Mintirho ya Vulavula: Arts, National Identities and Democracy examines the role of arts and culture in development, and specifically its value in consolidating our nascent democracy and in facilitating the transformation of South African society. Contributors to this edited volume interrogate the role of arts, culture and heritage from a transdisciplinary perspective, enriched by the cross-generational perspectives offered by young and older artists, cultural practitioners, activists and scholars. Authors also offer some policy recommendations on how the contribution of arts and culture to social cohesion and nation-building can be enhanced.

This tell-all memoir reveals the details behind Sunday Times journalist Mzilikazi wa Afrika's exposure of the R1.7 billion lease scandal between police commissioner Bheki Cele and property tycoon Roux Shabangu, for which he was infamously arrested in 2010. It is also the riveting account of how a neglected boy in an unknown village became one of South Africa's most awarded investigative reporters and found himself at the receiving end of the corruption that had defeated those he helped put in power. Fearless in the face of corrupt authorities with sinister political motives, and fervent about justice, Wa Afrika's life was characterised by resistance to oppression and inequality from an early age. Destined to defend and uphold the principles of democracy, his story is the inspiring tale of an ordinary man, armed with a pen, who challenged the proverbial giant.

South Africa is characterised by a youthful population, and the challenges and possibilities that characterise the young generation are both warning signs and beacons of hope for a nation founded on social justice. Youth in South Africa: Agency, (in)visibility and national development takes stock of the nation's development as it affects young people. Authors offer both personal and professional insights into the ways in which the youth navigate their own pathways to adulthood. These include formal and informal engagements with politics, as well as protest, (un)employment, entrepreneurship, education, religion, experiences with sexuality and violence and a multitude of other life experiences. Contributors paint a picture of the initiative, agency and resilience of the youth, as well as the challenges before them. Authors also identify the state of "waithood" faced by those unable to make the transition out of youth into full adulthood as a result of their socio-economic circumstances and political context. By engaging these experiences and insights, and primarily informed by the inputs of young people, the authors highlight the limitations of existing youth policies and frameworks. The case is made for policy instruments to be informed by the lived experiences of the youth as they navigate a complex macrosocial environment, and by the messages the youth communicate about the limitations of current approaches.