At the Johannesburg Festival of Women Writers, award-winning theatre practitioner Momo Matsunyane reflects on storytelling across stage and page, and how theatre and writing preserve powerful black narratives.

JSB WORD DOMINATION: Professor Anné H. Verhoef, philosopher at North-West University, unpacks what happiness really means and why philosophy suggests it is far more complex than the success-driven version many people chase today.

JSB ARTS: Photographer Sibusiso Bheka joins us to reflect on winning the inaugural ORMS International Photography Prize at the Investec Cape Town Art Fair 2026, and how his work is using photography as a powerful tool for storytelling and social reflection.

A conversation with renowned South African poet, educator and cultural activist Barbara Masekela about the return of the Johannesburg Festival of Women Writers and how women storytellers are reshaping narratives, preserving cultural memory, and influencing the future of African literature.

JSB THOUGHTLEADERS: Political economist Nco Dube joins us to unpack his argument that South Africa’s belief in the political power of the middle class may be an illusion — and why the country’s real tensions are rooted in deeper class struggles shaping politics, economics and public debate. 

JSB Community: Founder of the Gregg Mitchley Foundation, Gregg Mitchley, joins us to talk about his extraordinary 600km walk from Johannesburg to Durban to raise awareness and support for two young siblings battling the rare immune disorder DOCK8.

JSB SESSIONS: South African music collective founder Thato Motsepe shares the inspiration behind Deep Breath’s new Afro-soul single “Amalobolo,” exploring themes of love, tradition, and the evolving celebration of African cultural honour.

JSB ART: Media entrepreneur and creator Mudzithe Phiri joins us to unpack her provocative anthology A Moment in Time, selected for the 8th annual Joburg Film Festival, and why she believes African storytelling must confront power, patriarchy and politics head-on.

NICO SMIT on all things Motoring

JSB TECH:  As we continue marking World Hearing Day throughout March, Professor DeWet Swanepoel from the University of Pretoria unpacks how a groundbreaking WhatsApp-based AI training programme is equipping teachers to detect early hearing loss in children and transform classroom outcomes.