S01 E07 Zukiswa Wanner

Loading player...
2020 Goethe Medalist and 2023 Einstein Forum Fellow, Zukiswa Wanner, joins Fiona
Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about her roles as a writer, publisher, curator, and speaker. Zukiswa describes how she often walks around with an idea in her mind for a long time before finally sitting down and producing a first draft at speed – frequently writing many thousands of words a day. She describes mining a shebeen in Thembisa for inspiration for a character in her forthcoming novel.

Zukiswa takes us all the way back to her first novel, The Madams, and spills the news
that it is currently being translated into Portuguese for the Angolan, Mozambican, and Brazilian markets. Fiona tells Zuki that she has always regarded her as a super-connecter, especially across the African continent, and they reminisce about the early days of their careers.

Gail and Zukiswa discuss how to raise good men in the current era of toxic masculinity and how Zuki’s book Men of the South was prophetic in many ways.
Zukiswa describes how she came to curate the Artistic Encounters exhibition in
Zurich, as well as the Afrolit online literary festivals. After the interview, Fiona and Gail are inspired to try to get their work into African countries, rather than just the Anglo-American markets.

Fiona and Gail would love to hear from you! Join the conversation on our socials.
10 Jul 2023 English South Africa Books · Arts

Other recent episodes

S08 E06 Máire Fisher

Máire Fisher is the author of Birdseye and The Enumerations, both currently republished internationally by Catalyst Press. Her work has been described as 'masterful' and 'unputdownable'. Máire joins Fiona and Gail to talk about writing the sequel to Birdseye, and dabbling in Regency Romance writing. She talks about how she…
12 Oct 1 hr 11 min

S08 E05 Mpho Boshego

Mpho Boshego served as a South African diplomat in Belgium from 2007 to 2011. Her novel DIPLOMATIC TIES is inspired by her experiences. A striking debut, her book has been described as ‘a captivating story' that ‘captures the realness of a South African township life'. Mpho joins Fiona and Gail…
5 Oct 1 hr 09 min

S08 E04 Nadia Cassim

Nadia Cassim is a novelist and short story writer whose most recent book NOT ANOTHER SAMOOSA RUN is currently longlisted for the Sunday Times Fiction Prize. A brave and ground-breaking novel, her book has been described as 'funny, thought-provoking, and empowering'. Nadia joins Fiona and Gail to talk about how…
28 Sep 1 hr 05 min

S08 E03 Sarah Lotz

Sarah Lotz is a prolific and hugely popular author who won the British Fantasy Award in 2015. She lived in South Africa for many years before moving back to the United Kingdom. Sarah is known for her many writing collaborations, as well as her solo work. Her most recent novel…
21 Sep 59 min

S08 E02 Deon Meyer

Deon Meyer is a multi-award-winning and bestselling author whose books regularly smash sales records. His latest book SKORPIO is available in Afrikaans, while SCORPIO RISING will be released by Pan Macmillan on 1 October. Deon joins Fiona and Gail to talk about his early days of writing as a single…
14 Sep 1 hr 04 min