Litnet

"In a previous article published on the LitNet platform, I suggested openly and candidly that Kaaps is the future of Afrikaans. I take that back: Kaaps has its own future; it is now in the hands of us all. Help us secure the future of this historically marginalised and indigenous language."

"your liberators
are singing the same song
as their oppressors'"

"The village erupted in surprised praise. Somehow, the imagery of the entire police team, from the station commander to the most junior constable, picking up sand and wielding brooms, became a beacon of hope."

Clarence Ford will be in conversation with Patric Tariq Mellet about his new book, The truth about Cape slavery, on Monday, 2 September 2024 at 17:30 for 18:00 at Exclusive Books, Cavendish Square, Cape Town.

WOMAD SA returns to South Africa for its 3rd edition: Concert-goers can look forward to Sonography: Stories in roots and blues at Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees on 2 October, followed by a special Desmond Tutu united 4 humanity concert – featuring Ladysmith Black Mambazo, PJ Powers and several world music acts – in Cape Town on 4 October. They will then perform in Johannesburg from 9 to 13 October.

Peter Friedland served as a member of Nelson Mandela’s medical team and helped to monitor his hearing. They built a rapport over the years and their conversations regularly veered towards politics. As an ENT specialist, Peter regularly treated victims of violent crime. When his daughters were exposed to a robbery, he had to make a life-changing decision. This book examines the powerful forces that push people away from South Africa and those that pull them back in. It is never as simple as merely staying or going – it is an emotional tug of war that continues until something snaps.

In The truth about Cape slavery, Patric Tariq Mellet argues that modern South Africa – its economy and politics – is shaped and established on the foundation of chattel slavery just like the United States of America. Cape slavery, rather than minor, was a crucial feature of maritime capitalism. This then moved to become the cornerstone of the Cape’s agricultural economy. 

"Lara Foot’s direction in this adaptation of Othello expertly weaves historical context with Shakespeare’s text, creating a multilayered narrative that speaks powerfully to contemporary issues. Foot’s directorial choices highlight the insidious nature of colonialism and racism, using these themes to deepen the emotional and psychological complexity of the characters and their interactions."

"He is a creative writer very much attracted to the beauty of the mangled achievement; it is, in a sense, part of his ethos. It is the wilfully imperfect note that Pienaar strikes with great care and planning, which charms when it doesn’t become too convoluted."

"Ja, lesers gaan dinge raaklees wat nog nooit in die media gedek is nie." Stefaans Coetzee kuier saam met Nicole Engelbrecht, skrywer van die blitsverkoper, Sizzlers: The hate crime that tore Sea Point apart.

Joe Schutte en sy pelle, Nathe en Thabo, lewe vir rugby. Alles anders in Joe se lewe is so vars soos verlede jaar se brood. Maar skielik verander iets in die rugbyspan. Dit voel asof hulle spanmaats oornag groter, sterker, beter is. Joe en Thabo verloor hulle plekke in die span terwyl Nathe onseker is oor sy plek. Die drie beraam ’n plan, maar dis onwettig en die risiko is groot. Dan is daar Joanne. As Joe en Joanne se sterre mekaar gevind het, waarom kan sy ma haar nie verdra nie?

The Achmat Dangor Literary Prize is now open to eligible young writers working in all genres (poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction), with applications closing on September 15, 2024.

"We felt that editing the mass of content down to a collection of gems would be a great curated read. We believe it to be powerful (so many parents, not gurus, sharing their experience and wisdom), and we see the trends of what subjects people are concerned about daily. We could and might still publish 10 books. There’s that much."

"Unlike the devolved parliaments of Wales and Scotland, where the nationalists can achieve their goals within a democratic framework, the English nationalists have no uniquely English parliament of their own. They are free only to elect representatives to a British parliament in the broad sense, whereas the Scots and Welsh elect MPs not only to their own national parliaments, but also to the British parliament. Will this constitutional anomaly lead to bottled-up rage and frustration among English nationalists?"

The shortlisted collections of poetry for the Ingrid Jonker Prize 2024 have been announced.

This is the most urgent book ever to appear from the pen of cultural icon Koos Kombuis. Sometimes, when he is in an irreverent mood, Koos writes under the fun-filled pseudonym "Joe Kitchen". This time around, though, he is deadly serious. The death of history is a climate change diary.

"when I walk out of the door
my pink suitcase rattling behind
on broken wheels I thought you would fix"

"In Afrikaans, bedonnerd has pejorative associations. But I used the name to mean 'crazy about books'. I feel that there is no greater word for my memoir than BookBedonnerd."

The programme for this year’s Open Book Festival is now live. The festival, known for creating an inclusive space for important conversations, is set to explore a range of themes including mental health, fatherhood, creativity, and the impact of history on the present.

"Most of these stories are set in Botswana, which in itself is refreshing since there has been a scarcity of stories in that setting since the death of Bessie Head."