Download PDFKhanya College will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a conference from 1–3 October 2026. The conference will be held at Museum Africa in Newtown, Johannesburg, from 12:30 pm.
The conference will bring together people who have been part of Khanya’s history, including former staff members, participants in its programmes, community members, comrades and organisations that have worked alongside the College. Their experiences and reflections will help show how Khanya has developed over the years and the role it has played in creating spaces for learning, organising and political discussion.
The conference aims to reflect on Khanya’s history, the struggles and movements that have shaped its work, and the lessons for today. It will also provide a platform to discuss the challenges facing working class communities and the role of education and organisation in responding to them.
The conference will take the form of a hybrid workshop-conference to encourage maximum participation by activists. It will create space for discussion and debate on Khanya’s history, its political orientation, its concrete work, and the different historical contexts and struggles that have shaped the organisation since its founding 40 years ago.
The 40th anniversary is a significant milestone for Khanya College. Many movements and organisations have collapsed for various reasons during the period in which Khanya has existed. Reaching four decades is therefore an opportunity to celebrate what has been built, take stock of the organisation’s work and look ahead to the years to come.
Since its establishment in 1986, Khanya’s history has been linked to the liberation struggle against exploitation and oppression. To realise its motto, Education for Liberation, the College has been involved in education, political education, movement-building and social justice work.
The 18th Jozi Book Fair!
Khanya’s commitment to education for liberation also finds expression in the Jozi Book Fair (JBF), which brings together readers, writers, activists, community members and organisations to promote reading, learning and political discussion.
This year’s Jozi Book Fair will take place from 23–25 October 2026 at Museum Africa in Newtown. The 18th JBF is themed “Education for Liberation”, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising.
“South Africa faces a thorough-going education crisis: many cannot read for meaning, schools face infrastructure challenges and lack textbook materials, and psycho-social support for learners,” notes a press statement issued by the Jozi Book Fair.
The JBF programme will provide opportunities for young people, readers, activists and community members to engage through book launches, exhibitions, skills workshops, roundtable discussions, theatre, poetry and live music.
Jozi Book Fair Programme
Friday, 23 October 2026
- 09:00–13:30: Schools Programme – skills workshops, poetry, theatre, creative writing, chess, art and more. Book launch: Batjha Kaofela 11.
- 15:00–18:00: Khanya College 40th Anniversary, including The Road to the Masses exhibition and book launches.
- 18:00: Jozi Book Fair Reception (by invitation).
Saturday, 24 October 2026
- 09:00–17:00: Public Programme – exhibitions, book launches, workshops, roundtable discussions, live music and poetry.
- Oupa Lehulere Sports Tournament: Five-a-side soccer promoting gender equity and social justice. Registration closes on 25 September 2026.
The Jozi Book Fair continues to provide a space where people can build a culture of reading, knowledge and solidarity. This year’s programme offers opportunities to reflect on the struggles of the past, engage with current challenges and strengthen education for liberation.
This article was submitted on 14 September 2026. You may republish this article, so long as you credit the authors and Karibu! Online (www.Karibu.org.za), and do not change the text. Please include a link back to the original article.
