In May 2026, journalist, author and daughter of Breyten Breytenbach, Daphnée Breytenbach and writer and translator Georges Lory completed a South African tour dedicated to literature, translation and cultural exchange.
Organised by the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) in partnership with the Alliance Française network in South Africa, Air France, and the Franschhoek Literary Festival, the programme brought together audiences across Cape Town, Franschhoek, Wellington, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Potchefstroom and Pietermaritzburg.
Through a series of conversations, readings and public discussions, the tour explored the literary connections between France and South Africa, the role of translation in making literature accessible across languages, and the enduring influence of Breyten Breytenbach’s work on readers, writers and translators around the world.
On 26 May, Georges Lory participated in a poetry reading and discussion at Dibukafé entitled Breytenbach reimagined: Poetry in the age of distraction. The event brought together poets Zama Madinana, Vangile Gantsho, Quaz Roodt, and Thabang Matsaung, in conversation with Tina Redman.
Lory, a recognised specialist in South African literature and French translation, reflected on more than five decades of engagement with South African writers and cultural figures. Former Director of the Alliance Française in Johannesburg, he has translated major authors including J.M. Coetzee, Nadine Gordimer and Deon Meyer into French, and recently translated the bilingual anthology Capturer le vent, published with the support of IFAS in 2025. His latest book, Les strelitzias (2026), reflects on 50 years of encounters with South African writers and literary figures.
Image: From left – Tina Redman, Georges Lory, Thabang Matsaung, Quaz Roodt, and Vangile Gantsho at Dibukafé for a discussion entitled Breytenbach reimagined: Poetry in the age of distraction.
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