The Eduvos Durban International Book Fair will take place from Wednesday, November 27 to Sunday, December 1 at the Eduvos Umhlanga Campus.
Durban is Africa’s only UNESCO City of Literature and is renowned for its rich history of writers, poets, playwrights, creatives, and literary events.
This year marks the third annual fair, and has the them ‘Once upon a time …’, emphasising the importance of going back to basics in fostering a reading culture.
Speaking to The Witness, festival director, Kiru Naidoo, said: “The theme responds to the urgent call for action after a recent international study revealed that 81% of grade four learners in South Africa are unable to read with comprehension in any language.”
He added that the Eduvos Durban International Book Fair would provide a platform for vibrant discussions, inspiring readings, and a diverse array of activities aimed at promoting literacy and a passion for books.
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Naidoo said they were confident that last year’s record breaking attendance of over 7 000 participants will be exceeded thanks to the stellar line-up of local and international authors.
Also at the Eduvos Durban campus, at 1D Lunar Row, Umhlanga Ridge, will be one-on-one consultations with writers and publishers, hosted by the SA Booksellers’ Association in room 212 at 5.30 pm on day one and the Eduvos DIBF 2024 chess tournament, in partnership with KZN Chess in the Games Room on December 1.
Entry to the festival is free, but a R50 golden ticket allows you access to all workshops and events and up to 60% off selected titles. To purchase tickets visit www.madeindurban.co.za
• For more information on the Eduvos Durban International Book Fair go to https://www.durbanbookfair.co.za/ or call 083 778 1991.
Programme of events
Wednesday, November 27 – UNISA Press Prof Mazisi Kunene stage
• 10 am to 11 am: UNISA Press session: AI and Machine Learning in Publishing with Dr Meiya Nthoesane.
• 11.30 am to 12.30 pm: Launch of The Knights of Hope by Roy Hewett. Moderator – Kiru Naidoo.
• 1 pm to 2pm: Workshop on the Legal Deposit Act and ISBN procedures – the legal aspects of publishing. Presented by Motubatse Kgatle from the National Library of South Africa. Moderator – Lorraine Richards.
• 2.30 pm to 3.30pm: Workshop on cover design and layout by Associate Professor Barry Lottering of the Durban University of Technology.
• 4 pm to 5 pm: Workshop on avoiding potholes in translation by Dr Phindile Dlamini of UKZN Press.
• 5.30 pm to 6.30pm: Former High Court judge, Christopher Nicholson with be in conversation with Jeven Padayachee about his work on Chris Hani and Papwa Sewgolum.
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Wednesday, November 27 – DUT Cheryl Roberts stage
• 10 am to 11 am: Afrikology: Heritage and culture from a Pan African perspective by Ashantewaa Ngidi of the Afrikology Institute.
• 11.30 am to 12.30 pm: The Future Needs You: skills required in the world of artificial intelligence by Eduvos.
• 1 pm to 2 pm: Jennifer Strachan, author of Abby and the Wind, and Jessica d’Uninville, author of Holding Onto Hope, will be in conversation with Roy Hewitt.
• 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm: Leonard Moodley, author of When Tomorrow Starts Without Me, We Didn’t Get To Say Goodbye and Gaishrie Sharon Singh, author of Pain to Power to Purpose will be in conversation.
• 4 pm to 5 pm: Oliver Tichmann, author of The New Dusk, will be in conversation with Lorraine Richards.
• 5.30 pm to 6.30pm: Eric Badise, a Street Lit bookseller, will be talking to Illa Thompson about how books saved his life.
Wednesday, November 27 – Articulate Africa Alan Paton stage
• 10 am to 11 am: Conversational French with Alliance Francaise’s Sarah M’bodji.
• 11.30 am to 12.30pm: Ashling McCarthy, author of The Poachers Moon crime series will be speaking to Thembeka Gumede.
• 2.30 pm to 3.30pm: DUT creative writing workshop.
• 4 pm to 5 pm: Bhekinkosi M. Ngwenya, author of Afrika My Beginning Afrika My Ending, will be speaking to Sarita Mathur.
Thursday, November 28 – Unisa Press Prof Mazisi Kunene stage
• 10 am to 11 am: Unisa Press session – South Africa confronts the Fourth Industrial Revolution era. Presented by Ashraf Patel and Dr Jack Chokwe.
• 11.30 am to 12.30 pm: The World We Hold – Young Voices Rising. Launch of a poetry anthology by pupils from 25 Durban schools. The session will be moderated by Kiru Naidoo.
• 1 pm to 2 pm: Workshop on content creation by Nerissa Maharaj of Underground Radio.
• 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm: Workshop on the impact of AI on publishing with Vasantha Angumuthu.
• 4 pm to 5 pm: UNISA Press session – New Voices, Fresh Perspectives. Exploring the latest offerings from UNISA Press with Hetta Pieterse.
• 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm: Healing through writing, the mental health journey. Presented by the Umhlanga Women’s Association.
• 7 pm to 8 pm: Women’s Voices in Indenture featuring Shevlyn Mottai, Joanne Joseph, Arvashni Seeripat and moderator Maya Jagjvan Kalicharan.
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Thursday, November 28 – DUT Cheryl Roberts stage
• 10 am to 11 am: The ‘Owl-prah Winfree’ show, which is based on the book, Super Heroes – Barn Owl vs Superman, by Chris Pretorius.
• 11.30 am to 12.30 pm: Launch of Camel and the Kingdom by Amalie Lottering. The moderator is Sarita Mathur.
• 1 pm to 2 pm: Storytelling session with Nal’ibali.
• 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm: DUT student authors – session one. Discussion on children’s literature featuring Taariq Chetty, Sinoyolo Tantsi, Lusanda Mzolo, Jadene Pillay, and Mpathwenhe Ndaba. The facilitator is Barry Lottering.
• 4 pm to 5 pm: DUT student authors – session two. Facilitator, Romeo Matumba speaks to Sboniso Manqele (Suicide), Huvanya Naidoo (One Chance) and Dumo Xaba (A Dubious Alliance).
• 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm: DUT academic session one featuring Dr Dudu Sokhela, Dr Godfrey Musvuto and facilitator, Dr Jeff Mkhize.
• 7 pm to 8 pm: DUT poetry session one featuring Mari Pete (Onions and Irises, Home Poems) and Lee Scott (Just Hustle OK).
Thursday, November 28 – Articulate Africa Alan Paton stage
• 10 am to 11 am: Shika Budoo will be speaking to Vennessa Scholtz about her book Kita’s Dance With Dust.
• 11.30 pm to 12.30 pm: Kameni Chetty, author of The Porridge Explosion, will be speaking to Irene Fynn.
• 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm: Mohamed Kharwa, from the SA Booksellers Association will present a session titled, Think Audiobooks – There are more ways to reach an audience. Selling your book – what tools and strategies in a crowded casbah.
• 4 pm to 5 pm: Roy Hewett speaks to Tando Keke about her book, The Strength of Real Women and Poetry Anthology.
• 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm: Kicking it with the Legends – Lloyd Keshwar will be in conversation with Wellington Meth, Patrick Moodley, Elvis Sing, Boa Wiseman, Gregory Baptist, Graham Birch and Glen Manning.
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Friday, November 29 – UNISA Press Prof Mazisi Kunene stage
• 10 am to 11 am: UNISA Press session – Dr Sipho Dlamini will be in conversation with Dr Lucky Madikiza at the launch of Beyond the Pretty White Affair: Training Africa-centring Psychologists for the Future.
• 11.30 am to 12.30 pm: Workshop on distribution, sales and marketing of books by Colin McGee, a publishers’ representative. The moderator is Kiru Naidoo.
• 1 pm to 2 pm: Radio masterclass workshop with Makosi Khoza.
• 2.20 pm to 3.30 pm: Writing skills and editing workshop presented by the Professional Editors’ Guild’s Vanessa-Lynn Neophytou.
• 4 pm to 5 pm: Kensese Mossanda will be speaking to Viroshen Chetty about ‘Living in Harmony with the (SARS -COV-2) virus.
• 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm: Sbonelo Mbatha, author of The Petrol Attendant, Slindile Khanyile, author of Longevity: The Story of Dudu ‘Lady D’ Koza, and Nathi Olifant, author of Blood, Blades and Bullets, will be in conversation with moderator, Vasantha Angumuthu.
• 7 pm to 8 pm: S’bongiseni Gerald Vilakazi will be speaking to Sarita Mathur at the launch of Here I Stand.
Friday, November 29 – DUT Cheryl Roberts stage
• 9am to 10 am: Academic publishing presented by Dr Thangi Mgwebi, the group executive business advancement at the National Research Foundation.
• 10 am to 11 am: Student authors session three – Huvanya Naidoo (The Legacy Series: Erased By Time), Thabani Mazibuko (Life Beyond The Karman Line Outerspace), Samukelo Dlamini (Izimpumputhe) and Dumo Xaba (The Legacy) will be speaking to Barry Lottering.
• 1 pm to 2 pm: DUT Partner Projects one – Jabulile Bhengu will be talking to Phumzile Xulu about the Amazwi Omame Book Project.
• 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm: DUT academic session two – Prof Mehta will be the facilitator of a talk by Dr Collence Christa (Information Services for a Sustainable Society: Current Developments in an Era of Information Disorder) and Aneswa Ninela (An Introduction to African Indigenous Spirituality.
• 4 pm to 5 pm: Academic session three – Prof Fulufhelo Netswera will be speaking to Prof Mehta about COVID-19 and climate change in BRICS nations.
• 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm: Ashti Juggath (Peaches & Smeets) and Dr Sakhile Msweli (Rooms & Runis + Neither Noir) will be in conversation with Naushad Khan.
• 7 pm to 8 pm: DIBF 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award for Professor Ashwin Desai. Moderator, Kanthan Pillay.
Friday, November 29 – Articulate Africa Alan Paton stage
• 10 am to 11 am: Nerusha Sadapal will do a talk on the 48 Hour Film Project.
• 11.30 am to 12.30 pm: Thandeka Mdlalo will speak to S’ibongiseni Gerald Vilakazi about Diversity; my call to action.
• 1 pm to 2 pm: Launch of Zamani Khuzwayo’s Inqolobane Yokukhonga NoMkhongi Wethu.
• 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm: Mindblown – using games to increase literacy.
• 4 pm to 5 pm: Filmmaking workshop with Enver Samuel and Jayan Moodley.
• 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm: Screening of Truth Be Told, directed by Enver Samuel.
Saturday, November 30 – UNISA Press Prof Mazisi Kunene stage
• 9 am to 11 am: Siddhi Pillay will moderate a session featuring Alta H Haffner (The Haiku Collection), Charles R Haffner (In a World of Black and White), Wilhelm (The Cult’s Tentacles – Based on True Events) and James N McManus (Poetry from Afar).
• 10 am to 11 am: UNISA Press session – Dr Godfrey Musvoto will be doing a book signing for The dynamics of residential satisfaction in low-income human settlements in South Africa.
• 11.30 am to 12.30 pm: Thando Keke will moderate a session featuring Melanie Mcall (Fab-and-forty-something) and Fatima Rehman (Be you, unapologetically you).
• 1 pm to 2 pm: launch of Mayville Mosaic by Jerald Vedan.
• 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm: Kiru Naidoo will be speaking to Ismail Rasool, author of Before I Forget and Azra Rasool about Unchartered Collisions.
• 4 pm to 5 pm: Dr Nail Singh will be launching Paws for Thought 2.
• 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm: Relaunch of the Casbah Family Recipe Book by Leila Ally, Buddy Govender and Ishaan Blunden. The host will be Siddhi Pillay.
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Saturday, November 30 – DUT Cheryl Roberts stage
• 9 am to 10 am: Kiru Naidoo speaks to Lerato Trok at the launch of The Golden Girl.
• 11.30 am to 12.30 pm: Poets Speak! featuring Mervin Francis, Fikile Simelane, Kyle Allan, Vishnu Kista and Sonia Naidoo. The moderator is Ekta Somera.
• 1 pm to 2 pm: Siddhi Pillay will speak to Deborah Ewing about the animated film Akhona’s Story.
• 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm: Launch of Under the Old Jackfruit Tree by Anetha Rambilas.
• 4 pm to 5 pm: Launch of The Feeding Trough by Elwyn Bonhomme. The session will be moderated by Lorraine Richards.
• 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm: The Legends of the Tide.
• 7 pm to 8 pm: Launch of Anna Jansen’s Remembered Lives. The moderator is Mahesh Parekh.
Saturday, November 30 – Articulate Africa Alan Paton stage
• 10 am to 11 am: Siddhi Pillay speaks to Kavisha Nandhlal about Initiate Design Thinking – Forging New Pathways Towards Sustainable Development.
• 11.30 am to 12.30 pm: Bibliotheraphy featuring Desire Mogosoane (The Unspoken Sting Begotten) and Bianca Beck (Crossroads). Moderator Roya Hewett.
• 1 pm to 2 pm: Launch of Love Quotient by Rahilla Khan who will be speaking to Umbalica Balrishie.
• 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm: Launch of A Taste of Corporate Life by Monica Pram. The moderator is Femida Pather.
• 4 pm to 5 pm: Launch of A Bend In The Road by Veena Pillay, who will be speaking to Siddhi Pillay.
• 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm: Waheeda Joosab will be in conversation with AMWASA writers, Safeera Kaka, Tasneema Gafoor Waheeda Ismail, Sumayya bint Muhamad and Fadila Moolla.
• 7 pm to 8 pm: Launch of Hime Street by Irene Fynn, who will be speaking to Lorraine Richards.
Sunday, December 1 – UNISA Press Prof Mazisi Kunene stage
• 10am to 11am: The Infinite Project for Chess and Autism by Kanthi Sarjoo Brown.
• 11.30 am to 12.30 pm: Publishing masterclass with Vasantha Angumuthu.
• 1 pm to 2 pm: Launch of Glimpses of Tongaat by Tholsi Mudly. The moderator is Prof Jaya Govender.
• 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm: Launch of Vivah, Hindu Marriage Rituals by Pundit Roshan Singh.
• 4 pm to 5 pm: Launch of Paddy Kearney, A Prophet For Our Time by Dr Raymond Perrier, who will be in conversation with Rev Andrew Warback of St Michael’s Anglican Church.
• 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm: DIBF 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award for Lerato Trok. Hosted by Kiru Naidoo.
• 7 pm to 8 pm: Launch of Made in Chatsworth – The Anniversary Edition and a screening of the documentary Made in Chatsworth.
Sunday, November 1 – DUT Cheryl Roberts stage
• 10 am to 11 am: Dirk Joubert (Larry Z), Johan Rich (Doors and Dangers). Roy Hewett will be in conversation with Tando Keke.
• 11.30 am to 12.30 pm: Panel discussion.
• 1 pm to 2 pm: Launch of Beethoven, Hadeda’s and Dutch Apples by Harold Samuel. The moderator is Robbie Naidoo.
• 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm: Launch of Writing Around The Wicket by Niren Tolsi.
• 4pm to 5 pm: Launch of Hindi Shiksa Sangh by Kavya Sangah.
• 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm: Launch of Documents of Indenture by Kiru Naidoo and Selvan Naidoo.
• 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm: A Social History From Below – Life Stories from Wentworth South Africa featuring Dr Gregory Houston, Heidi van Rooyen, Bronwyne Anderson, Darian Smith, Theresa Saber JNR, Maree Harold and Marilyn Couch. The moderator is Colin Fourie.
• 7pm to 8 pm: EDUVOS hosts the Minan Aziz Hassim Literary Award and the PSG People’s Choice Award.
Sunday, December 1 – Articulate Africa Alan Paton stage
• 10 am to 11 am: Naushad Khan speaks to Nirvashnee Naidu about Footprints on the Moon – Where the Lotus Flower Blooms and Flowers of the Earth.
• 11.30 am to 12.30 pm: The Adventures of Shiv and Arya by Shanrica Ganesh, who will be speaking to Sarita Mathur.
• 1 pm to 2 pm: Education in Dance meets Technology – learn to dance with the Ballet Lai book and free downloadable app. The session is led by Leagan Peffer-Davies.
• 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm: The Merebank Book Project – A Social Experiment by Jeven Padayachee, Viren Singh and Kumarasen Govender.
• 4 pm to 5 pm: Lorraine Richards will be talking to Selwyn Anderson about He Is Our Son.
• 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm: Ignite the Divine Spark by Nic Tsiforos.
• 7 pm to 8 pm: Andre Fidel Fernando on ESPN Crickinfo.
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