tara Rose (South Africa) and  accompanied by musicians Brydon Bolton on bass, Thembelihle Dunjana on piano and Claire Röntsch (neè de Kock) on the saxophone.

Curated by Hear My Voice with support from the delegation of Flanderssi: Embassy of Belgium, and in partnership with The Open Book Festival, the Göteborgs Litteraturhus and Flanders Literature.

Date: 9 September 2023

Time: 6:30pm -

7:30pm

Venue: Star Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Enduring Connections

Sven Axelrad, Sam Beckbessinger and Busisekile Khumalo speak to Daniella Djan about complex friendships.

Date: 10 September 2023

Time: 10:00am -

11:00am

Venue: Avalon Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Showcasing Self-published authors 2(2)

Four writers take to the stage to highlight their own work.

Fazila Cariem, Andre Swanepoel and Barbara Townsend will be introduced by host Beryl Eichenberger.

Please note that the writers will be selling and signing their books after the event.

Date: 10 September 2023

Time: 10:00am -

11:00am

Venue: Workshop

Price: Free entry

Tickets: Required

Resilience and Recovery

Karen Dudley, Sarah Isaacs and Melanie Verwoerd speak to Pippa Hudson about moving out of trauma.

Date: 10 September 2023

Time: 10:00am -

11:00am

Venue: Book Lounge

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Motivations for Writing

Athambile Masola, Nombeko Nontshokweni and Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah, speak to Pumelela Nqelenga about writing to fill in gaps, unsilence and heal.

Date: 10 September 2023

Time: 10:00am -

11:00am

Venue: Star Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Storytime at the Stadium _ Lebohang Masango

Join Lebohang Masango for a storytime and activity session.

Date: 10 September 2023

Time: 11:00am -

12:00pm

Venue: Stadium

Price: Free entry

Tickets: Required

Khoi Language Workshop

Visit the Letterhead Stand for a basic introduction to the Khoikhoi clicks, counting and greetings.

Facilitated by Toroga Denver.

Authors:

Date: 10 September 2023

Time: 11:00am -

12:00pm

Venue: Letterhead Stand at the Marketplace

Price: Free entry

Tickets: Required

The Performance of Normal

Sarah Isaacs, Wisani Mushwana and Gail Schimmel speak to Sihle-isipho Nontshokweni about the pervasive impacts of shame.

Date: 10 September 2023

Time: 12:00pm -

1:00pm

Venue: Star Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Reimagining Rituals

Hugo ka Canham, Maneo Mohale and Jarred Thompson speak to Pumla Dineo Gqola about finding new ways to live.

Date: 10 September 2023

Time: 12:00pm -

1:00pm

Venue: Avalon Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Heritage Politics

Tessa Dooms, Nadia Kamies and Patric Tariq Mellet speak to Lester Kiewit about grappling with the past to imagine a future.

Date: 10 September 2023

Time: 12:00pm -

1:00pm

Venue: Workshop

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Poetry as Activism

Vuyokazi Ngemntu, Uhuru Phalafala and Hilda Twongyeirwe speak to Sindiswa Busuku about the power of words to drive change.

Date: 10 September 2023

Time: 12:00pm -

1:00pm

Venue: Book Lounge

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

In the Tent _ Karen DudleyThompson

Be one of three people at a short reading and Q&A session with Karen Dudley.

Authors:

Date: 10 September 2023

Time: 1:15pm -

1:45pm

Venue: Marketplace Tent

Price: Free entry

Tickets: Required

SOLD OUT

Queerness and Cape Town

Zoey Black, Maneo Mohale and Manila von Teez explore Cape Town’s “queer capital” claims in the company of Lwando Scott.

Date: 10 September 2023

Time: 2:00pm -

3:00pm

Venue: Star Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Coming of Age

Marina Auer, Diane Awerbuck and Moshitadi Lehlomela speak to Sara-Jayne Makwala King about the vulnerabilities of young women.

Date: 10 September 2023

Time: 2:00pm -

3:00pm

Venue: Avalon Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Black and Female

Lebohang Masango, Thandiwe Ntshinga and Sue Nyamnjoh talk to Dela Gwala about navigating postcolonial reality.

Date: 10 September 2023

Time: 2:00pm -

3:00pm

Venue: Workshop

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Writersports

Diane Awerbuck, Sam Beckbessinger, Sara-Jayne Makwala King, Wanjiru Koinange, Bongani Kona and Mohale Mashigo compete to be this year’s champion.

Festival Director Mervyn Sloman is MC.

Date: 10 September 2023

Time: 4:00pm -

5:00pm

Venue: Avalon Theatre

Price: R50

Tickets: Required

Beyond Truth's Edge

The Cape Cultural Collective (CCC) presents a showcase of poets featured in the anthology.

Featured Poets: Zenariah Barends, Chris Ferndale, Diana Ferrus, Khadija Heeger, Roché Kester, Vusumuzi Mpofu, Vuyokazi Ngemntu and Afeefa Omar.

Date: 10 September 2023

Time: 4:00pm -

5:00pm

Venue: Star Theatre

Price: Free entry

Tickets: Required