Fred Khumalo dismantles the rising refrain that “things were better under apartheid,” exposing it as a dangerous nostalgia that sanitises tyranny and misdiagnoses the failures of the present.

There are few things sweeter in the beautiful game than watching a lumbering, self-righteous giant brought down to earth by the sheer grit, artistry, and defiance of the underdog, writes Fred Khumalo.

A closer scrutiny of March and March leaders’ source of revenue needs to be intensified in the interests of national security, writes Fred Khumalo.

Since its premiere on Netflix last week, The Polygamist has had viewers talking. Fred Khumalo looks at how the gripping series transforms Sue Nyathi’s novel into a binge-worthy exploration of modern polygamy, power, and an irredeemably corrupt man.

Fred Khumalo recounts a chilling firsthand encounter in his KwaZulu-Natal hometown that reveals the simmering, volatile tensions between locals and foreign nationals, warning that planned nationwide protests on 30 June could spiral into deadly violence reminiscent of the township’s dark days during apartheid.

For all her faults – and there are many – Winnie Mandela was abused by the apartheid state, betrayed by her husband and humiliated by the movement she spent her entire life promoting in the country at the height of apartheid.

In a candid Books and Beverages conversation with Fred Khumalo, Zimbabwean-born memoirist Peter Godwin reflects on family, exile, and craft as he tours for Exit Wounds and readies a nonfiction writing guide.

Mfundi Vundla, a name synonymous with the golden age of South African television, is once again proving that his creative genius knows no bounds.

More than a writer, Zukiswa Wanner lives the stories she tells, from navigating the complexities of post-apartheid identity on the page to bearing witness on a humanitarian voyage towards Gaza. Her work reminds us that storytelling isn’t separate from the world; it’s how we make sense of it, challenge it and, ultimately, connect through it.

Over the years, the festival has become a cornerstone of SA’s cultural calendar, attracting literary luminaries and fostering a vibrant exchange of ideas, writes Fred Khumalo.