Litnet

You are invited to an exclusive launch of The lucky ones by Alistair Mackay at The Book Lounge in Cape Town on 8 April 2025. You’ll be able to get your hands on a copy before anyone else. Plus, you can get your book signed by the author, who will be in discussion with Kelly Smith.

"Drummers almost never ply their trade for just one project, and Jean is no different, but he made a choice long ago that music would be both muse and arbitrator of his reality."

"The loss of spaces designed to cultivate and encourage free expression is arguably the main reason for the decline of the spoken word community as a transformational literary force. But how did slam end up monopolising the spoken word scene?"

In 1913, a secretive American millionaire, who lived on the top floor of the famous Carlton Hotel, had a crazy idea: to make movies in Johannesburg. Hollywood on the Veld is the never-been-told-before story of the rise and fall of the strangest and most unique movie empire ever.

"This was my first time ever attending a book festival conducted in all the official languages of the Western Cape (English, Afrikaans and Xhosa, but mostly Xhosa). The main objectives of the Ibuyambo Book Festival are to revitalise, preserve and promote indigenous languages of the Western Cape. It made me extremely proud."

The Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards, often referred to as the "Oscars" of Cape Town’s theatre industry, celebrated their 60th year in spectacular fashion at a glamorous ceremony at DHL Cape Town Stadium on Sunday, 23 March. Winners across 23 categories were honoured for their outstanding contributions to the performing arts, both on and off the stage.

"It is pertinent that UCT chose the month of March, when we celebrate Human Rights, to make this long overdue announcement about adding Xhosa as one of its official languages. Globally, throughout the United Nations, the protection of minor or native languages is an urgent human rights issue. South African indigenous languages are not minority but majority languages, yet they’re still suppressed, especially by the hegemonic preference for English."

"But, as creatives, we should also be cognisant of who has access both to practise and to enjoy this right. Like with all other rights – healthcare, education, food, security, etc – it is those of us with resources, education and networks who are best able to enjoy these rights, as we have the capacity to pay for these to be delivered privately if government fails."

Unlike traditional speech contests, Nou Praat Jy! challenges teams of two learners to deliver a unified, engaging speech on the theme "Afrikaans – ’n taal van kleure en klank".

How the three independent asset managers of Coronation, Investec (later Ninety One) and Allan Gray, dubbed the CIA, came to dominate and continue to dominate the South African asset management industry, particularly the pension fund market.

"Toni Viva Muñoz’s debut nonfiction children’s book for nine- to 11-year-old readers tackles a big issue with as much poise and enchantment for its intended young readers, as for conveying the gut-punching complexities of life on the border to adult readers."

The panel of judges for the 60th Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards, sponsored by Heineken Beverages, has announced the recipients of the 2025 special awards ahead of the highly anticipated ceremony at Cape Town Stadium on Sunday, 23 March.

"Books on the Bay this weekend in Simonstown was a pretty special literary festival. Run with great vigour, insight and love by Darryl David, David Attwell and Karin Cronje, it brought together 30 South African and international writers and matched them with expert interviewers."

"My view is that all the parties are aware of this constitutional dilemma and therefore have no choice but to work out a compromise on the budget to avoid the unthinkable."

Eclectica Contemporary presents In Afterland, a solo show by Lien Botha from 6 to 28 March 2025. Karen Press writes, "The compositions of In Afterland enact a form of scrutiny that confronts many pasts with a generous clarity of vision and an invitation to recompose them for a redressed future."

Anet Ahern will be in conversation with Stephen Cranston at the book launch of The Mavericks on 19 March at Exclusive Books, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town.

"Only Pinter, winner of the Nobel Prize, can match this all-round skill set – but Pinter operated in London, with possibly 50 theatres in walking distance from his home. Fugard operated from Port Elizabeth."

"Quiet time with the president is a memoir that shows a country unfolding through the lens of a frontline medical worker and the decisions he felt forced to make during an important time in history."

"I wanted to love A thousand eyes on you, but it tries to be too many things at once, and in doing so becomes a kaleidoscope of almosts."

"Athol believed in me and my anger and I believed in him and his cool temperament and that the use of words is a more powerful weapon of change."