PAGECAST

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  Kitsie: Memoir of a Bomb-Squad Bok by Steven Kitshoff (with Nick Mallett) 23.09.2026 29мин

  "There was a job to be done." Legendary Springbok coach Nick Mallett sits down with former Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff for a rich, generous conversation on his new memoir Kitsie: Memoir of a Bomb-Squad Bok. They unpack the origins of the Bomb Squad — the name that came from a Wilder–Tyson press conference, the alignment inside the squad that made it work, and the selfless conversations that decided who would start and who would finish. Kitshoff reflects on being told he'd never play for the Boks, the call from Allister Coetzee that turned him and Amy around on a French motorway, and the culture of role clarity that turned three world-class props into an unstoppable unit alongside Malcolm Marx and Vincent Koch. Steven Kitshoff's new book is Kitsie: Memoir of a Bomb-Squad Bok, written with best-selling author Michael Vlismas. The memoir takes readers behind one of rugby's greatest careers — from schoolboy prodigy to two-time Rugby World Cup champion — and features personal recollections from Rassie Erasmus, Tendai "The Beast" Mtawarira and others. Steven Kitshoff is a former Springbok prop and two-time Rugby World Cup winner, admired both on and off the field for his discipline, humility and unwavering commitment to his team. Nick Mallett is a former Springbok head coach, rugby analyst and one of the most respected voices in the South African game.
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  The South African Cookbook by Nokx Majozi (with Zola Nene) 14.09.2026 36мин

  "An opportunity to hold and be held." This one is a joy from start to finish. Chef, food stylist and best-selling cookbook author Zola Nene sits down with Chef Nokx Majozi for a conversation that feels less like an interview and more like two sisters at the kitchen table. Together they unpack Nokx's beautiful debut, The South African Cookbook, and why it exists: the years of travelling the world and finding no book on South African food, the gap she quietly decided to fill, and the immense pride of her mother inviting the neighbours over to hold the book. They talk about the influences of both parents in her kitchen, the shouting culture Nokx refuses to carry forward, and what it means to lead a team with kindness rather than fear. Nokx Majozi's new book is The South African Cookbook, out now in-store and online across South Africa, the UK and EU. Nokx Majozi is Chef-in-Residence at Fallow restaurant in London and a proud ambassador for South African cuisine on the global stage. Zola Nene is a chef, food stylist, TV personality, and best-selling cookbook author. Her latest book is Simply More Zola.
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  Pagecast at OBF 2026: Athi-Patra Ruga and Lethogonolo Mokogroane in conversation 06.09.2026 11мин

  For the final episode of Pagecast at the 2026 Open Book Festival, Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane is joined by Athi-Patra Ruga. Athi-Patra Ruga is a South African multidisciplinary artist whose work explores archives, spirituality, colonial histories and speculative world-building across performance, film, tapestry, sculpture and installation. He is also the co-founder of Victory of the Word (VOW), a non-profit arts and research organisation focused on reimagining Southern African knowledge systems. Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane is a practising advocate and also a part-time in-counsel at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. They were named one of the Top 200 Young South Africans in 2018. In 2022, they formed part of the judging panel for the AKO Caine Prize for African Writing. #AthiPartaRuga #VictoryoftheWord #OpenBookFestival
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  Pagecast at OBF 2026: Natalie Sifuma and Alma-Nalisha Cele in conversation 06.09.2026 11мин

  Natalie Sifuma is a Kenyan writer, researcher, and consultant currently based in Cape Town. She is the founder of Sisters in Climate — a Pan-African climate initiative — and is completing an MPhil in Inclusive Innovation at UCT’s Graduate School of Business, with a focus on social impact, climate, and gender across Africa. She is also a 2026 BOOKED Trips Fellow, weaving together literary culture and travel as a form of place-based storytelling. Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane is a practising advocate and also a part-time in-counsel at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. They were named one of the top 200 Young South Africans in 2018. In 2022, they formed part of the judging panel for the Ako Caine Prize for African Writing. #Pagecast #NatalieSifuma #ClimateActivism #OpenBookFestival
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  Pagecast at OBF 2026: Sahra Noor and Lethogonolo Mokogroane in conversation 06.09.2026 16мин

  On this installment of Pagecast at the 2026 Open Book Festival studio, Lethogonolo Mokogroane is joined by Sahra Noor. Sahra is a Somali-American writer whose work explores belonging, migration, and the complicated work of building a life across cultures. Alongside her writing, she works in global health, supporting efforts to strengthen health systems across Africa, and contributes to scholarship on culturally responsive care and inclusive health system design. She is the author of Salt in the Snow. Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane is a practising advocate and also a part-time in-counsel at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. They were named one of the Mail and Guardian 200 Young South Africans in 2018. In 2022, they formed part of the judging panel for the Ako Caine Prize for African Writing. #Pagecast #SahraNoor #OpenBookFestival #SaltintheSnow
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  Pagecast at OBF 2026: Faraaz Mahomed and Alma-Nalisha Cele in conversation 06.09.2026 15мин

  Kicking off Sunday at Open Book Festival 2026, Faraaz Mahomed joins Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele in the Pagecast studio. Faraaz is a researcher in the field of mental health and human rights, based between New York and his native South Africa. His short stories and travel writing have appeared in Granta, Boston Review, The Georgia Review, The Sunday Times, and other publications. In 2016, he won the Commonwealth Short Story Prize for the African region with his story “The Pigeon”. His latest work is Motherland. Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele is a doctor, literary curator, and co-founder of The Cheeky Natives, a literary podcast focused on the review, curation and archiving of Black literature. #Pagecast #FaraazMahomed #ThePigeon #CommonwealthShortStoryPrize #OpenBookFestival
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  Pagecast at OBF 2026: Kirsten Deane and Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane in conversation 05.09.2026 16мин

  For the final recording on Saturday, Kirsten Deane joins Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane in the Pagecast studio at Open Book Festival 2026. Kirsten Deane is the lead editor of English Alive, South Africa’s oldest publication for high school students. Her writing has been published in journals nationally and internationally, and her debut collection, Disabled, But, was released by uHlanga Press in April 2026. Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane is a practising advocate and also a part-time in-counsel at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. They were named one of the Top 200 Young South Africans in 2018 and, in 2022, formed part of the judging panel for the Caine Prize for African Writing. #KirstenDeane #DisabledBut #DisabilityAwareness #Pagecast #OpenBookFestival
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  Pagecast at OBF 2026: Selali Fiamanya and Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane in conversation 05.09.2026 14мин

  Next to join Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane in the Pagecast studio at Open Book Festival 2026 is debut novelist Selali Fiamanya. Selali was born and raised in Glasgow, with a couple of years spent in Accra, Ghana. He won a place on the inaugural Breakthrough Novel-Writing Course for Black Writers, run by Curtis Brown Creative. He is currently undertaking his GP training in Scotland. Before We Hit the Ground is his debut novel. It asks what it means to love and be loved in return, offering an intimate portrait of a family and one man’s struggle to find his place. Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane is a practising advocate and also a part-time in-counsel at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. They were named one of the Top 200 Young South Africans in 2018 and, in 2022, formed part of the judging panel for the Caine Prize for African Writing. #Pagecast #SelaliFiamanya #BeforeWeHitTheGround #OpenBookFestival #QueerWriting
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  Pagecast at OBF 2026: Lọlá Ákínmádé and Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele in conversation 05.09.2026 13мин

  Next up in the Pagecast studio at Open Book Festival 2026, Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele is joined by bestselling author, keynote speaker and award-winning photographer Lọlá Ákínmádé. Lọlá's work has appeared in National Geographic, BBC, CNN, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Travel, The Daily Telegraph, The New York Times and Lonely Planet, among others. She has received multiple awards for her work, including being named a 2022 Hasselblad Heroine and receiving the 2018 Travel Photographer of the Year Bill Muster Award. In 2018, she was also honoured with a MIPAD 100 (Most Influential People of African Descent) recognition in media and culture, and her work is held in the National Geographic Image Collection. Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele is a doctor, literary curator and co-founder of The Cheeky Natives, a literary podcast focused on the review, curation and archiving of Black literature. #Pagecast #LolaAkinmade #TravelWriting #OpenBookFestival #Photography
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  Pagecast at OBF 2026: Jessica Horn and Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele in conversation 05.09.2026 15мин

  Joining Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele in the Pagecast studio at Open Book Festival 2026 is (East) African feminist practitioner, writer, ideamonger and award-winning poet, Jessica Horn. Her book, African Feminist Praxis: Cartographies of Liberatory Worldmaking (Sage, 2025), chronicles decades of feminist mobilisation. Taking her archival passion into film, she recently directed The Temple of Her Skin, a feature documentary exploring African women’s journeys with tattooing and scarification. Jessica is the founder of Hindura Studios, a Nairobi-based social design agency grounded in futures and feminist thinking, and the host of The Beautiful Policy Podcast. Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele is a doctor, literary curator and co-founder of The Cheeky Natives, a literary podcast focused on the review, curation and archiving of Black literature. #Pagecast #JessicaHorn #AfricanFeminism #AfricanFeministPraxis #OpenBookFestival
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  Pagecast at OBF 2026: Krystle Zara Appiah and Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele in conversation 05.09.2026 17мин

  Joining Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele next in the Pagecast studio at Open Book Festival 2026 is Krystle Zara Appiah, a British-Ghanaian writer, editor and screenwriter based in London. In 2020, Krystle was one of 40 writers selected for the London Library’s Emerging Writers Programme. Her debut novel, Rootless, was highly acclaimed, with Harper’s Bazaar heralding Krystle as “one of Britain’s best new writers”. Her latest novel, Half Lives, is an emotional gut-punch of a story about the enduring power of love and what it can withstand before it breaks. Dr Alma-Nalisha Cele is a doctor, literary curator and co-founder of The Cheeky Natives, a literary podcast focused on the review, curation and archiving of Black literature. #Pagecast #KrystleZaraAppiah #HalfLives #OpenBookFestival #AfricanLiterature
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  Pagecast at OBF 2026: I.O. Echeruo and Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane in conversation 05.09.2026 13мин

  Joining Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane of The Cheeky Natives is I.O. Echeruo, author of the debut novel The Comfort of Distant Stars - a bold coming-of-age tale where physics, philosophy and Igbo cosmology collide. Echeruo's debut story collection, Expert in All Styles, was published by Nigerian publisher Farafina, and his short fiction has appeared in Transition and Eclectica magazines. The Comfort of Distant Stars, is a bold coming-of-age tale blending physics, philosophy and Igbo cosmology to explore how we understand our place in the universe. It asks some of the biggest questions we all grapple with about the nature of time and existence, ultimately revealing the startling vulnerability of the human mind. Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane is a practising advocate and part-time in-counsel at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. They were named one of the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans in 2018 and, in 2022, formed part of the judging panel for the Caine Prize for African Writing.
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  Worth the Fight: Fixing Failure in South African Schools by Jonathan Jansen (with Janet Heard) 31.08.2026 32мин

  "What does it take to turn a working-class school around?" Distinguished Professor Jonathan Jansen went back to school. Not to lecture, but to teach Grade 10 Physical Science, sit in the principal's office, and help fix a Cape Flats high school that had produced the worst matric results in the Western Cape. Journalist and founder of The Education Desk Janet Heard sits down with him for a searching conversation on his new book Worth the Fight: Fixing Failure in South African Schools, and what two years inside a failing school taught him about the education system, the children caught in it, and what real change actually requires. Jonathan Jansen's new book is Worth the Fight: Fixing Failure in South African Schools. Part memoir, part case study and part call to action, this is essential reading for parents, educators, policy makers and anyone who cares about the future of South Africa's children. Jonathan Jansen is Distinguished Professor of Education at Stellenbosch University. The eldest son of a preacher and a nurse, he grew up on the Cape Flats and was a biology teacher in the Cape before studies abroad and a long career in South African university leadership. Janet Heard is a writer, editor and media leader whose early career was forged during South Africa's transition to democracy. She is the founder of The Education Desk, an independent non-profit newsroom dedicated to in-depth coverage of the country's education system.
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  Summerween by Joss Wood (with Ute Hermanus) 21.08.2026 24мин

  "Love needs to be fought for." A dancer on a man-free summer. A trauma surgeon working out his PTSD. And two ghosts with a lot of opinions. Ute Hermanus is in conversation with best-selling romance author Joss Wood on Summerween, and the delicious push-and-pull of a friends-to-lovers story where neither party is looking for love. They talk about writing characters who become each other's soft place to land, why every choice in a Joss Wood book comes with a consequence, and why she refuses to write a woman who has to give up her career for a man. Plus: the ghosts, the witches, the BTS references, and why Luna the crap witch kept trying to hijack the book. Joss Wood's new book is Summerween. Professional dancer Wren Callahan's plan for the summer is to sip margaritas by the lake, bask in anonymity, and dodge any drama from her ex. Instead, her meddling godmother Luna — Halloween Town's mayor and resident white witch — ropes her into choreographing a teen performance at the first Summerween festival. Joss Wood is a best-selling romance author. Ute Hermanus is a radio host and presenter at KFM 94.5, and a devoted book lover.
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  Held, Portrait of the Black Family, a memoir by Lulama Mali (with Hlonipha Mokoena) 17.08.2026 34мин

  "I write from a place of scarring instead of being wounded." Professor Hlonipha Mokoena sits down with writer, cultural worker and music industry professional Lulama Mali for a rich, unhurried conversation on her debut memoir Held: A Portrait of the Black Family. They talk about the choice of memoir as a form, the freedom of writing from memory rather than fact, and Lulama's deliberate use of words like "sacred", "quiet" and "silence" to invite the reader into a particular mood. Hlonipha presses on the word "portrait" in the title, and Lulama unpacks how, growing up as a photographer, she came to think of family as a collage, made up of many hands and many households. The conversation moves through township life, mother's union Thursdays, and the raising of black children in community rather than nuclear isolation. Lulama Mali's debut memoir is Held: A Portrait of the Black Family. At its heart, Held is the story of a girl raised by her grandparents in a house where grief and jazz shared the air, where books and politics coexisted with the daily rhythms of survival, and where abundance was measured not in wealth but in ritual, memory, and care. Lulama Mali is a writer, cultural worker and music industry professional. She is the founder and managing director of Round Square Management and Consultancy, working across artist management, A&R, performance photography, and creative activism. Professor Hlonipha Mokoena is a historian and the Director of the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research (WISER). She is the author of The Nightwatchman: Representing Black Men in Colonial South Africa (Wits University Press) and Magema Fuze: The Making of a Kholwa Intellectual.
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  The Ego Trip by Kimon de Greef (with Dan Corder) 11.08.2026 30мин

  "There's patent litigation right now over the God molecule. I just think it's the most absurd thing." What happens when an ethereal, ego-dissolving experience runs headlong into big pharma? Dan Corder chats to journalist Kimon de Greef on The Ego Trip, and the strange final act of the toad story: 5-MeO-DMT quietly becoming one of the smart bets to be the next clinical psychedelic treatment. They talk about why a half-hour trip is so seductive to a market-driven industry, the patent wars already breaking out over the God molecule, and the push to administer it without any accompanying psychotherapy at all. Kimon also makes a plea for the toads themselves, magnificent, grotesque creatures being tossed into buckets, over-milked and left in the sun as the movement they never asked to be part of goes global. Kimon de Greef's new book is The Ego Trip: Psychedelic Toads, a Trail of Deaths, and the Guru Who Peddled Transcendence. Kimon de Greef is one of the most important non-fiction writers working today. His work has appeared in National Geographic, The Guardian, The New Yorker and The New York Times, and his previous book, Poacher, drew wide acclaim. Dan Corder is an award-winning political comedian, news commentator, TV, radio and podcast host. The latest episode of Pagecast is out now!
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  Zama Zama by Graeme Coetzer (with Chris Gibbons) 03.08.2026 27мин

  "It looked apocalyptic." Veteran journalist Chris Gibbons sits down with journalist, TV producer and best-selling author Graeme Coetzer for a gripping conversation on Zama Zama: Inside the Illicit Mining Underworld. Together they unpack fifteen years of investigation into South Africa's illegal gold economy: from the desperate miners going underground to earn a wage, to the organised crime syndicates making billions off their labour. Graeme describes the astonishing VAT scam that saw stolen gold sold at a premium, the cottage industry of forged invoices and stolen ID books propping it up, and how a single company was accused of laundering an estimated 22 billion rand through the racket. He also revisits the tragedy at Buffelsfontein, where 74 people died underground, and shares the surreal story of one Zama who climbed 1.5 kilometres up an abandoned shaft to save his own life. Graeme Coetzer's new book is Zama Zama: Inside the Illicit Mining Underworld. Graeme Coetzer is a journalist, TV producer and best-selling author whose long-form investigations for Carte Blanche have delved into every layer of South Africa's illicit mining world. Chris Gibbons is a veteran South African journalist and broadcaster.
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  Six Days in Bombay by Alka Joshi (with Joanne Joseph) 27.07.2026 25мин

  "I love this phrase you've used - explain ourselves to ourselves." Joanne Joseph sits down with best-selling author Alka Joshi for a rich, expansive conversation on Six Days in Bombay. Together they unpack why Alka only came to novel writing later in life, the mother whose real story became the seed of The Henna Artist, and the painter Amrita Sher-Gil, "the Frida Kahlo of India", whose bold, uncompromising life inspired the character of Mira. They talk about the responsibility of writing historical fiction with care, the meticulous research behind Alka's immersive worlds, and the layered ways women in her novels travel outward to find their way back to themselves. It's also a wider conversation about heritage, colonisation, and why literature matters as a tool for explaining ourselves to ourselves. Alka Joshi's new book is Six Days in Bombay. Inspired by the life of Amrita Sher-Gil, it follows nurse Sona as she carries a cryptic note and four paintings across a Europe teetering toward war, in search of the truth about the woman who left them in her care, and about herself. Alka Joshi is the best-selling author of The Henna Artist and the Jaipur Trilogy. Her books have been translated into nearly 30 languages. Joanne Joseph is a TV and radio presenter, producer, and writer, and the author of Children of Sugarcane and Drug Muled.
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  The Persian by David McCloskey (with Lester Kiewit) 20.07.2026 33мин

  What happens when a former CIA analyst turns his hand to fiction? Lester Kiewit chats to David McCloskey about The Persian, a sophisticated, atmospheric thriller that pulls readers deep into the shadow war between Iran and Israel, and the human cost of living a double life. David McCloskey's new book is The Persian. Layered with intrigue, shifting loyalties and geopolitical danger, the novel follows Kamran Esfahani, an Iranian dentist recruited by the Mossad, whose life unravels after a single operation goes terribly wrong. Smart, fast-paced and atmospheric, it's a compelling read for fans of intelligent spy fiction. David McCloskey is a former CIA analyst and best-selling author of intelligent spy fiction. Lester Kiewit is the host of the CapeTalk Breakfast show.
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  A Food Love Story by Onezwa Mbola (with Star Senamile Shongwe) 13.07.2026 28мин

  In this episode of Pagecast, food enthusiast, recipe creator, and social media sensation Onezwa Mbola joins storyteller and marketing professional Star Senamile Shongwe for a warm conversation about her debut book, A Food Love Story. Onezwa traces her culinary journey from her mother's kitchen in a rural Eastern Cape seaside village, through destinations around the world, and back home again - a story about how food connects us to the people and places we love most. As a mother, she shares that love with her son and with the million-plus followers who have made her one of South Africa's most beloved voices in home cooking. A Food Love Story is filled with wholesome recipes and the kind of warmth that makes you want to head straight to the kitchen. A Food Love Story is out now and available at all good bookstores.