Litnet

Janet van Eeden asked Colleen a few questions about the exhibition that is on from 4 to 13 August at the Spin Street Gallery in Cape Town, Uncovering Modjaji Books, a celebration of the beautiful covers which have come out of Modjaji’s imprint.

Stemme | Voices | Amazwi is LitNet’s series of 15 short, powerful monologues, presented in collaboration with Suidoosterfees, NATi and ATKV. Watch Motlatji Mjamba perform Country duty, written by Mike van Graan and directed by Chuma Sopotela.

Book launch: Friday, 12 August. Bridget Krone will be in conversation with Kim Ward.

Marianne de Jager tribute concert with organists Stephen Crookes and David Orr: They will play music of the German Baroque and English 20th Century. Admission is free, but donations in support of the Hilton College two-organ project will be appreciated.

"This brings me to the strange case of Sisulu and Socrates, who have become unlikely bedfellows in this fight to speak your mind, albeit from diametrically opposed corners."

For Stolen focus, internationally bestselling author Johann Hari went on a three-year journey to uncover the reasons why our teenagers now focus on one task for only 65 seconds, and why office workers on average manage only three minutes.

"So to Anne-Marie Beukes. Rather than distance yourself from Van Coller’s article, which is inconclusive on the allegations of homophobic tendencies, in my humble opinion, distance yourself from the Snow White storyline of the organisation you head up."

A collage of African and Western opera music compositions: Qinisela Sibisi, Kwanele Jona, Ludwig Van Beethoven and Giuseppe Verdi, performed by the crème de la crème of South Africa’s opera singers.

At The Baxter from 3 to 20 August 2022. Here is more information.

Well done to Ntombenhle Dlamini, Khayelihle Mnguni, Sandile Ngwenya, Mplang Masha, Phineas Mashilo, Kholofelo Thaba, Mahlatsi Maqwenjo and SJ Naudé.

"Sometimes first to fall
sometimes hang on through it all
Sometimes, somehow
they even make the final call"

What is Boris Johnson's legacy? What lies ahead for British politics, society and foreign policy? Freek Robinson interviews John Simpson, world affairs editor of BBC News.

"Izzart removed the laces of the sneakers and washed them separately. He tapped lukewarm water into a transparent bowl and generously sprayed TopShelf Sneaker Cleaner product on various targeted areas – everything done with precision."

The winner of the Ingrid Jonker Prize for English poetry 2022 was just announced.

"The aim of the festival is to bring people who love reading, books and storytelling together. We aim to create a positive space to celebrate all things literary, to encourage and inspire others to share their passion and creativity."

The forthcoming South African International Ballet Competition (SAIBC) is delighted to be able to once again welcome capacity audiences and international judges and competitors in person to the beautiful Artscape Opera House from 25 to 30 July 2022.The hybrid SAIBC 2022 is open to the public. Advance booking is highly recommended.  

"This year marks the centenary of the Bondelswarts Uprising in Namibia – then South West Africa – between late May and early June 1922, and its prompt crushing, which resulted in Jan Smuts’s British Empire-supporting South African Party government attracting significant national and international criticism. What drew attention was the manner of this historically Nama group’s suppression ... This tragic episode followed a long history of fierce Bondelswart resistance against intrusion into their independence."

"So, what went wrong? A number of unfortunate coincidences, probably. Most notably, being a man whose reputation as a true libertarian in the John Stuart Mill mould was established, he himself fell foul of too much libertarianism when it entered the sphere of his own life, which, when he became prime minister, made his private behaviour a public spectacle."

"Battiss is a huge subject! Briefly, he was born in Somerset East in 1906 and became South Africa’s best abstract artist. He is still considered to be our best water colour artist."

"That’s why over the past three days, 28 ministers of his government resigned and joined by another 33 deputy ministers and other high-level officials."