The Johannesburg Review of Books (JRB) has unveiled its December 2025 Fiction Issue (Vol 9, Issue 3), offering readers a rich tapestry of new short fiction, poetry, critical essays, and literary commentary that showcases the depth and diversity of contemporary African writing.

This latest issue opens with a celebration of short fiction that ranges from the mysterious to the sublime by way of the South African gothic. The collection features new stories by Wamuwi Mbao (‘Runs in the Family’), Shayera Dark (‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’), Mehita Iqani (‘Double Flash’), Eckard Smuts (‘The Fog’), Duane Jethro (‘Perdjie’), and Abbey Khambule (‘New Year’s Eve’). Each piece offers a distinctive voice and vision, collectively demonstrating the vitality of short fiction in South African literature.

The issue’s critical section presents thoughtful engagements with recent publications. Barbara Boswell reviews Elleke Boehmer’s Ice Shock, described as a reluctant, complicated love story spanning the globe amid increasingly calamitous climate events. Kevin Goddard explores What is Owed? by Kelwyn Sole, examining the poet’s summing up of a life dedicated to both verse and activism. Sean Jacobs reviews Mahmood Mamdani’s Slow Poison, a rich account of Ugandan and postcolonial African politics that asks whether we can engage with power without being corrupted by it.

The interviews section features Khadija Tracey Heeger in wide-ranging, erudite conversation with JRB Patron Makhosazana Xaba about performing poetry and the vulnerability of artistic expression. Muthi Nhlema also chats with Ivor W Hartmann about his short story ‘Piss Corpse’, selected as the debut publication for ZamaShort, a new imprint specializing in standalone single short stories by African authors.

Adding to the issue’s geographical reach, Sanya Osha takes readers on a philosophical journey from Douala to Yaoundé, encountering the contradictions fueling Cameroon’s fertile intellectual culture.

The poetry corner presents previously unpublished work by Sandile Ngidi, alongside excerpts from two new collections: Magnitude by Deborah Seddon and The Consulting Room by Dawn Garisch.

The issue also includes substantial excerpts from several notable books: Robert Lowell’s Imitations and the Cold War by JRB Academic Editor Simon van Schalkwyk; Khumisho Moguerane’s Sunday Times Literary Award-winning biography Morafe; Kopano Matlwa’s new novel Bosadi; Werner Pretorius’s debut collection Lone Wolf Living; and Olufemi Terry’s debut novel Wilderness of Mirrors. Readers can also find Dyondzo Kwinika’s DALRO Can Themba Merit Award-winning story ‘Mr Duiker Sang the Blues’, along with excerpts from works by Deborah Posel, Adéwálé Májà-Pearce, and Blessing-Miles Tendi.

In a poignant closing note, Sean Jacobs honors the late Zöe Wicomb (1948–2025), celebrating her ability to translate lived experience into art and return it with dignity.

The Fiction Issue is complemented by a literary portrait of Chika Unigwe by Photo Editor Victor Dlamini and an end-of-year playlist titled ‘Goodbye and good riddance’ compiled by Tymon Smith.

The Fiction Issue is now available to read online at the Johannesburg Review of Books website, providing free access to readers worldwide interested in African literature and culture.

The Johannesburg Review of Books is a South African literary magazine dedicated to publishing fiction, poetry, essays, and reviews that engage with African literature and ideas.