PAGECAST

“We were negotiating the impossible.” Few people have shaped modern South Africa as directly as these two. Veteran statesman Tony Leon sits down with Ambassador Roelf Meyer for a wide-ranging, candid conversation on his new book Roelf Meyer: A Political Memoir. Together they trace Roelf’s unlikely journey from a sheep farm in Cariad in the Eastern Cape to the heart of the negotiations at Kempton Park, serving under four presidents — P.W. Botha, F.W. de Klerk, Nelson Mandela and now Cyril Ramaphosa. They unpack the world that shaped him, the Afrikaner nationalism that pre-dated apartheid, the strange bedfellows of white empowerment, and the moment the National Party finally drew a line in the sand. Roelf Meyer’s new book is Roelf Meyer: A Political Memoir, as told to Annaliza Burgess. Part political history, part personal reckoning, it traces one of the most consequential political lives of South Africa’s transition. Roelf Meyer is a former Minister in the governments of F.W. de Klerk and Nelson Mandela, the National Party’s chief negotiator at Kempton Park, and currently South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States. Tony Leon is a former leader of the Democratic Party and the Democratic Alliance, a former South African Ambassador, and a best-selling author.

“When faith becomes aligned with power structures, it transforms from a prophetic force into a tool for social control.” Bestselling author and poet Siphokazi Jonas sits down with Siya Khumalo for a searching, generous conversation on his new book When Saying No to God Is an Act of Faith. Together they unpack his critique of institutional Christianity, the religious trauma that pulled him deeper into the Bible rather than away from it, and why discerning when to say “no” to religion is itself an act of faithfulness. They explore how pulpits around the world constantly add to and subtract from scripture to prop up power, how DARVO plays out in religious language, and what it means to interpret scripture against the grain in a world where any disruption to the status quo is treated as heresy. Siya Khumalo’s new book is When Saying No to God Is an Act of Faith. It presents a critique of institutional Christianity, arguing that when faith becomes aligned with power structures, it transforms from a prophetic force into a tool for social control, and challenges readers to discern when saying “no” to religion becomes an act of faithfulness to God. Siya Khumalo writes about religion, politics, sex and technology. His first book, You Have to Be Gay to Know God, was long-listed for the Alan Paton Prize, shortlisted for the UJ Book Prize, and awarded the Desmond Tutu-Gerrit Brand Prize. He is also the author of Queering Revelation. Siphokazi Jonas is a bestselling author, poet, writer, performer and producer. Her latest book is Weeping Becomes A River (audiobook out now).

“How do you stop being a naai? Die. That’s how you stop.” Comedian Yaaseen Barnes sits down with author Mia Arderne for a lively, laugh-out-loud conversation on her new novel How to Stop Being an Naai — a satirical take on the self-help genre and one of the sharpest, funniest reads of the year. Together they unpack the book’s origins as a sincere personal guide, the midlife crisis that gave birth to protagonist Lucian, the research rabbit holes (including TRC documents) that pulled the story into darker places than she intended, and the one question that quietly sits at the heart of it all: can you really stop being a naai, or is it the cost of surviving under capitalism? Mia Arderne’s new book is How to Stop Being an Naai. A satirical take on the self-help genre, it follows protagonist Lucian — an aging DJ having a full-blown midlife crash-out — as he’s put through the steps of becoming a better person. Mia Arderne is a South African author. Her debut novel Mermaid Fillet introduced readers to a world of mermaid-tail smuggling on the black market. Yaaseen Barnes is a celebrated South African comedian known for his sharp wit and dynamic performances. Profanity warning: this episode contains strong language.

“Translated into 33 languages, available in over 50 countries.” Children’s book illustrator and reviewer Mia van der Merwe sits down with the Sydney-based husband-and-wife team behind one of the biggest middle-grade phenomena in the world. Author Eva Amores and illustrator Matt Cosgrove join Pagecast live from their South African school tour to talk about the Worst Week Ever series — seven books, one for each day of the week, each one worse than the last for hapless main character Justin Chase. They unpack the real-life inspirations (including the eldest son who pitched the idea), the lockdown origins of Monday, the “focus group” of their own kids, and why embarrassment is the most universal humour of all. Eva Amores and Matt Cosgrove’s Worst Week Ever series is a hilarious black-and-white illustrated middle-grade series for readers aged 8+. Across seven books — one for every day of the week — poor Justin Chase has the WORST week ever, featuring vampires, giant toilets on wheels, secret treasures, mistaken identities and even getting trapped underground. Eva Amores is the author of the global best-selling Worst Week Ever series. Matt Cosgrove is the illustrator and her creative (and life) partner. Mia van der Merwe is a children’s book illustrator, reviewer, and all-round lover of books.

"The sweep of it, seeing all those years, is quite extraordinary for an artist." Internationally renowned South African artist Penny Siopis sits down with Sue Williamson for a wide-ranging conversation on her new book There's Something I Must Tell You, published to accompany her landmark retrospective at the Iziko South African National Gallery. The exhibition filled eight rooms and the atrium, and traced nearly fifty years of practice. Together they walk through what it means to see a lifetime of work hung together, from the earliest district-six work of the early 1980s through the apartheid years, the TRC-era Truth Games, reflections on colonialism, and intergenerational conversations between the mothers of the Mandela generation and their granddaughters. Sue Williamson's new book is There's Something I Must Tell You, a beautifully illustrated catalogue of her 2025 retrospective at the Iziko South African National Gallery, featuring essays by Sean O'Toole, Zoé Whitley and Sixolise Sigolo. Sue Williamson is one of South Africa's most esteemed artists, internationally renowned for her work. She lives and works in Cape Town. Her 1989 book Resistance Art in South Africa was the first to document the role of South African artists in the struggle against apartheid. Penny Siopis is a South African artist based in Cape Town and one of the country's most important contemporary voices.