Litnet

"The year of the Master’s Resurrection and Ascension.
His call, as the Thunderous Sounds of the Apocalypse."

"[I]n most cases, the causes and atrocities of the wars – Korea, Vietnam, numerous struggles for liberation across Africa and the Middle East, Latin America and a dozen other settings – have been brushed over or inadequately brought to light. South Africa stands out as an exception, with its Truth and Reconciliation Commission. But the truth of the lessons of Auschwitz holds true for a world in conflict since 1945, and makes the 80th commemoration all the more important."

"Your chosen favourite can say or do no wrong, and anything, however outrageous or immoral, can be justified, condoned and, with every-day use and reinforcement, it becomes your new normal, the standard from which to judge The Other."

"In simple English, even in cases where there are healthcare workers paid for by the government, medication cannot be handed out."

"There is an honesty within these pages that is rarely seen in memoirs and politically slanted texts from the African literary scene." 

"Eurotrash, by the Swiss-German author Christian Kracht, is a novel of ideas and what the Germans call Vergangenheitsbewältigung (coming to terms with the past). It is about the grinding burden of having been born into tainted privilege, and the engulfing guilt that comes with that self-realisation."

Starting in 2025, the all-new AVBOB Prize for Best Published Collection of Poetry (by an individual poet) will shine a spotlight on South African poets with a R10 000 prize, honouring their artistic vision, linguistic mastery, and unique contributions to the country’s cultural tapestry.

The annual Literature, Heritage and Ecology Conference hosted by Amazwi South African Museum of Literature aims to foster cooperation and interaction between the humanities and the sciences and so help mitigate the social-ecological crises we face today.

"Logically, what is the justification for fact-checking – and then monitoring and censoring – Facebook or X or Instagram, but not WhatsApp?"

"Frank Anthony’s activism was not just a political endeavour; it was a deeply emotional and personal commitment to the pursuit of freedom and justice ... With each word penned in defiance, each poem recited in solidarity, Anthony poured his heart and soul into the struggle, knowing that the price of freedom was steep, but believing fervently in its worth."

South African producer Luc Lavigne has turned his passion for music into an impressive career in the heart of Hollywood. At just 22, his production, mixing and mastering expertise has earned him opportunities and accolades that have set him on a path as one of the most exciting young talents in the global music industry. In 2025, Lavigne already has numerous credits released, including “Any other way” by South African pop/pop punk artist Anica Kiana.

"For property rights holders, nothing dangerous will come of it. For the landless, their aspirations have been deferred. Perhaps once again."

Both comedic and tender, ’n Begin is a sharp and astute two-hander that takes an intimate look at the first fragile moments of risking your heart and taking a chance on love. The Market Theatre in association with the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees, supported by NATi, is proud to bring this acclaimed Afrikaans production to Johannesburg from 30 January to 16 February 2025. 

Following its critical success in Johannesburg, the Market Theatre’s production The cry of Winnie Mandela, based on Njabulo Ndebele’s celebrated novel of the same name, makes its Cape Town debut at the Baxter Flipside from 29 January to 15 February.

"An uninterrupted meeting of the minds,
Discussing thoughts, anecdotes 
From the mother branches"

Architect Sir Herbert Baker left an indelible mark on South Africa and much of the British Empire in the first half of the 20th century. This is the first full biography from childhood and was written with full cooperation from his family and with access to his archive and private papers.

As we prepare to celebrate International Day of Education on 24 January, the AVBOB Poetry Project has invited Lisa Julie, poet, performer and literary scholar, to reflect on what it means to write, learn and teach poetically: "The word I like to associate with education is 'nourishment', which connotes sustenance. We typically think of nourishment only in terms of the body. But education is also a constituent of self-preservation."

"As much as I understand and respect the now common practice of clustering young boys under the care of a district surgeon or something similar, I lament the loss of other rituals in this arrangement. For one, unless families privately arrange this, there is now no teaching of the young men who they are amid the myriad clan origins. They come out of the mountains without any better or deeper understanding of their history and identity."

"I’d like to think that she is a sympathetic character with whom many women may resonate, on the one hand, and on the other hand, that the piece challenges men to think a little more, or a little differently, about relationships and gender roles and to be more mindful of our behaviour and attitudes."

"Early in this ceasefire, it is, beyond the brief respite, hope and emotions, all too clear that this conflict has gained nothing meaningful in conflict terms."