culturelatest news & developments
A deeper voice: Bubu’s album, Folklore Chapter One, was the seed of the Folklore Festival that has become an ecosystem stretching across disciplines and inviting conversation.

Pilane Bubu and the work of remembering through folklore

Through its KinFolk theme, the Folklore Festival returns to the work of connection, bridging generations, regions and disciplines to reimagine how South Africa remembers, archives and sustains its cultural voice

Award-winning model scout, pageant coach, fashion producer and media entrepreneur,
Kgomotso Seboko. Photo: Supplied

Kgomotso Seboko: The man finding Africa’s next top models

From launching a modelling academy to discovering global talent, Seboko’s journey reaches new heights at Paris Fashion Week

More than a game: How South Africans wear sport like a second skin

In South Africa, sport isn’t a hobby parked in a corner of life. It’s a social language. It decides what time people arrive at a family visit, how loud the TV gets on a Saturday, and whether the Monday mood feels light or heavy. Football brings the weekly heartbeat – league matches, cup ties, derbies […]

Reading resistance: Books that archive courage, dissent and institutional memory

South Africa’s fragile freedoms are recorded in classrooms, songs and satire. These books archive courage, dissent and institutional memory

Will they/won’t they: Will Zoleka (Sivenathi Mabuya-Bukani) and Kagiso (Bohang Moeko) make it down the aisle in one piece. Photo: Netflix

Netflix reimagining December viewing

The streaming giant and local filmmakers are reshaping festive storytelling with relatable, binge-worthy South African stories

The protagonist Mkhondwana, portrayed by Thembekile Komani.
Photo: Mzansi Magic

A love letter to AmaMpondo

Mpondoland brings the rich history, spirituality and resilience of AmaPondo to screen, exploring identity, community and the fight for economic freedom

The Luxurious Marble Circus

Festivals: When celebration becomes a catalyst for change

Events such as the Luxurious Marble Circus is backed by sponsorship that brings people together, creates jobs and is a driver for social and environmental change

In the name of equality: Justice Jody Kollapen’s ruling has extended the rights of men. Photo The South African Judiciary

What’s in a name? The concourt rules on surnames

The concourt’s decision extends equality in that men can now take their wives’ surnames, but not everyone agrees that this move is liberating

Fun: YouthX Day at Constitution Hill promises a stacked line-up. Photo: Supplied

Diary: YouthX Festival, Routes of Sound at Spier Wine Farm, , Grave Injustice Exhibition

Your essential dose of art and culture

On the right page: Children’s book author and executive director of Nal’ibali, Lorato Trok. Photo: Supplied

Lorato Trok: Writing our languages back into the story

Author speaks of her dedication to keeping indigenous languages alive through children’s books and her hopes for the growth of South African languages

Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse. Photo: Lindo Mbhele

Sipho Hotstix Mabuse calls for a political ‘revolution’

‘The poetry and music of revolutionary poets should come to the fore to tame the unreasonableness of our politicians who are failing us by serving themselves and not the people’

South Africans have formed a common state nationalism quite fast despite socio-economic differences and cleavages. (Photo by Frennie Shivambu/Gallo Images via Getty Images)

Is South Africa a nation?

There is a need for deliberate, inclusive strategies to bridge ethnic and racial cleavages and foster a more equitable and unified national identity

The grand-scale production Calling Us Home — The Musical is set to begin an ambitious multi-country tour across Africa, starting in Durban in 2025. (Photo supplied)

Diary: Christmas at The Big Top Arena, Keenan Meyer live, Calling Us Home

Your weekly dose of essential arts and culture

As Africans, it is our duty to preserve and protect our surnames, especially in an age of globalisation, where the African renaissance offers hope for unity, peace and sustainable development.

Surnames preserve and conserve African culture and heritage

Traditional names tell stories, full of cultural significance and indigenous knowledge, passed down through the ages

Pindrop: Johannesburg’s libraries in the suburbs are in various stages of disrepair. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Joburg libraries are a place where books go to die

The closure of the city’s biggest library is a loss to the public, and some of the other libraries are also battling to keep the culture of books alive

Greg Solomon, Chief Executive Officer at McDonald’s South Africa and Marks Thibela, Chief Executive Officer at CATHSSETA.

McDonald’s South Africa collaborates with CATHSSETA to develop workforce

Continuous skills development is crucial to enable the youth to adapt to changing job markets and technological advancements

Children’s book on Palestine gets blowback

The colouring book, designed to be both educational and engaging for children, aims to introduce young readers to Palestine’s history, culture and notable figures through an interactive format

Delicious Festival Trader Academy Powered by FoodBev SETA in partnership with CATHSSETA launches next leg of SMME development programme

The academy helps small businesses to gain exposure and access to market opportunities so they can reach their full potential

Blending still life with portraiture, Gratrix invites viewers into a world where home, community and creativity converge.

Diary: Gratrix in Jozi, Lady Skollie for the Mother City, Jokes and Jazz

Your essential dose of art and culture

Eat your heart out: The Artivist Brunch Club is set to become a monthly event. Photo: Lefa Ditshego/Artivist 2024

Artivist: Brunch is music to the palate

Joburg’s arty gather in Braamfontein for Artivist’s new event with renowned chef Katlego Mlambo