A celebration of literacy is set to hit the North Coast as the iLembe Book Festival returns to the Luthuli Museum in Groutville from October 23 to 25.

Founded in 2023 by a collective of authors, the three-day event is dedicated to developing a strong book culture in rural and township communities under the iLembe District Municipality.

Themed “Reading is a Right, Not a Privilege,” the festival will open on October with a school outreach programme and book donation to Thembeni Primary School and Lloyd Primary School.

The following day, the focus will be on supporting poets in refining their craft and marketing their work through a poetry workshop, held in partnership with the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts (CCA).

The main event on October 25 will bring together more than 20 authors from across South Africa and the continent for a full day of engaging panel discussions.

This year’s programme will tackle pressing issues such as the promotion of reading and writing in indigenous languages and the future of storytelling in the digital age. A special panel will also explore the idea of African unity and its possibilities in today’s context.

Additional highlights include conversations on book-to-screen adaptations, publishing with a focus on children’s literature, the ongoing debates around land and a poetry slam, where a local poet will be crowned the iLembe Book Festival 2025 Champion.

KZN author Nathi Olifant, writer of Blood, Blades and Bullets: Anatomy of a Glebelands Hitman and one of last year’s participating voices, described the festival as a refreshing and unexpectedly vital event.

“The festival highlighted the enduring power of literature in our contemporary world. Festivals like this not only invigorate the local book industry but also resonate deeply with readers and advocates of literary culture. The upcoming second instalment promises to be even more compelling,” he said.

Book and food stalls will be available, and interested vendors are encouraged to contact the festival organisers before the end of September.

“As the Luthuli Museum, we are excited and looking forward to the second iLembe Book Festival next month. The inaugural festival was warmly received by the local community here in Groutville as well as the wider literary community,” said Director Brian Xaba.

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