The African Writers Symposium achieves a spectacular success at Soweto Theatre
By CityLife Arts Writer
The annual African Women Writers Symposium (AWWS), which wound on Sunday, October, 16, 2025, at Soweto Theatre featuring talks, workshops and more, had a rousing success.
The occasion was a Part 2 of the 11th African Women Writers Symposium (AWWS). The Symposium was funded by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and was held in partnership with the Soweto Theatre. This event was free and open to all, and therefore attracting literati and enthusiasts alike. This follows the Part 1 of the Symposium – held last month – it too was a resounding success and was well received by the public and the media.
The African Women Writers Symposium this years returned with a vibrant programme of writing and publishing workshops, alongside compelling panel discussions where emerging and established authors tackled today’s most pressing literary, social, and cultural issues.
Back by popular acclaim, award-winning poet and writer (of many works as listed below) Arja Salafranca facilitated a workshop on short story writing. Her advice to any would-be writer was simple: “Read, of course, read as much and as widely as you can.”
How does a writer go from manuscript to published work? Dr. Stacy Hardy — acclaimed poet, Wits University lecturer, and editor at the Pan-African platform Chimurenga — lead a special workshop to answer this very question. Along with co-facilitators Dr Raphael d’Abdon and Quaz Roodt, she brought a wealth of insight from her global scholarly work to guide writers on the practical steps toward publication.
This symposium tackled the critical role of journalists in our challenging era. The audience also heard from leading voices like Naledi Moleo (ENCA), Mbali Dhlamini (EWN), and Selaelo Makhwidiri (Salaamedia), as they dissected the pressing issues in the media today — from censorship and bias to disinformation and beyond.
There were panels on debut writing with South African writers Nadia Cassim (Not Another Samoosa Run), Mpho Boshego (Diplomatic Ties) as well award-winning writer Zainab Dala, Romy Sommer, a romance novelist and writing coach, and Angolan writer Egna de Sousa.
As in previous editions, AWWS this year sought to engage with the world we inhabit, not just the word. Ket issues affecting the world today ere tackled, such as in an era of division, what do borders and belonging truly mean? This hefty but stimulating brain-teaser was thrown to a dynamic panel: young writer and activist Zulaikha Patel, political commentator Tessa Dooms (Power FM), author Zainab Dala, and South African indigenous historian Attaqua Ethel Herandien. Together, they explored our shared humanity in the face of discrimination and xenophobia, both within South Africa and beyond its borders.
The programme also featured stimulating performance poets and music.