The 29th edition of Poetry Africa opened on Monday night at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts — and it was clear from the first stanza that this year’s theme, “POETRY: ARCHITECTURE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE,” is more than a slogan. It’s a mission statement.
In an era of conflict, displacement, and disconnection, the festival reminded us that poetry is not a luxury — it’s a lifeline. Professor Ari Sitas, delivering the keynote address, spoke to poetry’s timeless power to “build meaning out of the chaos,” connecting the architecture of words to the scaffolding of justice.
Malika Ndlovu: A Return Home Through Healing Verses
For Malika Ndlovu, who first graced the Poetry Africa stage in 1998, the evening carried a homecoming energy. Raised in KwaZulu-Natal, she returned with her latest work, Griefseed — an evocative exploration of loss, transformation, and collective healing.
From her early days performing in Lueen Conning’s A Coloured Place to her current role as a performance poet and applied arts facilitator, Ndlovu’s journey mirrors the festival’s evolution — from intimate gathering to continental powerhouse of poetic expression. Her verses urged the audience to find light within grief and reminded us that healing, too, is an act of social justice.
Poets Who Carve Humanity from Pain
Sarah Uheida, a Libyan-born poet and essayist now based in Stellenbosch, captivated audiences with readings from A Wound Cauterized in Light and her anthology Not This Tender. Her imagery — “memories… porous with pain” — resonated against the sobering global reality that over 123 million people were forcibly displaced by the end of 2024, according to the UNHCR. Through her delicate but unflinching language, she transformed personal memory into a collective reckoning.
Adding to the emotional tapestry, Hope Netshivhambe and Dr. Kole Odutola presented works inspired by the festival’s theme, leaving the audience invigorated and introspective in equal measure.
What’s Still to Come at Poetry Africa 2025
The festival runs until 11 October 2025, offering a full programme of performances, workshops, and conversations — both in person and online. Highlights include a much-anticipated dialogue between Dr. Nick Makoha, Ugandan poet and founder of the Obsidian Foundation, and Prof. Kwame Dawes, the Ghanaian-Jamaican poet laureate known for his profound meditations on grief and knowledge.
As Dawes once wrote in A Cup of Trembling, “The beginning of sorrow is the beginning of knowing, and the beginning of knowing is ancient.” In times of global uncertainty, such wisdom feels both timeless and urgently needed.
The festival will also celebrate 61 years of New Coin, South Africa’s seminal poetry journal, and host the slam poetry semifinals and finals, alongside panels exploring African poetry journals and the inner workings of slam competitions.
The Power and Responsibility of Poetic Activism
Looking ahead to 2026, Poetry Africa will mark its 30th anniversary by hosting the 5th World Slam Poetry Competition, bringing together spoken word artists from across the globe.
Reflecting on this year’s opening, Ismail Mahomed, Director of the Centre for Creative Arts at UKZN, said:
“Last night’s opening of the Poetry Africa Festival once again highlighted why spoken word poetry is so anchored to an activism for building a society based on social justice, human rights and dignity for all. As the world watches a genocide in real time, the voices of spoken word poets are passionate in their calls for a deeper reaching out to touch each other with our common humanity.”
In a world where headlines blur and empathy thins, Poetry Africa 2025 stands as a vibrant reminder that the right words — spoken with courage — can still reshape the world.
Whether you’re a verse virtuoso or a part-time prose purist, this year’s festival promises an unforgettable journey into the heart of language and liberation.
🎟️ For full details and tickets, visit poetryafrica.ukzn.ac.za or get your passes via Webtickets.
