Julia Smuts Louw

Julia Smuts Louw is a screenwriter, working primarily in animation. Recent projects include the Annie-Award winning Star Wars short film AAU’S SONG and the Emmy-winning BBC One Christmas Day special THE SMEDS AND THE SMOOS, which also won the Prix Jeunesse and The Japan Prize. Her animated feature, SPIKE, is soon to go into production in The Netherlands and was the recipient of the Creative Europe and Thuthuka development grants. 

Her prose fiction has been published by Random House/Struik and Catalyst Press, and has been shortlisted for the Short Story Day Africa Award. Poetry remains a side hustle for now, but she has been published in New Contrast, Stanzas, AVBOB and Literary Mama (USA). She lives in Cape Town with her husband, two children, a cat and two rabbits. Nature conservation is her passion.

Host: Stuart Payne

Zoom Room: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/89955065083...

Meeting ID: 899 5506 5083

Passcode: 4ucS3b

Gail Dendy

Gail Dendy was first published in the UK by Harold Pinter. Her eight collections of poetry have appeared in South Africa, the UK and the USA. She has written plays, short stories, a novel, radio poetry programmes and news bulletins, academic papers and journal articles. Her creative work has won numerous accolades both locally and overseas.

Having been raised in Durban, Gail maintains a strong emotional connection to the sea with rhythm informing every aspect of her creativity, both verbal and non-verbal. In her youth she was a gymnast (South African Champion), after which she turned to ballet and Contemporary Dance, being nominated for the inaugural AA Vita Award for Best Performer.

Gail holds several degrees, works as a legal researcher, and dances as frequently as possible.

Host: Stuart Payne

Zoom Room: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/89955065083...

Meeting ID: 899 5506 5083

Passcode: 4ucS3b

Teamhw SbonguJesu

Teamhw SbonguJesu was born in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. He is a publisher, editor and writer at TNG Publishing Company (‘TNG’ – The New Generation) based in Pietermaritzburg. He has an LLB degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and an MA in Creative Writing with distinction from Rhodes University. His has three poetry collections Bury Me Naked, Slave, and Hunger. Hunger was published this year (November, 2025).

Besides writing and publishing, Teamhw has a strong zeal for politics.

Bury Me Naked, published in 2022, by TNG Publishing Company

Slave, published in 2023, by TNG Publishing Company

Hunger, published in 2025, by TNG Publishing Company

Social media handles:

Teamhw SbonguJesu

(same for Instagram, Facebook and Twitter)

Host: Stuart Payne

Zoom Room: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/89955065083...

Meeting ID: 899 5506 5083

Passcode: 4ucS3b