Your favourite author is on the programme!
The line-up for the 28th edition of the Time of the Writer festival is a veritable who’s who of South Africa’s finest writers, intellectuals, and academics. Siphiwo Mahala, Sandile Memela, and Khaya Dlanga need no introduction. The award-winning writers, cultural critics, and public intellectuals are always highly engaging, and in addition to sharing their writing, they will provide insights on the state of the country and the nation to spark off interesting debates.
Mahala’s particular insight into Can Themba and the cultural landscape of that period always provides a rich background to his discussions. Memela’s cutting critique, while always laser-sharp, is often hilarious and never disappoints. In contrast, Dlanga’s humorous take on the world affords a biting commentary on our worldview. The trio are highly sought after on the festival circuit “We are delighted that this trio of writers and public intellectuals amongst several other writers will be on our programme”, says Shafinaaz Hassim, the curator of this year’s festival. She has packed a sterling line-up for a festival programme that will be presented both live and online.
“One of the legacies of COVID-19 that has lingered has been the ease with which festivals continue to embrace online events. This year, Time of the Writer is no different, and if you are unable to attend sessions in Durban in person, there are several opportunities to participate in panels presented online”, she explains.
Memoir is a strong theme in Hassim’s curation of the programme. Internationally-acclaimed writer and award-winning journalist Margie Orford will be participating online from London. While she is well known for her Clare Hart novels, journalism, and fiction writing, it will be her memoir, Love and Fury, that she will be discussing. Another writer who hails from the world of journalism as a former BBC producer is Arjumand Wajid. Arjumand will share her insights into Fatima Meer, discussing the memoir she has written, Born to Struggle.
Wajid first met Meer in 1992 after winning a BBC bursary, which allowed her to study aspects of the role of Indian women in South Africa’s liberation struggle. They remained friends, and in 2005, after Meer had agreed to her being her biographer, she embarked on the project of recording the remarkable life of one of South Africa’s heroes. The book has been described as a “fascinating account of a fiercely independent and principled woman and a reminder of the sacrifices so many gave to end apartheid.”
No stranger to sacrifice, another icon of the struggle is Ronnie Kasrils. He was Chief of Military Intelligence for MK and served in the portfolios of Deputy Minister of Defence, Minister of Water & Forestry, and Minister of Intelligence Services in the democratic government. His memoir, Armed & Dangerous, has been translated into German, Russian, and Spanish, and a staged adaptation of The Unlikely Secret Agent toured to London after a successful South African run. In addition to writing about his own life, he has co-edited Comrade and Commander: The Life and Times of Joe Modise.
“Aside from online festivals, COVID also introduced us to the unsung medical heroes of South Africa. Foremost among them is Professor Salim Abdool Karim. A clinical infectious diseases epidemiologist widely recognised for his scientific contributions and leadership during the pandemic, he has taken time from his busy schedule to share his wisdom with us”, says Shafinaaz Hassim.
Professor Salim Abdool Karim is the director of the Centre for AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), a professor of global health at Columbia University, New York, an adjunct professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard University, an adjunct professor of medicine at Cornell University, and pro vice-chancellor (research) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The university is incredibly proud to announce his attendance at the festival.
In the weeks ahead, more of the programme will be revealed and will include David Africa, Marina Auer, Azad Essa, Karen Jennings, Antony Lewenstein, Alistair Mackay, Sandile Mnikathi, Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu, Nathi Ngubane, Chris Pappas, Oupa Segalwe, Fiona Snyckers, Hedley Twidle, Kevin van Wyk, and Zukiswa Wanner, to mention a few.
Details will be released on the festival’s social media platforms on Facebook and Instagram.
No matter where your body is, in Durban, Dobsonville, or Dubai, from March 18 to 23, your mind should be celebrating writing and writers with the 28th edition of the Time of the Writer.
ABOUT THE TIME OF THE WRITER FESTIVAL:
The Time of The Writer Festival is an annual literature
festival hosted by the Centre for Creative Arts, an interdisciplinary hub based
at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The 28th edition of the festival will be
hosted in Durban with several events online to allow for broad participation.
The full festival programme will be released on the festival website on Monday,
February 10, 2025, at https://tow.ukzn.ac.za/
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