If there was ever a time the world needed writers, readers, and critical thinkers, it is now. The 28th edition of the Time of The Writer festival, hosted by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu Natal, is seven weeks away, and as well as being a highlight of the national literary calendar, it is proving to be a general beacon of light and hope. The festival will take place from 18 – 23 March 2025 in Durban.
“This year’s theme, Imagination, Freedom & Accountability, calls on each of us to imagine a better world with wider freedoms for all’, say guest festival curator, Shafinaaz Hassim, a celebrated author and frequent guest of the festival. Shafinaaz Hassim has compiled a programme that feeds the imagination and encourages audiences to celebrate the freedom that they enjoy as well as explore the accountability of those who deny freedom to others.
“There is a resurgence of memoirs, and this will be an essential part of the programme. We have curated a balance between personal and political memoirs, between those drawn with fine and intimate details and others with broad global strokes and wide political perspectives”, says Shafinaaz.
Many memoirs have highlighted the personal being political, and one of this country’s finest examples is the Storyteller of Riverlea, Chris Van Wyk. The much-loved and deeply mourned writer is captured by his son, Kevin van Wyk, in Irascible Genius: A Son’s Memoir.
In an acceptance speech delivered at the awarding of a posthumous Doctor of Humanities to his father at Wits University, Kevin reflected, “My father believed that people mattered. Our stories and those of our parents and grandparents who came before us are as important and valuable as any other tale. We needn’t be rich or famous to tell our stories.”
The Time of the Writer festival is a celebration of all those stories and the people who tell them. At this point in South Africa’s democracy, well past the first quarter of a new dispensation, there is an opportunity to reflect on the contributions of older politicians. One such reflection is that of journalist Oupa Segalwe, who examines the public and private life of the traditional leader and politician, Lucas Mangope, the traditional leader and politician. What can be divined from the historical currents of self-enrichment and political loyalty which grapple South Africa today?
Memory and nostalgia are evoked by the inclusion of featured author, John Van De Ruit. A generation of children grew up reading the chronicles of Spud, whose life is revisited in his latest offering, Spud the Reunion. Facing a third-life crisis at 28 and his ten-year reunion are two things that are sure to be as awkward as they are hilarious. Van Der Ruit will share his experience from his twenty-five-year career as an actor, author, and playwright and spill a few of Spud Milton’s secrets while he’s there.
One doesn’t always have the time or the inclination to read through an entire book, and the focus on short forms of writing uncovers a treasure trove of writing, including essays, short stories, and flash fiction. The number of words is not always relative to the impact of a piece of writing, and writers will identify several that pack a punch disproportionate to their size. In addition to discussions about what is on the page, there will be panels discussing what it takes to get the words out there and into readers’ hands. The diversity of topics, panel members, and books discussed will provide a literary feast.
As well as hosting international writers on this local platform, the Time of the Writer festival is honoured to be hosting a local writer shining on the international stage. Booker Prize longlist nominee Karen Jennings, whose recent novel Crooked Seeds was published in 2024, will be taking time from her position as a creative writing lecturer at North-West University in Potchefstroom to share her literary insights.
There will be several online panels that will allow lovers of literature all over the world to participate. For those in Durban, the school’s program is an essential part of the festival, and the Centre for Creative Arts Emerging Arts Manager, Nomthandazo Shandu, will be inspiring students with her enthusiasm and particular understanding of youth literature. The full programme of speakers, events and venues will be announced on Monday 10 February Mon the festival’s website: https://tow.ukzn.ac.za/ but until then, please follow the festival on Instagram and Facebook.
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 is funded by the National Arts Council of South Africa and the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. The festival is one of Durban’s flagship events that honours the city’s legacy as a UNESCO City of Literature.
FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Owethu Dlamini
DlamniO@ukzn.ac.za