PAGECAST: Season 1

"An opportunity to hold and be held." This one is a joy from start to finish. Chef, food stylist and best-selling cookbook author Zola Nene sits down with Chef Nokx Majozi for a conversation that feels less like an interview and more like two sisters at the kitchen table. Together they unpack Nokx's beautiful debut, The South African Cookbook, and why it exists: the years of travelling the world and finding no book on South African food, the gap she quietly decided to fill, and the immense pride of her mother inviting the neighbours over to hold the book. They talk about the influences of both parents in her kitchen, the shouting culture Nokx refuses to carry forward, and what it means to lead a team with kindness rather than fear. Nokx Majozi's new book is The South African Cookbook, out now in-store and online across South Africa, the UK and EU. Nokx Majozi is Chef-in-Residence at Fallow restaurant in London and a proud ambassador for South African cuisine on the global stage. Zola Nene is a chef, food stylist, TV personality, and best-selling cookbook author. Her latest book is Simply More Zola.

For the final episode of Pagecast at the 2026 Open Book Festival, Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane is joined by Athi-Patra Ruga. Athi-Patra Ruga is a South African multidisciplinary artist whose work explores archives, spirituality, colonial histories and speculative world-building across performance, film, tapestry, sculpture and installation. He is also the co-founder of Victory of the Word (VOW), a non-profit arts and research organisation focused on reimagining Southern African knowledge systems. Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane is a practising advocate and also a part-time in-counsel at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. They were named one of the Top 200 Young South Africans in 2018. In 2022, they formed part of the judging panel for the AKO Caine Prize for African Writing. #AthiPartaRuga #VictoryoftheWord #OpenBookFestival

Natalie Sifuma is a Kenyan writer, researcher, and consultant currently based in Cape Town. She is the founder of Sisters in Climate — a Pan-African climate initiative — and is completing an MPhil in Inclusive Innovation at UCT's Graduate School of Business, with a focus on social impact, climate, and gender across Africa. She is also a 2026 BOOKED Trips Fellow, weaving together literary culture and travel as a form of place-based storytelling. Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane is a practising advocate and also a part-time in-counsel at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. They were named one of the top 200 Young South Africans in 2018. In 2022, they formed part of the judging panel for the Ako Caine Prize for African Writing. #Pagecast #NatalieSifuma #ClimateActivism #OpenBookFestival

On this installment of Pagecast at the 2026 Open Book Festival studio, Lethogonolo Mokogroane is joined by Sahra Noor. Sahra is a Somali-American writer whose work explores belonging, migration, and the complicated work of building a life across cultures. Alongside her writing, she works in global health, supporting efforts to strengthen health systems across Africa, and contributes to scholarship on culturally responsive care and inclusive health system design. She is the author of Salt in the Snow. Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane is a practising advocate and also a part-time in-counsel at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. They were named one of the Mail and Guardian 200 Young South Africans in 2018. In 2022, they formed part of the judging panel for the Ako Caine Prize for African Writing. #Pagecast #SahraNoor #OpenBookFestival #SaltintheSnow

Kicking off Sunday at Open Book Festival 2026, Faraaz Mahomed joins Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele in the Pagecast studio. Faraaz is a researcher in the field of mental health and human rights, based between New York and his native South Africa. His short stories and travel writing have appeared in Granta, Boston Review, The Georgia Review, The Sunday Times, and other publications. In 2016, he won the Commonwealth Short Story Prize for the African region with his story “The Pigeon”. His latest work is Motherland. Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele is a doctor, literary curator, and co-founder of The Cheeky Natives, a literary podcast focused on the review, curation and archiving of Black literature. #Pagecast #FaraazMahomed #ThePigeon #CommonwealthShortStoryPrize #OpenBookFestival

For the final recording on Saturday, Kirsten Deane joins Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane in the Pagecast studio at Open Book Festival 2026. Kirsten Deane is the lead editor of English Alive, South Africa's oldest publication for high school students. Her writing has been published in journals nationally and internationally, and her debut collection, Disabled, But, was released by uHlanga Press in April 2026. Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane is a practising advocate and also a part-time in-counsel at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. They were named one of the Top 200 Young South Africans in 2018 and, in 2022, formed part of the judging panel for the Caine Prize for African Writing. #KirstenDeane #DisabledBut #DisabilityAwareness #Pagecast #OpenBookFestival

Next to join Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane in the Pagecast studio at Open Book Festival 2026 is debut novelist Selali Fiamanya. Selali was born and raised in Glasgow, with a couple of years spent in Accra, Ghana. He won a place on the inaugural Breakthrough Novel-Writing Course for Black Writers, run by Curtis Brown Creative. He is currently undertaking his GP training in Scotland. Before We Hit the Ground is his debut novel. It asks what it means to love and be loved in return, offering an intimate portrait of a family and one man's struggle to find his place. Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane is a practising advocate and also a part-time in-counsel at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. They were named one of the Top 200 Young South Africans in 2018 and, in 2022, formed part of the judging panel for the Caine Prize for African Writing. #Pagecast #SelaliFiamanya #BeforeWeHitTheGround #OpenBookFestival #QueerWriting

Next up in the Pagecast studio at Open Book Festival 2026, Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele is joined by bestselling author, keynote speaker and award-winning photographer Lọlá Ákínmádé. Lọlá's work has appeared in National Geographic, BBC, CNN, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Travel, The Daily Telegraph, The New York Times and Lonely Planet, among others. She has received multiple awards for her work, including being named a 2022 Hasselblad Heroine and receiving the 2018 Travel Photographer of the Year Bill Muster Award. In 2018, she was also honoured with a MIPAD 100 (Most Influential People of African Descent) recognition in media and culture, and her work is held in the National Geographic Image Collection. Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele is a doctor, literary curator and co-founder of The Cheeky Natives, a literary podcast focused on the review, curation and archiving of Black literature. #Pagecast #LolaAkinmade #TravelWriting #OpenBookFestival #Photography

Joining Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele in the Pagecast studio at Open Book Festival 2026 is (East) African feminist practitioner, writer, ideamonger and award-winning poet, Jessica Horn. Her book, African Feminist Praxis: Cartographies of Liberatory Worldmaking (Sage, 2025), chronicles decades of feminist mobilisation. Taking her archival passion into film, she recently directed The Temple of Her Skin, a feature documentary exploring African women's journeys with tattooing and scarification. Jessica is the founder of Hindura Studios, a Nairobi-based social design agency grounded in futures and feminist thinking, and the host of The Beautiful Policy Podcast. Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele is a doctor, literary curator and co-founder of The Cheeky Natives, a literary podcast focused on the review, curation and archiving of Black literature. #Pagecast #JessicaHorn #AfricanFeminism #AfricanFeministPraxis #OpenBookFestival

Joining Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele next in the Pagecast studio at Open Book Festival 2026 is Krystle Zara Appiah, a British-Ghanaian writer, editor and screenwriter based in London. In 2020, Krystle was one of 40 writers selected for the London Library's Emerging Writers Programme. Her debut novel, Rootless, was highly acclaimed, with Harper's Bazaar heralding Krystle as “one of Britain's best new writers”. Her latest novel, Half Lives, is an emotional gut-punch of a story about the enduring power of love and what it can withstand before it breaks. Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele is a doctor, literary curator and co-founder of The Cheeky Natives, a literary podcast focused on the review, curation and archiving of Black literature. #Pagecast #KrystleZaraAppiah #HalfLives #OpenBookFestival #AfricanLiterature

Joining Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane of The Cheeky Natives is I.O. Echeruo, author of the debut novel The Comfort of Distant Stars - a bold coming-of-age tale where physics, philosophy and Igbo cosmology collide. Echeruo's debut story collection, Expert in All Styles, was published by Nigerian publisher Farafina, and his short fiction has appeared in Transition and Eclectica magazines. The Comfort of Distant Stars, is a bold coming-of-age tale blending physics, philosophy and Igbo cosmology to explore how we understand our place in the universe. It asks some of the biggest questions we all grapple with about the nature of time and existence, ultimately revealing the startling vulnerability of the human mind. Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane is a practising advocate and part-time in-counsel at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. They were named one of the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans in 2018 and, in 2022, formed part of the judging panel for the Caine Prize for African Writing.

"What does it take to turn a working-class school around?" Distinguished Professor Jonathan Jansen went back to school. Not to lecture, but to teach Grade 10 Physical Science, sit in the principal's office, and help fix a Cape Flats high school that had produced the worst matric results in the Western Cape. Journalist and founder of The Education Desk Janet Heard sits down with him for a searching conversation on his new book Worth the Fight: Fixing Failure in South African Schools, and what two years inside a failing school taught him about the education system, the children caught in it, and what real change actually requires. Jonathan Jansen's new book is Worth the Fight: Fixing Failure in South African Schools. Part memoir, part case study and part call to action, this is essential reading for parents, educators, policy makers and anyone who cares about the future of South Africa's children. Jonathan Jansen is Distinguished Professor of Education at Stellenbosch University. The eldest son of a preacher and a nurse, he grew up on the Cape Flats and was a biology teacher in the Cape before studies abroad and a long career in South African university leadership. Janet Heard is a writer, editor and media leader whose early career was forged during South Africa's transition to democracy. She is the founder of The Education Desk, an independent non-profit newsroom dedicated to in-depth coverage of the country's education system.

"Love needs to be fought for." A dancer on a man-free summer. A trauma surgeon working out his PTSD. And two ghosts with a lot of opinions. Ute Hermanus is in conversation with best-selling romance author Joss Wood on Summerween, and the delicious push-and-pull of a friends-to-lovers story where neither party is looking for love. They talk about writing characters who become each other's soft place to land, why every choice in a Joss Wood book comes with a consequence, and why she refuses to write a woman who has to give up her career for a man. Plus: the ghosts, the witches, the BTS references, and why Luna the crap witch kept trying to hijack the book. Joss Wood's new book is Summerween. Professional dancer Wren Callahan's plan for the summer is to sip margaritas by the lake, bask in anonymity, and dodge any drama from her ex. Instead, her meddling godmother Luna — Halloween Town's mayor and resident white witch — ropes her into choreographing a teen performance at the first Summerween festival. Joss Wood is a best-selling romance author. Ute Hermanus is a radio host and presenter at KFM 94.5, and a devoted book lover.

"I write from a place of scarring instead of being wounded." Professor Hlonipha Mokoena sits down with writer, cultural worker and music industry professional Lulama Mali for a rich, unhurried conversation on her debut memoir Held: A Portrait of the Black Family. They talk about the choice of memoir as a form, the freedom of writing from memory rather than fact, and Lulama's deliberate use of words like "sacred", "quiet" and "silence" to invite the reader into a particular mood. Hlonipha presses on the word "portrait" in the title, and Lulama unpacks how, growing up as a photographer, she came to think of family as a collage, made up of many hands and many households. The conversation moves through township life, mother's union Thursdays, and the raising of black children in community rather than nuclear isolation. Lulama Mali's debut memoir is Held: A Portrait of the Black Family. At its heart, Held is the story of a girl raised by her grandparents in a house where grief and jazz shared the air, where books and politics coexisted with the daily rhythms of survival, and where abundance was measured not in wealth but in ritual, memory, and care. Lulama Mali is a writer, cultural worker and music industry professional. She is the founder and managing director of Round Square Management and Consultancy, working across artist management, A&R, performance photography, and creative activism. Professor Hlonipha Mokoena is a historian and the Director of the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research (WISER). She is the author of The Nightwatchman: Representing Black Men in Colonial South Africa (Wits University Press) and Magema Fuze: The Making of a Kholwa Intellectual.

"There's patent litigation right now over the God molecule. I just think it's the most absurd thing." What happens when an ethereal, ego-dissolving experience runs headlong into big pharma? Dan Corder chats to journalist Kimon de Greef on The Ego Trip, and the strange final act of the toad story: 5-MeO-DMT quietly becoming one of the smart bets to be the next clinical psychedelic treatment. They talk about why a half-hour trip is so seductive to a market-driven industry, the patent wars already breaking out over the God molecule, and the push to administer it without any accompanying psychotherapy at all. Kimon also makes a plea for the toads themselves, magnificent, grotesque creatures being tossed into buckets, over-milked and left in the sun as the movement they never asked to be part of goes global. Kimon de Greef's new book is The Ego Trip: Psychedelic Toads, a Trail of Deaths, and the Guru Who Peddled Transcendence. Kimon de Greef is one of the most important non-fiction writers working today. His work has appeared in National Geographic, The Guardian, The New Yorker and The New York Times, and his previous book, Poacher, drew wide acclaim. Dan Corder is an award-winning political comedian, news commentator, TV, radio and podcast host. The latest episode of Pagecast is out now!

"It looked apocalyptic." Veteran journalist Chris Gibbons sits down with journalist, TV producer and best-selling author Graeme Coetzer for a gripping conversation on Zama Zama: Inside the Illicit Mining Underworld. Together they unpack fifteen years of investigation into South Africa's illegal gold economy: from the desperate miners going underground to earn a wage, to the organised crime syndicates making billions off their labour. Graeme describes the astonishing VAT scam that saw stolen gold sold at a premium, the cottage industry of forged invoices and stolen ID books propping it up, and how a single company was accused of laundering an estimated 22 billion rand through the racket. He also revisits the tragedy at Buffelsfontein, where 74 people died underground, and shares the surreal story of one Zama who climbed 1.5 kilometres up an abandoned shaft to save his own life. Graeme Coetzer's new book is Zama Zama: Inside the Illicit Mining Underworld. Graeme Coetzer is a journalist, TV producer and best-selling author whose long-form investigations for Carte Blanche have delved into every layer of South Africa's illicit mining world. Chris Gibbons is a veteran South African journalist and broadcaster.

"I love this phrase you've used - explain ourselves to ourselves." Joanne Joseph sits down with best-selling author Alka Joshi for a rich, expansive conversation on Six Days in Bombay. Together they unpack why Alka only came to novel writing later in life, the mother whose real story became the seed of The Henna Artist, and the painter Amrita Sher-Gil, "the Frida Kahlo of India", whose bold, uncompromising life inspired the character of Mira. They talk about the responsibility of writing historical fiction with care, the meticulous research behind Alka's immersive worlds, and the layered ways women in her novels travel outward to find their way back to themselves. It's also a wider conversation about heritage, colonisation, and why literature matters as a tool for explaining ourselves to ourselves. Alka Joshi's new book is Six Days in Bombay. Inspired by the life of Amrita Sher-Gil, it follows nurse Sona as she carries a cryptic note and four paintings across a Europe teetering toward war, in search of the truth about the woman who left them in her care, and about herself. Alka Joshi is the best-selling author of The Henna Artist and the Jaipur Trilogy. Her books have been translated into nearly 30 languages. Joanne Joseph is a TV and radio presenter, producer, and writer, and the author of Children of Sugarcane and Drug Muled.

What happens when a former CIA analyst turns his hand to fiction? Lester Kiewit chats to David McCloskey about The Persian, a sophisticated, atmospheric thriller that pulls readers deep into the shadow war between Iran and Israel, and the human cost of living a double life. David McCloskey's new book is The Persian. Layered with intrigue, shifting loyalties and geopolitical danger, the novel follows Kamran Esfahani, an Iranian dentist recruited by the Mossad, whose life unravels after a single operation goes terribly wrong. Smart, fast-paced and atmospheric, it's a compelling read for fans of intelligent spy fiction. David McCloskey is a former CIA analyst and best-selling author of intelligent spy fiction. Lester Kiewit is the host of the CapeTalk Breakfast show.

In this episode of Pagecast, food enthusiast, recipe creator, and social media sensation Onezwa Mbola joins storyteller and marketing professional Star Senamile Shongwe for a warm conversation about her debut book, A Food Love Story. Onezwa traces her culinary journey from her mother's kitchen in a rural Eastern Cape seaside village, through destinations around the world, and back home again - a story about how food connects us to the people and places we love most. As a mother, she shares that love with her son and with the million-plus followers who have made her one of South Africa's most beloved voices in home cooking. A Food Love Story is filled with wholesome recipes and the kind of warmth that makes you want to head straight to the kitchen. A Food Love Story is out now and available at all good bookstores.

In this episode of Pagecast, South African writer Julia Martin joins Professor David Attwell, Professor of English at the University of York, for a reflective conversation about her latest book, On the Sponge Islands: Loss and Restoration in the Aegean. The book follows Julia's journey through the Greek islands of the Dodecanese - Rhodes, Symi, Halki, Kalymnos, and Patmos - tracing the cultural and ecological legacy of sponge diving. For centuries, men from these islands had dived for sea sponges and traded them across the world. In the late nineteenth century, new deep-sea diving suits made it possible to harvest the seabed at an unprecedented scale, bringing home extraordinary wealth - and at extraordinary cost, in lives lost and ecosystems stripped bare. On the Sponge Islands is a meditation on beauty and suffering, abundance and collapse, and what it means to restore what has been lost - both in the natural world and in ourselves. Julia Martin is a South African writer and academic known for her work at the intersection of ecology, place, and contemplative practice. On the Sponge Islands is out now and available at all good bookstores.

In this episode of Pagecast, political analyst Tara Roos joins Twanji Kalula for a sharp, no-nonsense conversation about her new book, Where to From Here?, and what it reveals about the state of South African politics. Roos argues that South Africa has entered an age of uncertainty, as populism rises and a new, unstable coalition era takes hold. She unpacks the structural weaknesses, strategic miscalculations, and identity crises within political parties, sorting them into three categories: Winners, Losers, and Survivors, and explains what each is getting right, where they are failing, and why some have grown while others have collapsed. Thirty years into South Africa's democracy, Where to From Here? is a clear-eyed account of how politicians have failed the people, and a challenge to the electorate to demand better. Tara Roos is one of the leading political thinkers of her generation. Twanji Kalula is a Cape Town-based communications professional, media practitioner, and joint chairperson of the Cape Town Press Club, widely known for hosting and moderating South African literary, cultural, and current affairs events. Where to From Here? is out now and available at all good bookstores.

In this episode of Pagecast, Man Booker Prize-shortlisted author Tan Twan Eng joins Cape Town-based political commentator and writer Mphuthumi Ntabeni for a conversation about his latest novel, The House of Doors. Set in 1921 at Cassowary House in the Straits Settlements of Penang, the novel follows Robert Hamlyn, a well-to-do lawyer, and his steely wife Lesley, whose lives are upended by the arrival of an old friend, Willie Somerset Maugham. One of the great writers of his day, Willie is privately beleaguered by an unhappy marriage, failing health, and a struggle to write. As Lesley's friendship with him deepens, she sees him more clearly for who he truly is -- and finds herself sharing secrets of her own, including her connection to the revolutionary Dr Sun Yat Sen and a scandalous murder case in the Kuala Lumpur courts. Drawn from real events, The House of Doors is a masterful exploration of public morality and private truth, set against the shadow of empire -- a story of love, betrayal, and the masks we wear to survive. Tan Twan Eng is the bestselling author of The Garden of Evening Mists. The House of Doors is out now and available at all good bookstores.

In this episode of Pagecast, South African playwright and novelist Nadia Davids joins renowned poet and scholar Gabeba Baderoon for a conversation about her latest novel, Cape Fever. Cape Fever follows Soraya Matas, a young maid who takes up a position in the beautiful, decaying home of the eccentric Mrs. Hattingh - not far from the Muslim Quarter where she lives with her parents. What begins as a practical arrangement slowly unravels into something far stranger: a ritual of dictated letters, restless spirits, and a bond between two women that threatens the sanity of both. Set in an unnamed colonial city and drawing on gothic themes, folk tales, and psychological suspense, Cape Fever has been compared to the work of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Daphne du Maurier. It is a story of love and grief, class and power, and the long reach of history into the lives of those history forgets. Nadia Davids is an award-winning South African author and playwright. Cape Fever is her latest novel and is available now at all good bookstores.

Pagecast recorded live at the Kingsmead Book Fair, where Mandy Weiner sat down with Shakti Pillay from Jonathan Ball Publishers to talk about her latest book, The Deal. In this episode, Mandy pulls back the curtain on the story behind the book -- the kind of deep, forensic storytelling that has made her one of the most trusted voices in South African media. Mandy Weiner is the host of The Midday Report on 702 and Cape Talk, a weekly columnist for EWN, and an award-winning author. Known for her rigorous investigative journalism and her ability to make complex stories accessible, Mandy has built a reputation as a fearless chronicler of South African public life. The Deal is out now and available at all good bookstores.

Pagecast recorded live at the Kingsmead Book Fair, where Nozipho Tshabalala sat down with Mpumi Mgidlana from Jonathan Ball Publishers to talk about her memoir, After the Fires: Unlocking the Power of Letting Go. In this episode, Nozipho reflects on the question at the heart of her book: when the flames of life's challenges have swept through you, who do you become from the ashes? It is a conversation about grief, surrender, and the unexpected freedom that comes from letting go. Nozipho Tshabalala is a globally sought-after conversation strategist who has facilitated presidential and executive conversations for the World Bank, UN agencies, and governments around the world. In After the Fires, she turns that same lens on her own life -- tracing her journey from the loss of her mother at the height of her career, to a profound reckoning with control, identity, and what it truly means to thrive. After the Fires: Unlocking the Power of Letting Go is published by Jonathan Ball Publishers, which is celebrating 50 years in South African publishing this year. The book is out now and available at all good bookstores.

Pagecast recorded live at the Kingsmead Book Fair, where Sally Andrew sat down with Faye Knight from Jonathan Ball Publishers to talk about the latest instalment in her beloved Tannie Maria mystery series, Wild Things Never Die. In this episode, Sally shares what keeps drawing her back to Tannie Maria -- and what readers can expect from the fifth book in the series. Sally Andrew is the best-selling author of the award-winning Tannie Maria mystery novels, which have been translated into fifteen languages and adapted into an international television series. She lives with her artist partner in a mud-brick house on a nature reserve in the Klein Karoo, and holds a master's in Adult Education from the University of Cape Town. A former social and environmental activist, she now writes, cooks, does Biofield Tuning, and is training to be a doowop girl. The Tannie Maria series includes Recipes for Love and Murder, The Satanic Mechanic, Death on the Limpopo, and The Milk Tart Murders. Sally has also published a cookbook, Recipes to Live For. Wild Things Never Die is the fifth instalment in the series and is out now at all good bookstores.

Pagecast recorded live at the Kingsmead Book Fair, where Caitlin Venniker sat down with Kelly Mawa from Jonathan Ball Publishers to talk about her debut book, Unleashed. In this episode, Caitlin shares the stories and experiences behind the book -- a candid look at life as a South African vet navigating two worlds, and the rescue animals who have found their way into her heart along the way. Caitlin Venniker is a South African vet and award-winning writer who divides her time between South Africa and the Middle East. She shares her life with a collection of rescue animals, including a scruffy desert dog and a one-eared cat. Unleashed is her debut book. Unleashed is out now and available at all good bookstores.

Pagecast recorded live at the Kingsmead Book Fair, where Karabo Poppy sat down with Gontse Mosiane from Jonathan Ball Publishers to talk about her latest book, Hugged by The Night. In this episode, Karabo shares the vision and inspiration behind the work -- a celebration of the African aesthetic told through bold, contemporary illustration. Karabo Poppy Moletsane was born in 1992 in Vereeniging, South Africa. She is an illustrator, graphic designer, and road artist based in Johannesburg, and is passionate about the preservation of the African aesthetic. Her work explores rich narratives with a contemporary and bold visual language that has earned her recognition both locally and internationally. Hugged by The Night is available now at all good bookstores.

Pagecast recorded live at the Kingsmead Book Fair, where David Mann sat down with Maryam Adams from Jonathan Ball Publishers to discuss his debut short fiction collection, Once Removed. In this episode, David reflects on the stories behind the collection -- a sharply observed body of work that has already made its mark on the South African literary landscape. David Mann is an award-winning writer, editor, and art critic who has written and edited for numerous art publications. He currently works as writer for the arts incubator The Centre for the Less Good Idea, and is a co-founder of Writers' Block, a Johannesburg-based arts writing collective. His short stories have appeared in local and international journals including Strange Matters (USA), Portside Review (AU), and Imbiza Journal (SA), among others. Once Removed was published in 2024 by Botsotso. It won the Thomas Pringle Short Story Prize and was shortlisted for both the NHISS Award and the Nadine Gordimer Award for best short story collection. Once Removed is available now at all good bookstores.

Pagecast recorded live at the Kingsmead Book Fair, where Lebo Mazibuko sat down with Zwanga Nemanshi from Jonathan Ball Publishers for a candid conversation about her latest novel, Fabrics of Love. In this episode, Lebo reflects on the stories and inspirations behind the book - a moving exploration of love, identity, and the threads that connect us. Lebo Mazibuko was born in Johannesburg and is currently based in Cape Town. She began her career in theatre before turning her focus to writing, and holds an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Cape Town. Her debut novel, Bantu Knots, was shortlisted for the K. Sello Duiker Memorial Award at the South African Literary Awards in 2022. Fabrics of Love is her most recent work. Fabrics of Love is out now and available at all good bookstores.

“When love hurts, what remains of who we are?” In the final live Pagecast episode from the Franschhoek Literary Festival, Joy Watson sits down with Karina Magdalena Szczurek for a thoughtful conversation about Because I Love You, Joy's latest book exploring gender, power, violence, and the complicated realities of love through the stories of three women. Drawing from her work as a researcher, writer, and feminist storyteller, Watson reflects on the difficult questions the book asks about relationships, identity, survival, and what happens when love becomes harmful.

Live from the Franschhoek Literary Festival Pagecast Studio, Veruska De Vita speaks to Charlotte Bauer about Deep Blue. Veruska De Vita is the author of Deep Blue, a love letter to the sea that explores humanity's deep connection with water and the bliss of swimming, diving, dipping, and simply being in salt water. The latest episode of Pagecast, recorded live from the Franschhoek Literary Festival, is out now.

Live from the Franschhoek Literary Festival Pagecast Studio, Bronwyn Williams and Paige Nick are in conversation about AI, the economy, and the trajectories shaping the years ahead, in a way that actually makes sense. Bronwyn Williams's new book is The Future. Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist and business-trends analyst. She is the co-author of The Future Starts Now, Rescuing Our Republic and The Future, a columnist for leading business and technology publications, and a well-known global keynote speaker and media commentator on future trends and economic trajectories. Paige Nick is a South African novelist, columnist, and advertising copywriter. She founded The Good Book Appreciation Society on Facebook, and has co-authored A Girl Walks Into a Bar, a series of choose-your-own-adventure erotic novels.

A little reminder to look up. Live from the Franschhoek Literary Festival Pagecast Studio, Bridget McNulty and Sarah Bullen are in conversation about the small, glimmering moments that make up a year, and the practice of noticing them. Bridget McNulty's new book is Daily Glimmers: The Art of Finding Tiny Joys Every Day of the Year. Bridget McNulty began her career as a magazine journalist and has since written the novel Strange Nervous Laughter, The Grief Handbook, and her most recent book, Daily Glimmers. After being diagnosed with diabetes, Bridget co-founded the NGO Sweet Life Diabetes Community, through which she publishes books and a regular magazine. She also co-founded Now Novel, an online writing course. Sarah Bullen is a multi-published author and renowned writing coach who leads international writing retreats and adventures in Europe and Africa. A former financial and magazine journalist, her most recent book The Other Side delves into stories of near-death experiences and spiritual encounters. Sarah's work reflects her passion for storytelling and exploration of the human spirit.

This one's pure joy. Live from the Franschhoek Literary Festival Pagecast Studio, Africa Melane and Fehmz get into food, family, and the stories behind the recipes, and you can hear the laughter from a mile off. Fehmz's debut cookbook Damn Good Food features over 80 recipes. Fehmz is a city girl from Johannesburg chasing her dreams as a food, lifestyle and travel influencer. She is a strong believer in keeping things real and authentic, and her vibrant personality infuses every recipe with energy, colour, and bold flavours inspired by her Muslim heritage. Africa Melane is a South African broadcaster, journalist, and moderator known for hosting the Early Breakfast Show on both CapeTalk and 702. He is admired for his measured, inquisitive, and respectful interview style, and brings more than a decade of experience in South African broadcasting.

Live from the Franschhoek Literary Festival Pagecast Studio, Justice Malala joins Lester Kiewit for a wide-ranging conversation on South Africa's political trajectory and the questions shaping our democracy. Justice Malala is an award-winning South African political analyst, journalist and bestselling author. He is the author of several acclaimed books, including We Have Now Begun Our Descent and The Plot to Save South Africa, which examine the country's political trajectory and democratic challenges. Lester Kiewit hosts CapeTalk's Good Morning Cape Town. Filmed & edited by Curt Ruiters at @Quickclickproductions_

What does it take to turn years of investigative reporting into a book? Live from the Franschhoek Literary Festival Pagecast Studio, Jeff Wicks opens up to Qaanitah Hunter about the craft, the process, and the personal toll of putting his new book on the page. Jeff Wicks is a journalist with News24's investigations team. His reporting on the assassination of Babita Deokaran was shortlisted for the Global Shining Light Award, which recognises watchdog journalism in developing countries carried out under threat, duress or the direst conditions. Qaanitah Hunter is an award-winning South African political journalist and founding editor of The Debrief Network. She is the author of several non-fiction and fiction works, including the co-authored Who Will Rule SA?, which has helped shape public discourse around South Africa's political future.

Live from the Franschhoek Literary Festival Pagecast Studio. Sven Axelrad's new book is The Dogs of Vivo. Sven Axelrad is the author of four novels: Buried Treasure, God's Pocket, Nicotine Gospel, and now The Dogs of Vivo. He has published short stories in New Contrast and Fragment Collective and has been longlisted for the Desperate Literature Prize in Madrid. Sven is an accountant who just loves reading and writing. Riley Henry-Herbert is a fiction writer and book reviewer based in Cape Town. He reviews books on Book Choice for Fine Music Radio and shares his thoughts on social media and on his Substack page, Underline. Filmed & edited by Curt Ruiters at @Quickclickproductions_

Live from the Franschhoek Literary Festival Pagecast Studio. Tara Roos's new book Where To From Here? is a book for anyone wanting to understand the future of South African politics and the choices that will define it. Get your copy at Exclusive Books at the Franschhoek Town Hall! Tara Roos is a political analyst and the parliamentary correspondent for Business Day. Emma Swart is a Cape Town-based book reviewer, content creator, and co-host of The Reading Chatroom podcast. She is also the founder of The Shared Shelf, a literary community that brings readers together through book clubs, author conversations, and reflective reading spaces. Through her work, she shares a deep love for books and the conversations they make possible. The latest episode of Pagecast is out now! For more festival insights, follow along with the News24 livestream of the Franschhoek Literary Festival. Filmed & edited by Curt Ruiters at @Quickclickproductions_

Pagecast is coming to you live from the Franschhoek Literary Festival. Rémy Ngamije's new book is Only Stars Know, a collection of short stories that explore love, loss, identity, and human connection, centred on the life of an aspiring writer. Rémy Ngamije is a Rwandan-born Namibian writer and photographer. He is the founder of the Doek Arts Trust, an arts organisation which publishes Doek! Literary Magazine, Namibia's first literary magazine, which he cofounded and serves as editor-in-chief. In conversation with Wamuwi Mbao, columnist for Business Day's Wanted magazine, SALA-winning literary critic for the Johannesburg Review of Books, and lecturer in English Studies at Stellenbosch University. His book Years of Fire and Ash brings together fifty years' worth of South African protest poetry into one collection. Filmed & edited by Curt Ruiters at Quickclick Productions.

In hierdie episode van Pagecast gesels die meningsvormer en leier van die burgerregte-organisasie Kaapse Forum Heindrich Wyngaard met die bekroonde ondersoekende joernalis en skrywer Julian Jansen oor sy nuwe boek Op die Spoor van die Stasiemoordenaar. Jansen, wat ook die skrywer is van boeke soos Moord op Stellenbosch en Die De Zalze-moorde, is bekend vir sy aangrypende, diep menslike joernalistiek en hierdie roerende gesprek het net weer bewys waarom hy bekend is daarvoor dat hy altyd die storie agter die storie gaan haal. Van 1986 tot 1994 het die sogenaamde Stasiemoordenaar die mense van die Kaapse vlakte geterroriseer – 22 seuns en jong mans, die meeste tussen 9 en 14 jaar oud, is naby treinstasies ontvoer, seksueel aangerand en vermoor. Norman Simons is in 1995 skuldig bevind aan een van die moorde en is in 2023 op parool vrygelaat, maar steeds spook tergende vrae oor die saak. Jansen het op die spoor van die seuns en die destydse polisieondersoeke gegaan om lig te werp op hierdie donker raaisel. "Ons moet die kind se identiteit, sy menswees onthou," sê Jansen. Agter elke naam in hierdie verhaal was 'n lewe, 'n gesin, 'n toekoms wat weggeruk is.

In today's episode of Pagecast, Joy Watson is in conversation with someone who knows her better than most - her sister, and fellow author, Mary Watson. It's an intimate kind of interview, the kind where the questions go somewhere deeper because the love in the room is already established. Settle in for this one. More about the book: What does it mean to lose yourself inside a relationship? Not dramatically. Not all at once. But slowly, quietly, in the small erosions that accumulate until one day you look in the mirror and struggle to recognise the person looking back. That's the territory Joy Watson walks into with unflinching clarity in her extraordinary new book, Because I Love You. This is not a book about breakups. It's about erasure. About the quiet harm that can live inside love, the kind that doesn't leave bruises on the skin but rewrites the architecture of your mind. It's about gaslighting and silence, withdrawal and control - and the slow, destabilising experience of being made to doubt your own reality by someone who claims to love you. Watson traces the inner lives of three women - Zara, Mira and Thuli - whose stories unfold in fragments, the way real experience does. And woven through their stories is her own. It's for anyone who has ever wondered whether they were overreacting, too sensitive, too much, too little. Anyone who has asked: Am I the problem? More about Joy and Mary: Joy Watson is a feminist researcher, writer, and Book Editor-at-Large at the Daily Maverick. Because I Love You is published by Jonathan Ball Publishers. Mary Watson is from South Africa and now lives on the west coast of Ireland. She has a PhD from the University of Cape Town, where she taught for many years. She won the Caine Prize for African Writing for her adult publishing in South Africa, and in 2014 was named on the Africa39 list of writers under 40 with the potential to define trends in African literature. Her YA novels have been nominated for the Irish Book Awards and the Carnegie medal. Her adult debut, The Cleaner, was an instant Irish Times bestseller.

In hierdie episode van Pagecast is Hanlie Retief in gesprek met Louis Jansen van Vuuren oor sy nuutste boek, Biltong en Dior: Avonture van 'n Afrikaanse Fransman. Meer oor die boek: As grootoog seun in die ou Oos-Transvaal het Louis Jansen van Vuuren nooit kon dink dat hy eendag 'n château in die Franse platteland sou besit nie. Louis se kostelike vertellings oor sy lewe in Frankryk word verryk met boeiende brokkies oor die Franse geskiedenis en raad vir hoe om te oorleef in 'n samelewing met 'n haas onleerbare taal en eiesoortige gewoontes. Uiteindelik gee dié Afrikaanse Fransman se lewe in die vreemde hom ook 'n nuwe waardering vir dit wat hom uniek Suid-Afrikaans maak. #Pagecast #LouisJansenvanVuuren #BiltongenDior

In this episode of Pagecast, Shana Fife interviews Zubayr Charles about his unflinching debut novel, Haram. About the book: As a young man in a close-knit Muslim community in Woodstock, Muhammad used to feel trapped between who he was and who he was expected to be. But then he met Riyaaz, and his world shifted in unexpected ways. Many years later, on the day of his wedding, Muhammad is pulled into memories of his adolescence – a time when faith and forbidden desires collided. Haram is an unflinching tale alive with hidden and unspoken desires.

This week on Pagecast, Khaya Dlanga interviews Pepe Marais about his book, One Word. About the book: One Word reveals the transformative power of discovering and embedding your organisation's true purpose – captured in a single word. In this thought-provoking and practical guide, based on the author's doctoral research and business experience of growing South Africa's most successful advertising and communication group, Joe Public, you will uncover a clear framework for translating corporate purpose into lived organisational culture. #Pagecast #PepeMarais #JoePublic #SouthAfrica #BookPodcast #KhayaDlanga

Selokela Molamodi is in conversation with Dr Mzamo Masito about his book, This Country Hates Our Boys, a searing exploration of the complex relationship South African society holds with its Black and Coloured men and boys. More about the book: The widely accepted phrase ‘amadoda zizinja' – men are dogs – is more than a colloquialism; it's a symptom of a society where positive masculine role models are scarce. This linguistic shortcut flattens the nuanced reality of masculinity into a single, simplistic concept of patriarchy, obscuring the complex, chaotic social issues at play. Through the vital work of African Men Care, a non-profit organisation, Dr Masito unpacks the interlocking crises facing Black boys and men: educational disparities, mental health struggles, pervasive violence, and fractured relationships. More crucially, the book illuminates a clear path forward. ‘Every man is every boy' is not merely an observation but a powerful call to action. The struggles of adult men today are often rooted in the unaddressed needs and unrealised potential of the boys they once were. The lament ‘awekho amadoda' (there are no men) serves as a stark warning: without decisive intervention, we risk losing entire generations. This book reveals how individual trauma metastasises into a collective crisis. When boys lack robust interior lives and positive identity models, the repercussions echo through families, schools, and communities. Hurt boys mature into hurting men, perpetuating cycles that impact everyone, including the girls and women in their lives. #Pagecast #ThisCountryHatesOurBoys #SouthAfricanLiterature #DrMzamoMasito

This week on Pagecast, Shaun de Waal sits down with acclaimed author Michiel Heyns to discuss his new novel, The Wildest Beauty. Danny Marais is the twin brother of the beautiful, talented Charlie. The Wildest Beauty is a remarkable novel, an account of their early childhood to their eventual enlistment in the First World War. From their placidly peaceful Stellenbosch schooldays to, ultimately, the battle of Delville Wood, Danny keeps a loving but half-resentful eye on his brother. Though set largely in wartime, this novel is an intimate account of a small group of friends and family, inter alia the loving parents left behind in Stellenbosch. And then there is Danny's life-changing encounter, in the darkened streets of wartime London, with a wryly cynical, battle-scarred officer. In the midst of the greatest conflict in history, facing the wild beauty of ‘the abyss of unmeaning,' Danny discovers the power of love, between friends, family – and even foes. #Pagecast #MichielHeyns #TheWildestBeauty #SouthAfricanLiterature #WWIFiction #HistoricalFiction #bookpodcast

In this Pagecast episode, Craig Foster sits down with father and son duo Charles and Matthew Griffiths to chat about their book, Explore the Shore, a guide to discovering the creatures and features shaping the South African shoreline. More about the book: Did you know that limpets grow their own seaweed gardens? Or that sea anemones fight one another to defend territories? What's up with whelks surfing the waves in search of food? How does a starfish move? Does the paper nautilus really have a shell? All this – and much more – about South African marine life is explained in Explore the shore. Written in an engaging and conversational style, the book encourages curious but novice naturalists of all ages to head to the shore to explore for themselves. Readers will learn not only about general life on the shore but also about some weird and interesting aspects of creatures' behaviour. Armed with the information in this book, a beach walk can be more exciting than any safari! Pop-up features like personal anecdotes from the authors, interesting fact boxes and tongue-in-cheek comments from their adorable labradoodle Ben, who accompanies them on their beach visits, will make for personal, inviting content that readers will love.

This week on Pagecast, host Arini Vlotman sits down with acclaimed local author Nivashni Nair Sukdhev to discuss her new novel, It's Complicated. They talk about second chances, hidden secrets, and the healing power of true love. More about the book: Love. Secrets. Second chances. Nivashni Nair Sukdhev is back with another enchanting story set in the little town of Rally in KwaZulu-Natal. After walking away from the big city and an international modelling career, Kaavi Archary is beginning to find an inner peace. She is making friends, volunteering in a programme for troubled teenage girls and relishing a fresh start in life. But she has a secret: her estranged husband, Neel. So when Neel shows up in Rally with divorce papers, Kaavi's life is thrown into chaos. He says he's here to end things — but what he really wants is to win her back. Beneath the heartbreak lies a chemistry that neither of them can resist. As Kaavi faces the truth about her past and her family, she and Neel must decide if they can trust each other again. It's Complicated is a heartwarming tale about finding your way home — and discovering the quiet miracle of true love. This is the second book in the Rally romance series and can be read as a stand-alone story. GET THE BOOK: Grab your copy of It's Complicated by Nivashni Nair Sukdhev — available now at all major bookstores and online. Perfect for fans of heartfelt romance and second-chance love stories! #SouthAfricanRomance #Pagecast #RomanceBooks #NivashniNairSukdhev #LocalAuthors

Discover the untold stories of South African women who changed history. In this episode of Pagecast, Nancy Richards sits down with Professor Lizette Rabe to talk about her book, 101 Remarkable South African Women. From ancient trailblazers like the "Eve of the West Coast" to modern icons including Thuli Madonsela, Caster Semenya, and Tyla, this essential book restores women to the centre of South Africa's story. Journey through profiles of celebrated figures like Miriam Makeba, Olive Schreiner, and Ruth First, alongside overlooked heroines such as Zwarte Maria, Mantatisi, Nongqawuse, and Gladys Mgudlandlu. Spanning politics, literature, sport, activism, and art, these powerful narratives celebrate women's courage, intellect, creativity, and leadership that have shaped our nation and continue to drive the struggle for gender equality. Malibongwe Makosikazi – let the women be praised! About the Author: Lizette Rabe is an emeritus professor of journalism at Stellenbosch University, with over 20 years of field experience before leading SU's journalism department. An acclaimed author and editor of key works on South African media, she has received major teaching and research awards, including the Chancellor's Award and the prestigious Stals Prize for Communication and Journalism. About the Host: Nancy Richards is an independent print and radio journalist, podcast host, and media trainer. She is the founder of Woman Zone, an NPO, and The Women's Library at Artscape. Her memoir, The Skipper's Daughter, was published in 2021.

This episode of Pagecast is brought to you in collaboration with the ARTdacity podcast, ahead of the Investec Art Fair. This week, Jo-Ann Strauss interviews Chris Soal about his book, To Sharpen our Senses and Soften our Touch. Through his use of discarded and mundane ephemera, such as toothpicks and bottle caps, along with concrete, rebar, electric fencing cable, sandpaper, and other industrial materials, the artist intuitively develops the familiar to the point of the uncanny. Soal's works can be considered social abstractions influenced by a reinterpreted Arte Povera that is deeply rooted in and reflective of his upbringing in Johannesburg, South Africa. Working symbiotically with his materials, Soal utilises the inherent physical characteristics of the objects to transform them through processes of aggregation, combination, and erosion. You can find ARTdacity here: https://www.artdacity.co.za/ #Pagecast #capetownartist #artbookrecommendations