South African poetry since 2014

uHlanga at the 2025 Open Book Festival

August 5, 2025

Six uHlanga poets will take part in nine events during this year's Open Book Festival in Cape Town, from 5–7 September 2025 – Kopano Maroga, Athambile Masola, Manthipe Moila, Nick Mulgrew, Maneo Mohale, and Pieter Madibuseng Odendaal.

Make sure to join us for a special ten-year uHlanga reading on Saturday afternoon from 17:00 at the Book Lounge.

Elsewhere our authors will be touching on topics as diverse as artificial intelligence, queer anxiety and imagination, recovering feminist histories, first-person poetics, and even a one-on-one interview between Maneo Mohale and Zimbabwean superstar Tsitsi Dangarembga.

The events featuring uHlanga poets are below, in order of date and time. Click on any image below to take you through to the event page, on which you can buy tickets!

About uHlanga

uHlanga is a small South African poetry press run by Nick Mulgrew.

Our books are available to order from all retail bookstores in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. Our distributors are Protea Distribution in Cape Town and can be reached at +2721 001 7618.

Outside of South Africa, many of our books are available print-on-demand through the African Books Collective.

On social media

Open Book needs us — and we need Open Book! For over a decade, Open Book Festival has been a cornerstone of literary life in Cape Town and across Southern Africa. uHlanga and our poets have always found a home at Open Book: on stages, in conversations, and in the generous spirit that defines the festival. Now, they're asking for support to keep that spirit alive. If you believe in literature that speaks to our time and place, consider contributing to their crowdfunding campaign. Let’s help ensure this extraordinary space for words and ideas continues! For sponsorship enquiries, contact Frankie at: frankie@openbookfestival.co.za | To donate, head to our link in bio. #uHlanga #poetry #poemspoemspoems #OpenBook #OpenBookLiteraryFestival

“the blossom knows not the violence it has done unto the bud this is what it means to bloom” In a riotous, innovative and unapologetic display of self-exposure, self-examination and self-love, @kopano.maroga appropriates and creates a (sometimes literal) collage of religious imagery, sexual want, and embodiedness – eventually widening their gaze to encompass the realities faced by black, queer, femme and trans folk in South Africa and further afield. Indeed, these are poems of pain, loss, introspection, and regret; but they are also works of great and usual beauty, depth, desire, and ambition – in sum, the evidence of a powerful new voice in South African poetry. 📗 Buy ‘Jesus Thesis and Other Critical Fabulations’ now at our link in bio. Author 📸 by Katinka Bester #uHlanga #poetry #poemspoemspoems #KopanoMaroga #poet #JesusThesisPoems

We’re proud to announce that Dayspring by C.J. Driver — co-published with @@karavanpress — has made the longlist for the 2025 Sunday Times Literary Award for Nonfiction. A warm congratulations to all the longlisted writers!