Open Book Fest has it covered...

Open Book Festival has partnered with the African Centre for Cities (ACC) for the third consecutive year to bring festival-goers a number of city-focused panel discussions. 

This year’s sessions are aligned to key areas of ACC’s research, namely transport, housing, urban food systems and socio-spatial integration in Cape Town. While the sessions draw on work by the centre,they bring together diverse voices from the public, private and civil society organisations for vigorous and rigorous debate about these issues that affect Capetonians and urban citizens more broadly.

Don't miss the conversation about food sustainability with Leonie Joubert, Zayaan Kahn, Mpho Tshukudu and Jane Battersby at Busting Food Myths.

Catch the conversation about inclusive mobility at Accessing the City, and about inclusivity and housing at Housing in the City.

Join Edgar Pieterse and Mandisa Dyantyi for the launch of The Integration Syndicate: Shifting Cape Town’s Socio-Spatial Debate, a book that is the culmination of a dialogical forum on the obstacles and solutions to socio-spatial integration in the Cape Town metropolitan region with leaders from a cross-section of institutions in the city.

Join panellists Amy Davison (Head of Climate Change, City of Cape Town), Anna Steynor (head of climate services at the Climate System Analysis Group, UCT), Sarah Wild (South Africa’s Guide to Surviving Climate Change) and Dianne Scott (Senior Researcher, ACC) for a discussion about possible futures in a world where climate change is an increasingly significant reality.

And now for something completely different...

Not to worry – there will be events which will elicit more than just a hearty guffaw!

Join comedians Tumi Morake and Lesego Tlhabi (the comedian behind Coconut Kelz) as they speak to Pumla Gqola about celebrating irreverence at Zero Fucks. Coconut Kelz herself will also be present on Thursday, September 5 to discuss her new book, Surviving this Shithole, with Sara-Jayne King.

Two annual favourites are returning: Writersports and Conversations with Mohale. This year’s Writersports is the Food Edition, where MC Anne Hirsch will find out about disasters at the dinner table with Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Nicole Dennis-Benn, Mohale Mashigo, Wamuwi Mbao, Masande Ntshanga and Chase Rhys.

Finally, join a panel of fabulous women talking about healthy feminisms at the entertaining Conversations with Mohale – Pumla Gqola, Carmen Maria Machado and Sisonke Msimang. 

ACC EVENTS

• Climate Change: Amy Davison, Anna Steynor and Sarah Wild speak to Dianne Scott about possible futures. Wednesday, September 4, 6pm to 7pm, A4 Ground. Book tickets here
  
  
• Busting Food Myths: Leonie Joubert, Zayaan Khan and Mpho Tshukudu speak to Jane Battersby about food sustainability in urban spaces. Presented by ACC. Friday, September 6, 10am to 11am, Fugard Studio. Book tickets here
  
  
• Housing and the City: Nobukhosi Ngwenya and representatives from NU and DAG speak to Mercy Brown-Luthango about inclusivity and housing. Friday, September 6, 2pm to 3pm, Fugard Studio. Book tickets here
  
  
• Accessing the City: Sean Cooke, Bonginkosi Madikizela and Zukiswa Vuka speak to David Schmidt about inclusive mobility. Presented by ACC. Friday, September 6, 4pm to 5pm, Fugard Theatre. Book tickets here
  
  
• Integration Syndicate: Join Edgar Pieterse and Mandisa Dyantyi at the launch of The Integration Syndicate: Shifting Cape Town’s Socio-Spatial Debate. Chaired by Megan Rusi. Presented by ACC. Friday, September 6, 6pm to 7pm, Fugard Theatre. Book tickets here

Laughter is the best muti 

• Surviving this Shithole: Coconut Kelz gives Sara-Jayne King tips on making it in SA.  Thursday, September 5, 8pm to 9pm, Fugard Theatre. Book tickets here
  
  
• Zero Fucks: Tumi Morake and Lesego Tlhabi speak to Pumla Gqola about celebrating irreverence. Friday, September 6, 6pm to 7pm, Fugard Studio. Book tickets here
  
  
• Conversations with Mohale: Pumla Gqola, Carmen Maria Machado and Sisonke Msimang speak to Mohale Mashigo about healthy feminisms. Friday, September 6, 8pm to 9pm, Fugard Theatre. Book tickets here
  
  
• Writersports: The Food Edition: MC Anne Hirsch finds out about disasters at the dinner table with Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Nicole Dennis-Benn, Mohale Mashigo, Wamuwi Mbao, Masande Ntshanga and Chase Rhys. Presented by Novus Holdings. Sunday, September 8, 2pm to 3pm, Fugard Studio. Book tickets here

See these events and others in the programme or the downloadable PDF. The printed programme will shortly be available at various other locations including the Fugard Theatre, the District 6 Homecoming Centre and libraries.

As in the past, attendees will need a ticket to access all events (even the free ones) unless otherwise stated. Book your place through Webtickets. To book directly from the box office at the Book Lounge, contact Mervyn Sloman at openbooktickets@gmail.com.

If you are planning to spend those five days going to as many events as possible, it may be worth purchasing either a day pass (R150) or a festival pass (R600). Both are available through Webtickets. Please note that the passes allow you to book for almost all events, but free events as well as some workshops and food events planned are not available through the pass options.

Keep an eye on the website to stay up to date with the changes to the programme – the nature of running something like this is that you can be sure that there will be changes! Changes will be made to the site, but will not reflect on the printed programme or on the downloadable PDF. 

• Article provided by Open Book