Mail & Guardian Johannesburg Literary Festival 2011

 
Next weekend, I plan on going to the Mail & Guardian Johannesburg Literary Festival at the Market Theatre in Newtown. The festival runs from  2-4 September and hosts a variety of panel discussions which discuss Jo'burg as "both an African city and a world city" against a literary backdrop.

Here's the programme if you are interested. There's some really rad speakers on the panels. I'm eyeing   sessions 4, 5 and 7.

September 2
Keynote address -- The Johannesburg moment
Time: 6.30pm for 7pm
Venue: Main Theatre
Professor Karl von Holdt -- The Johannesburg Moment

September 3
Session 1 -- Not in black and white
Time: 9.30am to 11 am
Venue: Main Theatre
Chair: Darryl Accone
Panel: Fiona Forde
Antjie Krog
Sandile Memela
Andile Mngxitama

Session 2 -- Jo'burg: Renewing, restoring, reviewing
Time:11.30am to 1 pm
Venue: Kippies
Chair: Steven Sack
Panel: Gerald Garner
Noor Nieftagodien
Achille Mbembe
Matthew Wilhelm-Solomon

Session 3 -- Memories of the city
Time: 11.30am to 1pm
Venue: Laager Theatre
Chair: Jon Hyslop
Panel: Leslie Bank
Denis Hirson
Ufrieda Ho
Mbulelo Mzamane
Chris van Wyk

Session 4 -- Poetry
Time: 1.30om to 2.15pm
Venue: Kippies
Ingrid de Kock and Denis Hirson

Session 5 -- Workers of the world unite: Labour, the ANC and history
Time: 2.30pm to 4pm
Venue: Kippies
Chair: Nic Dawes
Panel: Kally Forrest
Susan Booysen
Moeletsi Mbeki

Session 6 -- Science fiction and fantasy in the city
Time: 2.30pm to 4pm
Venue: Laager Theatre
Chair: Gwen Ansell
Panel: Lauren Beukes
Louis Greenberg
Tom Learmont
Sarah Lotz

Session 7 -- Aspects of the South African novel
Time: 4.30pm to 6pm
Venue: Laager Theatre
Chair: Craig MacKenzie
Jane Rosenthal
Leon de Kock
Karabo Kgoleng

September 4
Session 8 -- Memory is the Weapon
Time: 9.30am to 11am
Venue: Main Theatre
Chair: Nic Dawes
Panel: Hugh Lewin
Ronnie Kasrils

Session 9 -- New writing from the city
Time: 11.45am to 1pm
Venue: Laager Theatre
Chair: Maureen Isaacson
Panel: Cynthia Jele
Jassy Mackenzie
Henrietta Rose-Innes 

These are some of the speakers that will be on the various panel discussions. Image of Antjie Krog (left) taken by Karina Turok. Found via this website. Image of Lauren Beukes (top right) taken by Victor Dlamini. Found via this website. Image of Moeletsi Mbeki (bottom right) taken by Jane Mingay. Found via this website.

If you want more information about the festival, or would like to book your seat, visit the Mail & Guardian's website. 

PS. I'm sorry that I have neglected you, poor poor blog. Varsity has been keeping me very busy indeed. I will try to pay more attention to you, I promise.