Durban – A highlight of this year’s Poetry Africa festival is the annual Slam Jam competition, where the national Slam Poet Champion will be crowned.
Finalists will compete for R20 000 and an international trip, as well as the chance to represent South Africa at the 5th World Poetry Slam (2026), hosted by Poetry Africa.
The finals evening also features a special set by 2024 finalist Olive Olusegun.
The slam poetry, presented by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, will showcase the “cream of the crop” on stage, competing for the honour.
The semi-finals will feature 10 poets: Belita Andre, Hlengiwe Mnyandu, Karabo Bopape, Khayalethu Mguzulo, Natasha Mubanga, Noel Diketane, Rea Mmethi, Tiisetso Maeane, Tshepo Molefe, and Zewande Bhengu.
The jury panel for the semi-finals consists of SAFTA-winning international storyteller, teacher, and voice artist, whose work blends artistry with activism, Hope Netshivhambe (South Africa).
She is joined by Dominion (Kenya), who explores identity, faith, and social justice in his work.
He was Eldoret’s Poet of the Year in 2024, the runner-up at the World Poetry Slam in Mexico earlier this year, and as the reigning Kenyan Grand Slam Champion, he is well placed to identify what it takes to excel on the slam poetry stage.
The semi-final jury is completed by Tawhida Tanya Evanson (Canada), who blends poetry, orality, music, and multimedia around themes of African diasporic identity, Sufi spirituality, and resistance to Western values, and hosted by Durban poet Page Ngwenya.
The finals jury features Olive Olusegun, 2024 Slam Jam winner, Word n Sound, and National Poetry Africa Slam Jam champion, who placed 10th at the 2025 World Poetry Slam and fuses spoken word with visual art, animation, and film.
Joining her are Dr Nick Makoha, a Ugandan-born, London-based poet/playwright, founder of Obsidian Foundation, and author of The New Carthaginians (Penguin, 2025), an RSL Fellow and winner of the 2021 Ivan Juritz and Poetry London Prizes; and Huda Fadlelmawla (Huda the Goddess), an internationally recognised Sudanese spoken-word artist and activist, winner of the 2025 Australia for UNHCR–SBS Les Murray Award and the 2021 Australian Poetry Slam, and the first spoken-word poet invited to the World Slam Poetry Championship in Belgium.
Prior to the semifinal stage, poet and editor of poetrypotion.com, Quaz Roodt, who was the 2020 Mellon writer-in-residence at Wits University, will share his extensive knowledge and some tips to master the competition with the finalists.
Slam Poetry has become increasingly popular in the past decade.
It’s relatable, emotionally engaging, and accessible, using performance to connect with audiences on relevant social, political, and personal issues.
Its blend of traditional oral storytelling and competitive performance provides a platform for authentic self-expression, especially for the youth and marginalised communities, and its competitive, public format allows for direct audience feedback, fostering a sense of community and shared experience.
The sense of community is something that is evident in the growing community of slam poets who connect nationally across the provinces and internationally, where, despite the competitive nature, poets support each other, no matter where they hail from.
A younger cohort of potential champions will be on stage earlier in the day.
Andisa Mpisi will host the Chalkboard Slammers competition at 10am, and an internationally acclaimed panel of esteemed poets will decide the winners.
The finalists of the Chalkboard Slammers Competition, which was open for high school learners from grades eight to twelve, will perform their winning entries.
The trajectory of many slam poets began when they were at school, and there is no doubt that the names of these young artists will feature on national and international platforms in the future.
Event details
- Date & time: Semi-finals: Fri 10 Oct, 19.00. Finals: Sat 11 Oct, 19:00
- Venue: Seabrooks Theatre (Durban)
- On stage: National Slam Poetry Final + guest set by Olive Olusegun
- Prize: R20,000 + international trip + Team SA slot at the World Poetry Slam 2026 (presented by Poetry Africa)
