The 19th Poetry Africa international poetry festival, which begins on Monday, (October 12) will close on Saturday (October 17) with a festival finale with Nakhane Toure at the Rivertown Beerhall. The programme begins at 4 pm with the annual Poetry Africa Durban Slam Jam event where Durban slam poets will compete for the title of Poetry Africa Slam Jam champion.

Running for over a decade, the Poetry Africa Durban Slam Jam remains one of the festival’s highlights, providing the audience with a rush of rhythm and rhyme from both Durban and abroad. The Slam Jam participants for 2015 are: Sfundo Sibisi, Kgune Dlamini, Zethembile Nkabinde and Andile Nyembezi.

DJ Rawkidd Mpangase will be in the house and there will also be performances by Many Moore and Lu Dlamini prior to the final performances from all the 19th Poetry Africa participants: Africa Dlamini (South Africa), Aryan Kaganof (South Africa), Celiswa Majali (South Africa), Icebound Makhele (South Africa), Kat Francois (United Kingdom), Khanyi Shusha (South Africa), Kwazi Ndlangisa (South Africa), Lebo Mashile (South Africa), Lebohang ‘Nova’ Masango (South Africa), Lesego Rampolokeng (South Africa), Makhosazana Xaba (South Africa), Matt Vend (South Africa), Mbali Vilakazi (South Africa), Mthunzikazi Mbungwana (South Africa), Mutle Mothibe (South Africa), Nii Parkes (United Kingdom/ Ghana), Nokulunga Dladla (South Africa), Nosipho Magcaba (South Africa), Ntsiki Mazwai (South Africa), Thabiso Mohare (South Africa), Thando Fuze (South Africa), Tshebeletso Mohale (South Africa), Vonani Bila (South Africa), Vus’umuzi Phakathi (South Africa).

The programme concludes with a performance from award winning Johannesburg based artist Nakhane Touré.  His debut music video for the single, Fog was nominated for a Design Indaba ‘Most Beautiful Object’ award. And at the 2014 MTV Music Awards he received a Best Alternative nomination.

His album Brave Confusion was nominated for four South African Music Awards at the 20th SAMA awards and went on to win the Best Alternative Album. Touré’s debut novel Piggy Boy’s Blue will be launched at 2 pm at 8 Morrison Street on October 17.

Tickets for the festival finale at Rivertown cost R70 (pre-sale or R80 at the door) and can be purchased from http://www.computicket.com.

For more information go to http://www.cca.ukzn.ac.za or like the Facebook page PoetryAfrica or follow on Twitter @PoetryAfrica.