Editor

TIME OF THE WRITER 2005

The 8th Time of the Writer, International Festival of Writers, brings together over 25 writers from South Africa , Africa and the rest of the world to engage in a six day programme. Activities include nightly readings at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre and a stimulating range of day activities, including an educators' forum, schools visits, prison writing project, a workshop on women's writing, and a publishing forum, all designed to nurture a culture of reading, writing and creative expression.

One of the focal themes at this year's festival is negotiating identities, and examining the complexities that arise from issues of race, nationality and language. This includes discussion on the status of writing in indigenous African languages in South Africa .The festival also reflects on writing from war-ravaged zones, places where writers give voice to people who have been rendered voiceless. Time of the Writer 2005 features a varied mix of established writers alongside bright new talent on the literary scene, setting the platform for an extraordinary programme of exchange, dialogue and debate.

PARTICIPATING WRITERS:
Bessora (Gabon/Switzerland) Tanella Boni (Ivory Coast) André Brink (South Africa) Nawal El Saadawi (Egypt) Abdulrazak Gurnah (Zanzibar) Rayda Jacobs (South Africa) Kossi Komla-Ebri (Togo/Italy) Martin Koboekae (South Africa) James Mafela (South Africa) Ncamisile Makhambeni (South Africa) Sisana Mdluli (South Africa) Hari Kunzru (United Kingdom)Niq Mhlongo (South Africa) Manuel Rui Monteiro (Angola) Charles Mungoshi (Zimbabwe) David Mutasa (South Africa)Gladman Ngubo (South Africa) DBZ Ntuli (South Africa) Henrietta Rose-Innes (South Africa) Ncedile Saule (South Africa) Siba Shakib (Iran) Sami Tchak (Togo)Chris van Wyk (South Africa) MG Vassanji (Kenya/Tanzania/Canada) Nogwaja Shadrack Zulu (South Africa)

Photos and bios are available on the Centre for Creative Arts website :www.cca.ukzn.ac.za

MONDAY APRIL 04
Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre: Evening Programme
19h30 -Musical Welcome: Zulu Dance - Umlazi Cultural Group
- Introduction: Peter Rorvik, Centre for Creative Arts (CCA)
- Guest Speaker: Fred Khumalo, Editor, Sunday Times Insight
- Introduction of Festival Participants: Lorelle Royeppen-Viegi , (CCA)
- Performance: Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre in collaboration with Zim Ngqawana: The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born

TUESDAY APRIL 05
AM: Writers visit schools

AM: Prisons Programme: Hari Kunzru, Ncamisile Makhambeni, DBZ Ntuli

14h00-15h30 Women in Writing Workshop: Bessora, Tanella Boni, Rayda Jacobs, Nawal El Saadawi, Henrietta Rose-Innes, Siba Shakib - Phillip Russel Room, Diakonia Centre, 20 St Andrews Street " (031) 310 3501

18h45-19h15 Book Launch introduced by André Brink: Freedom Spring:Ten Years On: Contemporary Writing from South Africa and Scotland ,Glasgow City Council & Scottish Arts Council, 2005 - WellingtonTavern Deck, Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.

Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre: Evening Programme
19h30 Maskanda Music - Shiyani Ngcobo
New Directions in South African Writing
Niq Mhlongo (South Africa), Martin Koboekae (South Africa), Henrietta Rose-Innes (South Africa)
Presenter: Vuyo Mbuli
Interval
70th Birthday Tribute to André Brink
André Brink (South Africa)
Presenter: Andries Visagie

WEDNESDAY APRIL 06
AM Writers visit schools

- 10h00-11h30 African Writers' Seminar: Bessora, Abdulrazak Gurnah, Kossi Komla-Ebri Centre for African Literary Studies - PMB Campus " (033) 260 6249

- 11h15-13h00 Writers in Media: Hari Kunzru, Manuel Rui Monteiro, Siba Shakib -Arthur Smith Hall, City Campus, Durban Institute of Technology,Smith Street Entrance " (031) 203 6614

- 12h30-13h30 Writers and Activism Workshop: Nawal El Saadawi, facilitated by the Centre for Civil Society - Senate Chamber, Westville Campus " (031) 260 2506

18h30 -19h15 Book Launch: Jailbirds and Other Stories, Muthal Naidoo, Botsotso Press, 2005, includes dramatised readings - Wellington Tavern Deck, Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre

Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre: Evening Programme
19h30 Electronic Acoustic Music - Jurgen Bräuninger and Sazi Dlamini New World Voices
Bessora (Gabon/Switzerland), Hari Kunzru (United Kingdom)
Presenter: Lindi Stiebel
Interval
Writing, Resistance and Reconstruction
Manuel Rui Monteiro (Angola), Tanella Boni (Ivory Coast), Siba Shakib (Iran)
Presenter: Ashwin Desai

THURSDAY APRIL 07
AM Writers visit schools

Publishing Forum: Kwa Muhle Museum, 130 Ordnance Road (031) 311 2223 -09h00-09h30 A View from Abroad, Ajmal Kamal, City Press, Karachi - Pakistan
- 09h30-11h00 Indigenous African Language Writers Speak, James Mafela, Ncamisile Makhambeni,Sisana Mdluli, David Mutasa, Gladman Ngubo, DBZ Ntuli, Ncedile Saule,Nakanjani Sibiya, Nogwaja Shadrack Zulu
- 11h00-12h00 Preparing Your Manuscript for Publishing, Maggie Davey, Jacana Press
- 12h30-13h00 South African Perspectives on Publishing, Glenn Cowley, UKZN Press
- 13h00-13h30 Innovations and Current Publishing Trends, Nelleke de Jager, Kwela Press -13h30-14h15 New Publishing Initiatives, Muff Anderson and Maggie Davey, Jacana Press -14h15-14h45 Tenth Year Democracy Publications, Nonceba Levin, Skotaville Media

-13h00-15h00 Educators Forum: Bessora, Ncamisile Makhambeni, Charles Mungoshi, DBZ Ntuli, HenriettaRose-Innes, Nakanjani Sibiya, Chris van Wyk, MG Vassanji - Clairwood Secondary School, hosted by the Teacher Centres in the eThekwini Region " (031) 401 9266

Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre: Evening Programme
19h30 Kathak and Drum Duet - Siwela Sonke Dance Theatre Constructing Identities
MG Vassanji (Kenya/Tanzania/Canada), Kossi Komla-Ebri (Togo/Italy)
Presenter: Lorelle Royeppen-Viegi
Interval
Women, Creativity and Dissidence
Nawal el Saadawi (Egypt)
Presenter: Mandisa Mbali

FRIDAY APRIL 08
Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre: Evening Programme
19h30 Mpantsula Dancers - Bright Sparks
- Presentation of Schools Awards
- Presentation of Gcina Mhlophe Short Story Award
- Presentation of Ronnie Govender Literary Award
- Presentation of first copies of The Silent Minaret to European Union Literary Award winner, Ishtiyaq Shukri
Interval
In Our Own Voices: Writing in Indigenous African Languages of South Africa
James Mafela, Ncamisile Makhambeni, Sisana Mdluli, David Mutasa, Gladman
Ngubo, DBZ Ntuli, Ncedile Saule and Nogwaja Shadrack Zulu (all from South Africa)
Presenter: Pitika Ntuli

SATURDAY APRIL 09
12h00-14h00 Creative Writers Workshop: Rayda Jacobs, Martin Koboekae, Niq Mhlongo, TanellaBoni - Mission Control, Bat Centre " (031) 332 0451

Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre: Evening Programme
19h30 Isicathimiya - Durban Black Drifters
Southern African Stories
Charles Mungoshi (Zimbabwe), Chris van Wyk (South Africa)
Presenter: Sisonke Msimang
Interval
Writing, Place and Identity
Abdulrazak Gurnah (Zanzibar), Sami Tchak (Togo), Rayda Jacobs (South Africa)
Presenter: Alan Swerdlow