Litnet

"Their concerns about diminishing state debt are well motivated and should be taken seriously, and their manifesto includes much of interest and many good ideas. But the last bolts need tightening, the final budget needs better costing, and they should give us, even if in appendices, much more detail about their thinking."

During the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, 17 and 18 March, attendees are invited to explore the complexities of democracy and the different aspects of what builds a democratic society. This year’s programme features various dimensions of reflection on a free and just society through a literary lens.

South African authors, readers and stakeholders in the book industry note with grave concern that the Copyright Amendment Bill is scheduled for concurrence by the National Assembly on 29 February 2024. Read the views of Gabeba Baderoon, Sihle Khumalo, Sihawukele Ngubane, Athol Fugard, Breyten Breytenbach, Jaco Jacobs, Margie Orford, Fanie Viljoen and Tannie Evita Bezuidenhout. You may join in voicing your concern by adding you signature to the online petition.

“Last year was a year of exceptional theatre,” said Africa Melane, panel chair of the annual Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards, before announcing the finalists last week.

"From the start, Hannah Borthwick’s phenomenal performance as Juliet’s nurse stole the show. I hung on her every word and drank in her mannerisms with great enjoyment, while all the while a flicker of recognition flashed at the back of my mind. She is the daughter of South African veterans Rika Sennet and James Borthwick, and by all accounts destined to become a household name herself."

"Here, on the southern tip of Africa, political commentators, journalists, authors, philosophers, economists, thinkers and columnists unanimously agree that the 29 May 2024 election in South Africa will be a make-or-break event."

The Western Cape’s greatest staging of fresh, innovative developmental theatre – the Baxter Zabalaza Theatre Festival – comes alive with a wide variety of productions, from 8 to 16 March 2024.

The bill will deprive local creatives of existing rights and income streams. Further, the local book industry will suffer, with projections of a 33% decrease in book sales and a 30% decline in employment if these provisions should become law. 

"The title, Mirror, refers to the water’s surface as a physical mirror reflecting the surrounding elements, be it the sky, the weather, rock, or architectural structures. This mirror, when clear, also reveals the hidden worlds beneath the water."

"Shaw provides excellent evidence to show that wherever and whenever different societal agents and agencies started moving towards cooperation and collaboration, they started becoming effective. When the agencies of the state started talking to one another and when leadership compelled the institutional actors to collaborate, the situation changed positively."

"If you’ve loved the sparse ironic tone of Amor Towles’s A gentleman in Moscow, you’ll love Beyond the door of no return."

"Thus, these many commitments are not commitments to study and then decide on action; they are clearly phrased as actions that have been decided on, and must now be seen through. We know where we are with the EFF."

"It feels a bit unreal putting these words on paper, but a phantom is looming ever larger in the global consciousness. Something is definitely going on; turbulent daily news events describe geopolitical tensions of all sorts – military build-ups and diplomatic stand-offs."

"For months now, the water and sanitation (WSS) unit of eThekwini (Durban) municipality has been in the news for all the wrong reasons."

Open Book Festival is thrilled to announce the return of our dedicated Youth Festival. Building on the success of our inaugural Youth Fest in 2023, we are gearing up to host an even more vibrant and impactful celebration of literature and creativity among young minds. This year’s festival is scheduled to take place 13 – 20 March 2024 at schools, public libraries and other venues.

"With his having written Manifesto, his patriotism and determination to make South Africa a better place are indisputable. And his willingness to abandon an obviously successful career to see through his ideals is very unusual in a country now dedicated to 'What’s in it for me?'."

"Thoko Didiza, the minister for land reform, has a master plan for dagga. How about the prickly pear? We believe that this plant could make a difference for many poor people if they had access to knowledge to utilise the fruit and the rest of the plant for numerous purposes."

"It is not easy, waiting for fair sailing weather, permanently watching for the winds to turn."

The Drama Factory presents a fabulous February programme which offers audiences a delicious selection of comedy, music and entertainment for the younger ones, including Reünie with Frank Opperman and A vegan killed my marriage with Aaron McIlroy.

Today, on the ninth anniversary of André Brink’s death, we pay tribute to his life and work and announce that the Philida Literary Award, established in his memory in 2020, goes to Penny Haw and is awarded to her for an oeuvre of literary excellence.