In this event, Nkgopoleng Moloi, Pieter Madibuseng Odendaal and Lwando Scott speak to Rebecca Davis about the safety of queer people on our continent and in our cities.
This is a recording of a live event that took place at the September 2025 edition of the Open Book Festival.
The festival is made possible by the support of the City of Cape Town, the Heinrich Boell Foundation and the Wheatfield Estate Foundation Trust.
Cape Town’s premier poetry slam proudly presents the Slam City Showcase!
A celebration of new talent, lyrical grit, and poetic brilliance in different African languages. Each month, the city’s boldest voices battle it out for the grand prize and the coveted title of Slam City Champion. From every slam, a Top 5 emerges; poets whose performances moved both judges and audiences alike. This showcase brings together those powerful voices: the ones who’ve been slamming for their lives, month after month.
The Slam City Showcase is a testament to how the intensity of slam poetry cultivates discipline, dedication, and camaraderie. Join us as we shine a spotlight on Cape Town’s community of poets who are living, writing, and igniting the mic.
Featuring: Mfundi the Poet, Gali Gali, Riyo, Rea Mmethi, Mtunzikazi Ngozana, Ntsako Layn, Vusumzi Mpofu and Inzima
Musicians: Chosi and Mishy Kope
Hosted by Thapelo Tharaga and Zizipho Bam.
This is a recording of a live event that took place at the September 2025 edition of the Open Book Festival.
The festival is made possible by the support of the City of Cape Town, the Heinrich Boell Foundation and the Wheatfield Estate Foundation Trust.
Better Late is where the country’s most brilliant, bewildering, and occasionally unhinged creatives – Yaaseen Barnes and Callum Hitchcock – band together on the set of a Late Night TV show to get to the bottom of whatever the hell is going on at the Open Book Festival.
Joining them for conversations that matter are two very special guests, who you may recognise if you have been anywhere with internet access in the last few years — Settle down, brother! It’s not Grok — it’s Dan Corder and Céline Tshika.
This is a recording of a live event that took place at the September 2025 edition of the Open Book Festival.
The festival is made possible by the support of the City of Cape Town, the Heinrich Boell Foundation and the Wheatfield Estate Foundation Trust.
In this event, Kopano Maroga, Manthipe Moila and Pieter Madibuseng Odendaal speak to each other through their poetry. Please note the readings will be followed by a short Q&A session.
This is a recording of a live event that took place at the September 2025 edition of the Open Book Festival.
The festival is made possible by the support of the City of Cape Town, the Heinrich Boell Foundation and the Wheatfield Estate Foundation Trust.
This is a recording of a live event that took place at the September 2025 edition of the Open Book Festival.
In this event, Jon Keevy and Adriana Marais speak to Wamuwi Mbao about the intersections of art and science.
The festival is made possible by the support of the City of Cape Town, the Heinrich Boell Foundation and the Wheatfield Estate Foundation Trust.
In this event Foluso Agbaje, Lesedi Molefi and Nathi Ngubane speak to Pumla Dineo Gqola about subverting power and fighting back.
This is a recording of a live event that took place at the September 2025 edition of the Open Book Festival.The festival is made possible by the support of the City of Cape Town, the Heinrich Boell Foundation and the Wheatfield Estate Foundation Trust.
In this event Kelly-Eve Koopman, Kopano Maroga and Maneo Mohale speak to Lwando Scott about building alternate presents and futures.
This is a recording of a live event that took place at the September 2025 edition of the Open Book Festival.
The festival is made possible by the support of the City of Cape Town, the Heinrich Boell Foundation and the Wheatfield Estate Foundation Trust.
This is a recording of a live event that took place at the September 2025 edition of the Open Book Festival.
In this event Sven Axelrad, Khaya Dlanga and Karen Vermeulen speak to Dela Gwala about the necessity of humour to process pain.
The festival is made possible by the support of the City of Cape Town, the Heinrich Boell Foundation and the Wheatfield Estate Foundation Trust.
In this event Zara Julius, Vusumzi Ngxande and Jeffrey Rakabe speak to Wanelisa Xaba about turning away from modernity and exploring the multilayeredness of African cosmologies.
This is a recording of a live event that took place at the September 2025 edition of the Open Book Festival.
The festival is made possible by the support of the City of Cape Town, the Heinrich Boell Foundation and the Wheatfield Estate Foundation Trust.
This is a recording of a live event that took place at the September 2025 edition of the Open Book Festival.
In this event, Antjie Krog, Frankie Murrey and Sarah Uheida speak to Bongani Kona about writing one’s way to belonging
The festival was made possible by the support of the City of Cape Town, the Heinrich Boell Foundation and the Wheatfield Estate Foundation Trust
