Polity SA
‘The situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is very similar to that of apartheid South Africa’ – John Dugard discusses his book Confronting Apartheid
John Dugard discusses his book Confronting Apartheid: A Personal History of South Africa, Namibia and Palestine with Polity SA.
‘It thrills me to trick the reader’ – Beyers de Vos chats about his gripping debut novel, Talion
The novel follows the story of a young student from Pretoria named Freya, who sees her twin brother murdered in front of her.
Watch an interview with Khaya Dlanga chatting about his new book These Things Really Do Happen To Me
In These Things Really Do Happen To Me, Khaya Dlanga shares some of the most embarrassing, joyful and hilarious events of his life, from his childhood until today.
‘Bitcoin has the potential to change the world’ – Mpho Dagada chats about his book Mr Bitcoin: How I Became a Millionaire at 21
‘The world needs to look up and notice that something that has the potential to change the world has risen among us. And that being Bitcoin.’
‘If we don’t write about Fees Must Fall ourselves, someone else will’ – Rekgotsofetse Chikane chats about Breaking a Rainbow, Building a Nation
‘There was a professor at UCT who […] wrote the first Feel Must Fall book. It was a horrible depiction of the movement, completely misled, had no insight on what was happening inside the movement.’
‘There is a stigma when you are dark skinned in this country’ – Clinton Chauke discusses his book Born in Chains: The Diary of an Angry ‘Born-Free’
‘With skin colour and complexion and skin tone, they judge your beauty, they judge your humanness, with the legacy of apartheid. I struggled with that, I got mocked. So that is also one of the “chains” from the title Born in Chains.’
‘He just took over the story’ – Máire Fisher chats about the main character in her new novel The Enumerations
In The Enumerations, Fisher scrupulously explores the effects of mental conditions on a family. She shows the great power of those who hold us as we learn to harness the strength within us.
‘I think anyone could enjoy this book’ – Kate Sidley chats about 100 Mandela Moments
‘It’s meant to be something that anyone can read. Not everyone’s up for a 500-page biography, and the style of it is supposed to be light.’
‘There’s no doubt’ – Liza Smit believes the National Party was involved in her parents’ murders
Liza Smit says she has no doubt that the murders were politically motivated, and executed through the National Party.
Haji Mohamed Dawjee chats about who should be reading her book, Sorry, Not Sorry: Experiences of a Brown Woman in a White South Africa
In Sorry, Not Sorry, Haji Mohamed Dawjee explores the often maddening experience of moving through post-apartheid South Africa as a woman of colour.
Hayden Eastwood explains the inspiration for the title of his new book, Like Sodium in Water
Hayden Eastwood chatted to Polity SA about his new book, Like Sodium in Water, a memoir of post-independence Zimbabwe and an atmosphere of nostalgia that hangs over much of Harare’s remaining white community.
‘No one teaches us how personal finance works’ – Sam Beckbessinger chats about her book, Manage your Money like a F*cking Grown Up
We never get an instruction manual about how money works. We never have to pass a test to get our Money License before we can take a new credit card for a drive. Most of what we learn about money comes from advertising or from other people who know as little as we do.
Evelyn Groenink discusses her new book Incorruptible: The story of the murders of Dulcie September, Anton Lubowski and Chris Hani
One of the most explosive revelations in this book concerns the murder of Chris Hani, 25 years ago. Groenink reveals how the police buried evidence from no less than three witnesses who saw another murderer besides Janusz Waluś; and how the state’s ‘brave’ star eyewitness in all likelihood hadn’t even been there when Hani was shot.
‘I’m not sure if JM Coetzee has read the book; that has never been my concern’ – Nthikeng Mohlele on his new book Michael K
‘I think I have done my best. I stand by the book and I’m very proud of the book.’
Paballo Thekiso chats about his new book, The Black Consciousness Reader
Paballo Thekiso chatted to Polity SA about The Black Consciousness Reader, the new book out from Jacana Media, published to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Steve Biko’s murder.
Cyril Ramaphosa not afraid to ‘ice somebody out, just to put them in their place’ – Ray Hartley
Ray Hartley provides some insights into Cyril Ramaphosa’s upbringing and where his interest in politics came from.
Crispian Olver discusses his book How to Steal a City: The Battle for Nelson Mandela Bay
The book is written as a gripping real-life thriller, taking the reader deeper and deeper into the rotten heart of the city.
[Video] Mandla Langa hopes Dare Not Linger: The Presidential Years will ‘jog the memory’ of ANC leadership
Drawing on Nelson Mandela’s own unfinished memoir, Dare Not Linger is the remarkable story of his presidency told in his own words and those of distinguished South African writer Mandla Langa.
‘The National Prosecuting Authority has certainly been captured’ – Glynnis Breytenbach discusses her memoir Rule of Law
‘The National Prosecuting Authority has certainly been captured, along with the police to a large degree, and any other independent institutions with an investigative capacity have all been compromised,’ Breytenbach says in an interview with Polity SA.