The Johannesburg Review of Books Vol. 5, Issue 2 (April 2021)
Wamuwi Mbao, Damon Galgut, Mercy Dhliwayo, Richard Poplak, Bhakti Shringarpure, Peace Adzo Medie, Femi Kayode, Panashe Chigumadzi, Phumlani Pikoli, Ayanda…
Category: South Africa
‘They say charity begins at home. But so does depression’—Mercy Dhliwayo talks to Jennifer Malec about her debut collection of short stories, Bringing Us Back
Mercy Dhliwayo chatted to The JRB Editor Jennifer Malec about family relationships, border jumping, and her debut collection of short…
[City Editor] The people who stare at the city—Lidudumalingani recognises Joburg’s street vendors, our unacknowledged everyday archivists
The man at the bottom of Johannesburg Road in Highlands North, where Berkswell Road intersects it, punching it from the…
‘I wanted to explore the “otherness” we feel when we go back home’—Femi Kayode talks to Jennifer Malec about his debut novel, Lightseekers
Femi Kayode chatted to The JRB Editor Jennifer Malec about being ‘other’ in your home country, the nature of evil, and his…
‘Black women’s imaginative works are wreaths lain on the graves of ancestors so that they may not weep.’—Read an excerpt from Panashe Chigumadzi’s essay ‘Hearing the Silence’
The JRB presents an excerpt from a new essay by The JRB Contributing Editor Panashe Chigumadzi, from Surfacing: On Being…
Read ‘Seasons Change’, a short story by the late Phumlani Pikoli, from his book The Fatuous State of Severity
Multidisciplinary artist and award-winning author Phumlani Pikoli passed away tragically this week, aged thirty-three. Phumlani was an inspiring and passionate…
‘Nobody is dead. It’s a word, that’s all.’—Read an exclusive excerpt from The Promise, the forthcoming novel by Damon Galgut
The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from The Promise, the new novel by Damon Galgut, which will be released in…
An autumn megamix playlist, compiled by Tymon Smith
The JRB presents tunes and accompanying editorial from our EAP member Tymon Smith. Just in time for the season’s change, here is this…
Poetry by Ayanda Billie, Siza Nkosi Mokhele, Maneo Mohale and Masai Sepuru from Years of Fire and Ash: South African Poems of Decolonisation
The JRB presents a selection of poetry from Years of Fire and Ash: South African Poems of Decolonisation, a new…
[Photo Editor] A portrait of Nawal El Saadawi (1931—2021) by Victor Dlamini
Victor Dlamini is The JRB’s Photo Editor. We feature his work on our Instagram channel. See this ten-year retrospective of his portraits. View this…
‘My mother does not remember how old she was when she buried the first of her children.’—Read an excerpt from Thenjiwe Mswane’s debut novel All Gomorrahs Are The Same
The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from All Gomorrahs Are The Same, the debut novel from Thenjiwe Mswane. All Gomorrahs…
[The JRB Daily] 2021 Commonwealth Short Story Prize shortlist announced—including Rémy Ngamije and Moso Sematlane
Header image, from top left: Moso Sematlane, Rémy Ngamije, Ola W Halim, Vincent Anioke and Franklyn Usouwa The shortlist for…
Phumlani Pikoli, 1988—2021, RIP
Multidisciplinary artist and award-winning author Phumlani Pikoli has died, aged thirty-three. According to a family statement, Pikoli was found dead…
[The JRB Daily] 2021 Humanities and Social Sciences Awards winners announced—including The JRB’s Makhosazana Xaba and Niq Mhlongo
The winners of the 2021 Humanities and Social Sciences Awards (HSS Awards) have been announced. The winners were announced at…
[The JRB Daily] ‘To be truly powerful is to have your own voice and tell your own story’—Read Zukiswa Wanner’s ‘career-defining’ Time of the Writer keynote address
The author, activist, founder of Afrolit Sans Frontieres and Goethe Medal winner Zukiswa Wanner gave the keynote address at the…
Chris Mann, 1948—2021, RIP
The noted South African poet, playwright, academic and performer Chris Mann has died, it has been reported. According to a…
The Johannesburg Review of Books Vol. 5, Issue 1 (February 2021)
Wamuwi Mbao, Lidudumalingani, Efemia Chela, Stephen Langtry, Lebohang Mojapelo, Kopano Maroga, Simon van Schalkwyk, Sanya Osha, Louisa Uchum Egbunike, Tymon…
To move about in an unkind world under the mark of racial blackness—Wamuwi Mbao reviews Scatterlings, the debut novel by Rešoketšwe Manenzhe
Wamuwi Mbao reviews Rešoketšwe Manenzhe’s novel Scatterlings, winner of the 2020 Dinaane Debut Fiction Award. ScatterlingsRešoketšwe ManenzheJacana Media, 2020 There…
Poetry as a short circuit in the machine of communication—Lidudumalingani talks to Simon van Schalkwyk about his debut collection, Transcontinental Delay
Guest City Editor Lidudumalingani talks to Academic Editor Simon van Schalkwyk about identity, memory, psychogeography, and his new poetry collection,…
African literature should be free to remain ‘a question to itself’—Lebohang Mojapelo reviews The Rise of the African Novel by Mukoma Wa Ngugi
In The Rise of the African Novel, Mukoma Wa Ngugi traces the way African literature has been a space to…
A Cape tragedy—Stephen Langtry reviews Martin Plaut’s new book Dr Abdullah Abdurahman: South Africa’s First Elected Black Politician
Whether we have learnt from the story of Dr Abdullah Abdurahman remains to be seen, writes Stephen Langtry. Martin Plaut’s…
New poetry by Kopano Maroga, from Jesus Thesis and Other Critical Fabulations
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents new poetry by Kopano Maroga, from their volume Jesus Thesis and Other Critical Fabulations,…
We’re still here—a playlist to kick off 2021, compiled by Tymon Smith
The JRB presents tunes and accompanying editorial from our EAP member Tymon Smith. So here we are in 2021, a supposed…
New poetry by Simon van Schalkwyk, from Transcontinental Delay
The Johannesburg Review of Books presents new poetry by Academic Editor Simon van Schalkwyk, from Transcontinental Delay, published by Dryad…
‘Calls for television grew louder in 1969, after the rest of the world got to see Neil Armstrong walk on the moon’—Read an excerpt from William Dicey’s new book 1986
The JRB presents an excerpt from 1986, the new book by William Dicey. 1986William DiceyPenguin Random House SA, 2021 ~~~…
[Photo Editor] ‘History’, a photograph by Victor Dlamini
Victor Dlamini is The JRB’s Photo Editor. We feature his work on our Instagram channel. See this ten-year retrospective of his work. View this…
‘August winds, unlike those of other months, always came armed with a purpose’—Read an excerpt from Lindiwe Nkutha’s debut short story collection 69 Jerusalem Street
The JRB presents an excerpt from the title story of 69 Jerusalem Street, the debut collection of short fiction by…
Gus Ferguson, 1940—2020, RIP
The publisher, poet, cartoonist and humourist Gus Ferguson has died in Cape Town. Born in 1940 in Scotland, Ferguson moved…
[The JRB Daily] Top 10 of 2020—a look back at our most popular articles of the year
This December marked the The JRB’s forty-second issue, the final issue of our fourth volume. With the new year just…
The Johannesburg Review of Books Vol. 4, Issue 10 (December 2020, The Fiction Issue)
Keletso Mopai • Byron Loker • Wamuwi Mbao • Sebastian Murdoch • Jarred Thompson • Richard de Nooy • Khaddafina…
[Fiction Issue] ‘Six Girls’, a new short story by Keletso Mopai
The JRB presents a new short story by Keletso Mopai. Six Girls I In 2004, we hugged our daughters and…
[Fiction Issue] ‘Koe(k)sisters’, a new short story by Jarred Thompson
The JRB presents a new short story by Jarred Thompson. Koe(k)sisters after Caroline Peters These days Oupa Ice-cream’s bell rings all…
[Fiction Issue] ‘Cobbled Together—A Lockdown Story’, new writing by Byron Loker
The JRB presents a new short story by Byron Loker. Cobbled Together: A Lockdown Story I live now on a…
[Fiction Issue] ‘In Search of an Exit’, an excerpt from a work-in-progress by Wamuwi Mbao
The JRB presents an excerpt from a work-in-progress by Wamuwi Mbao. In Search of an Exit It was a thoughtful…
[Fiction Issue] ‘Five Parables About My Personality’ by Richard de Nooy
The JRB presents new fiction by Richard de Nooy. Five Parables About My Personality 1. CuriousI steer my school bus…
[Fiction Issue] ‘Were there places in the world where neighbours would have greeted us instead of turning away?’—Read an excerpt from Yaa Gyasi’s new novel Transcendent Kingdom
The JRB presents an excerpt from Transcendent Kingdom, the new novel by Yaa Gyasi. Transcendent KingdomYaa GyasiViking, 2020 Read the…
[Fiction Issue] ‘i feel like my heritage is obstinate’—Read an excerpt from Masande Ntshanga’s new book, Native Life in the Third Millennium
The JRB presents an exclusive excerpt from Native Life in the Third Millennium, a limited edition poetry and short story…
[Fiction Issue] ‘This is my house! I just paid the money. I showed you the receipt.’—Read an excerpt from TJ Benson’s highly anticipated debut novel, The Madhouse
The JRB presents an excerpt from TJ Benson’s forthcoming debut novel, The Madhouse. The Madhouse TJ BensonPenguin Random House South…
[Fiction Issue] ‘Yho mme we! What am I going to do with you two? You look like a farmer going to his first business meeting.’—Read an excerpt from Angela Makholwa’s Critical But, Stable
The JRB presents an excerpt from Critical But, Stable, the new novel from Angela Makholwa. Critical But, StableAngela MakholwaPan Macmillan…
[Fiction Issue] ‘Oyinbo pepper, leave the Bush of Ghosts! Muzungu, go back to England!’—Read an excerpt from The Trial of Cecil John Rhodes by Adekeye Adebajo
The JRB presents an excerpt from Adekeye Adebajo’s forthcoming novella, The Trial of Cecil John Rhodes. The Trial of Cecil…