Litnet

"I have to admit it was really easy. The name Wordfest is such an iconic brand, and there exists so much goodwill towards the festival."

Karavan Press was recognised for its book In silence my heart speaks by Thobeka Yose, winning the $20,000 top prize. The Prize was presented by Algeria’s Minister of Culture and Arts Azzedine Mihoubi.

"To make sense of things for yourself and then for others is a joyous burden, the purpose of many of these writers’ professional lives. They write for collective repair. We owe these diplomats a debt we cannot repay, except by buying their books. Reading their books. Talking about them. One audience member who attended every panel she could, commented quietly to me, 'Note to self: be like them.'"

"Art is the place I go to process emotion. Literature, reading and also writing are like flashing a light in the dark."

"Their dynamic was hugely entertaining. Both actresses pulled off their character arcs in a way that made the fast-paced drama feel as though it had months’ worth of emotions and events packed into minutes on stage."

"The reader as medereisiger, as fellow traveller, is encouraged to page on and on to fulfil the almost breathless expectation created by the thematically arranged geographical sections."

Wordfest 2025 will take place in Makhanda from 19 to 20 September 2025.

"'Standing still' was first inspired by an image that existed in real life: a vehicle broken down on the side of the M3 in Cape Town with a horse box attached to it. As I drove past, I noticed the horses peeking out at the traffic passing by and I couldn’t help wondering what the story was."

In an increasingly digital world, the simple, tactile experience of reading and sharing a book remains a powerful tool for personal development, entertainment and connection. Reading for pleasure is a cornerstone of lifelong learning and a key to unlocking a child’s potential.

"The outcome of all this was going to have far-reaching consequences, which would shape the basis of international dispute resolution for the next 170 years – indeed to our own day. The CSS Alabama’s rise to posthumous fame was just beginning."

"Stories allow us to hold up a mirror to society. They make complex issues personal and relatable by showing how real people are affected. Through fiction we can ask uncomfortable questions, challenge the status quo and start conversations that matter."

Amazwi is hosting its annual Heritage Carnival on 20 September, in celebration of Heritage Day.

The conference theme is "People and other animals". Registration and the submission of abstracts can be done at the links provided.

"Grab a mug of coffee and settle down in your most comfortable chair, blanket on your knees and cat on your lap. I’m now going to tell you the unbelievable story of Athol Fugard and the Serpent Players – theatre against apartheid."

"The DA’s frustrations with the ANC are understandable; so are the Western Cape’s citizens’ grievances with crime and governance. But the remedy cannot be the slow dismantling of the very republic that holds us together."

"In a way, power exposes us, the worst of us. Part of us is kept in check by our evolutionary social hardwiring."

"At Greenpeace, I see the impacts of the climate crisis daily. And so, I firstly wanted to remind myself why I am still fighting as a climate justice activist, despite things looking so bleak. But I also delved deeper into the idea of climate apartheid. We are not equally impacted by the climate crisis; people with money can simply relocate when they’re at risk. I wanted to explore what would happen to my community once the wealthy residents abandoned Cape Town."

"My fascination with this story began with the idea of a weight cut for a fight. A relinquishing of the body’s power, right before putting the body’s power to the test. There’s an inherent conflict in that."

"He made a late and untheatrical entrance and stood there catching his breath as he faced us first-year drama students, expectantly clutching our brand-new copies of Brooks and Heilman’s Understanding drama."

"The fight for justice, and for what you love, can be a powerful motivator, often compelling people either to step up or to step away. That’s the emotional truth I wanted to capture."