KNYSNA NEWS - By all accounts, the 10th Knysna Literary Festival which entertained book lovers and critical thinkers alike this past weekend, was a roaring success.
More than 12 authors and speakers descended on Knysna from Thursday onwards and some of the topics under the spotlight included current affairs, poaching, great food and wine, and Springbok rugby.
Festival founder and sponsor Ling Dobson from Pam Golding Properties Knysna and Plett, described the three days as the "most wonderful journey of emotions for South Africans, understanding and respecting where we are at the moment in our country, what is motivating us, what is exciting and what makes us South Africa".
'Most events sold out'
Almost all the events on the programme were sold out, Dobson said. "Our aim was to have a diverse programme that offers something for everyone and the ticket sales showed that we succeeded. We had 1 600 people attending 10 events over the three days, which we are very happy with. We were also fortunate to have two sneak peeks of books that literally just hit the shelves," she enthused.
"Adam Habib's book Rebels and Rage, about the recent student protests, will certainly ruffle some feathers when it is launched this week in South Africa.
Festival attendees had the privilege of getting some background information and a firsthand encounter of why he decided to write it, and the effect the protests had on him and his family personally, and other academics.
He felt obligated to tell the story as what was published in the media was not a true reflection of events at the time," Dobson continued.
"David Higgs, acclaimed SA chef, and his cookbook Mile 8 were the main inspiration for the Chef's Playdate #2.0 event, with the team of Île de Pain on Friday evening. Higgs himself described the event as a soft launch for his book, with the eight-course menu on the evening taking its direction from the eight chapters of the book. The evening did not disappoint. Dishes served included traditional dishes from his childhood growing up on the West Coast of Namibia, to dishes prepared in the kitchen at Rust en Vrede for Michelin star Chef Ferran Adrià."
Straight talking
The panel discussions during the festival are renowned for straight talking and debate on current issues, and the lively conversations certainly met the expectations of audiences, Dobson said.
Peter Mohr, a "swallow" from Germany, said he tries to attend most events every year. "It is a way to get to know the people of South Africa better – the politics, mentality and their thoughts about the future. It is a great event and we think a fantastic asset for Knysna," he said.
The Fate of the Nation panel discussion with (from left) JJ Thabane, Adam Habib and Ralph Mathekga. Photos: elle.co.za
Humphrey Price from Sanlam Private Wealth which sponsored two of the events, said it was a privilege to have the quality of people in Knysna and to be part of the conversations. "We value these discussions and think it is important to have for everyone interested in the future of our country, and I want to thank Ling and her team for creating this platform," Price said.
This was echoed by local businessman Andries Fourie. "It is an opportunity to hear these great minds debating the outlook for our country, and to find out what the perception is with regard to South Africa's economic future and the main factors influencing these."
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