The Johannesburg Festival of Women Writers 2025 will be hosted in South Africa’s commercial capital on Sunday, March 9, 2025.
The Johannesburg Festival of Women Writers is an initiative hosted by the University of Johannesburg’s Johannesburg Institute of Advanced Studies. Founded by South African poet, educator, and activist Barbara Masekela and first hosted in 2023, it showcases and celebrates the work of women writers. It fosters intergenerational conversations between writers, encourages new writers, promotes a culture of reading by creating dynamic and interactive links between writers, readers, and publishers, and promotes book sales. The 2024 edition had Margaret Busby as headliner.
This year’s festival with the theme “African Women’s Writing in the 21st Century” returns to the University of Johannesburg on Sunday. It explores the evolving landscape of African women’s literature, examining how contemporary writers shape narratives, challenge conventions, and reimagine futures. This will be done using engaging and immersive panel discussions and workshops, allowing attendees to connect with and purchase African women’s literature.
This year’s keynote speaker is writer and feminist Barbara Boswell, an Associate Professor at the University of Cape Town and winner of the University of Johannesburg’s Debut Creative Writing Prize. She is the author of the novels Grace and The Comrade’s Wife, and edited Lauretta Ngcobo: Writing as a Practice of Freedom.
Some of the other guests will be Angela Makholwa, Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo, Lorato Trok, Lorraine Sithole, Nozibele Mayaba, Pontsho Pilane, Dr. Alma Nalisha Cele, Dudu Nhlabathi Madonsela, Khethiwe Marais, Nkanyezi Tshabalala, Xoli Madlala, Gail Schimmel, Makhosazana Xaba, Duduzile Noeleen Ngwenya and Siphokazi Jones.
You can register for the festival here.
Leave a Reply