Category: Media

  • Hidden Lives of Writers Podcast

    Hidden Lives of Writers Podcast

    Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel are working writers – and their favourite people are writers. Their podcast is entitled “Hidden Lives of Writers” and they get into a dive deep into HOW and WHY successful writers write.

    Zukiswa Wanner was featured on episode seven where she spoke about her journey starting with 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.

    You can listen to in on all of your favourite podcast platforms. Check out the Apple version by clicking here.

  • Video: Featuring on the Deutsch Welle Arts dialog

    Video: Featuring on the Deutsch Welle Arts dialog

    I was a guest of the Deutsch Welle Arts dialog with the following focus, “Diversified access to literature.” Here is the brief of the discussions we had;

    Writer and publisher Zukiswa Wanner from South Africa and Helga Frese-Resch, Director of International Publishing at Kiepenheuer und Witsch in Cologne, Germany discuss the role that literature continues to play in fostering critical thinking in polarizing times, and how access to literature can be made easier for all people. Both agreed that the publishing industry is entering a new era, where there is a growing need to use new outlets and move away from traditional, book fairs, which Frese-Resch described as an old-fashioned distribution method. Wanner meanwhile stressed in that digital festivals have been enjoying huge success, helping to undo intellectual silos that have become the epitome of the publishing industry.

    Check out the video below

  • Third Culture Africans Podcast features Zukiswa Wanner

    The “Third Culture Africans” Podcast has featured Zukiswa Wanner in its latest episode. Please click here to listen to it on Spotify.

    Third Culture Africans is a lifestyle podcast for dreamers, thinkers and doers. We celebrate artistry, share stories from those brave enough to create something and succeed, listen to diverse perspectives on African Success and those shifting the needle on culture. Their latest episode features Zukiswa Wanner. Here are the show notes from the episode;

    In this episode, Zeze interviews Zukiswa Wanner, an award-winning South African author and humanitarian. She has published fiction novels, co-authored Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, and started her own publishing house to help bring African literature to the forefront in the African continent.

    Zukiswa Wanner believes in changing how African literature is seen and embraced in Africa. She writes not for the European or American masses, but for her fellow Africans. Seeing how the African publishing houses often prioritize foreign markets over their own, she decided to start her own publishing company, as part of her drive to change the self-oppression that has been imposed on African literature.

    Zukiswa also discusses the importance of bringing literature to children, providing them with the opportunity to learn and thrive in the world. She also remarks on how accomplished Black African women are often seen as aggressive when they pursue their careers and are good at what they do. Zukiswa highlights the importance of women not second-guessing themselves and becoming part of this narrative.

    Listen to the episode here.