Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian

Friday

Formula 1's luxury makeover is about more than champagne

Formula 1 is increasingly selling luxury, a shift prominently displayed at the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix. Moët & Chandon, in its second year as title sponsor under LVMH's…

Let Mandela speak for himself

More than a decade after his passing, a new documentary, 'Troublemaker: The Story Behind the Mandela Tapes', offers a fresh perspective on Nelson Mandela. Built around over 70…

Francois van Coke on fatherhood, Fokofpolisiekar and finding new space

Francois van Coke, frontman of Fokofpolisiekar and a successful solo artist, reflects on how fatherhood has reshaped his songwriting, his Sama-nominated album 'Die Ruimte', and…

Why Muofhe Manavhela wants SA's art world to return to Venda

Artist Muofhe Manavhela is spearheading a movement to reverse the traditional flow of South African art, inviting artists, curators, and cultural enthusiasts to Venda. Her…

Zanele Muholi’s 20-year fight against forgetting

World-renowned visual activist Zanele Muholi's latest solo exhibition, 'Kanye Nawe', opens at Southern Guild Cape Town. The show spans two decades of their practice, including…

Interpretation: Instead of offering fixed meanings, Bronwyn Katz creates space for conversation between the artwork, the material and the person standing before it. Photo: Supplied

Bronwyn Katz digs beneath the surface to uncover stories held by the land

Bronwyn Katz, the 2026 Standard Bank Young Artist for Visual Arts, creates sculptures and installations that delve into ancestral memory, the history of Kimberley, and the quiet…

Gig Guide: Mpho.Wav reworks Bongi Dube's Go Around, Linda Sikhakhane to perform at Jozi Gold Brewing Company and Gospel Music Spotlight returns

Mpho.Wav is set to release his Afro House remix of Bongi Dube’s classic “Go Around” on July 24. Jazz saxophonist Linda Sikhakhane will perform at Jozi Gold Brewing Company on…

South African cinema is embracing stories that don't fit into one box

If there is one thing this month's line-up of South African films proves, it's that local cinema has stopped trying to be one thing. For years, South African films were often…

Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Awards 2026 finalists celebrate South Africa's boldest women entrepreneurs

South Africa's entrepreneurial landscape has long celebrated disruption. But the finalists announced for the fifth Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Awards suggest that the country's…

Peach van Pletzen is balancing the joy and the dread

South African music maestro Peach van Pletzen discusses his group Van Pletzen's new album 'Benaaihilism', a maximalist electronic dance music anthem. He shares insights into his…

The pan-African story of South African cinema

Joburg Film Festival curator Nhlanhla Ndaba delves into the profound pan-African influences that have shaped South African cinema, from the era of exile and anti-colonial…

‘Puss in Boots’ puts its best paw forward in Cape Town

A teenage reviewer takes centre stage to explain why KickstArt Theatre's vibrant production of 'Puss in Boots' at Cape Town's Baxter Theatre is a must-see family pantomime for…

Mawande Ka Zenzile’s ‘Indlela Ibuzwa Kwabaphambili’ is an exhibition about listening

There is a Xhosa proverb that says indlela ibuzwa kwabaphambili — the way is asked from those who have gone before. It reminds us that progress is rarely achieved in isolation.…

‘Place of dreams’: The Bala Family with the Masicule Youth Choir at the Guy Butler Theatre in Makhanda. Photos: Supplied

As one National Arts Festival ends, the next begins

As the curtains close on another successful National Arts Festival in Makhanda, outgoing CEO Monica Newton reflects on its enduring legacy, the challenges of sustainability, and…

Gig Guide: Amahubo Ka Gogo by Brenda Mtambo, Jozi Gold Brewing Company welcomes Sydney Mavundla and King Monado teams up with Kaycherlow NLL on LAEF

Jozi Gold Brewing Co welcomes Sydney Mavundla South Africa’s jazz heritage continues to thrive at Jozi Gold Brewing Company, where the former home of the legendary The Orbit has…

Coffee is no longer just coffee and Nespresso's Vertuo machine reflects that

South Africa's coffee landscape has transformed dramatically, moving beyond instant granules to embrace specialty cafés and sophisticated home brewing. Nespresso's new Vertuo…

The National Arts Festival is alive but is South Africa listening

Despite initial quiet streets and financial pressures, the National Arts Festival in Makhanda is buzzing with activity, showcasing strong audience numbers and a significant shift…

The South African Reserve Bank Museum opens its vaults to history, memory and the public

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has opened its new Head Office Campus and Museum in Pretoria, transforming a traditionally imposing institution into a vibrant space for…

David Tlale on luxury, local craft and the future of African fashion

South African designer David Tlale, a prominent name in fashion for over two decades, discusses his latest capsule collection unveiled at Sun City. He shares insights on…

Yinka Shonibare’s Refugee Astronaut.

‘Reverse Futures’ asks us to imagine tomorrow through the eyes of the Global South

The Johannesburg Contemporary Art Foundation's 'Reverse Futures' exhibition challenges conventional Western ideas of the future, inviting visitors to experience space, time, and…