Librarians in Cape Town took to the streets of central CBD on Friday, to show their solidarity for reading, signalling their commitment to literacy and kicking off the annual South African Library Week (SALW), happening between 15 and 22 March 2026.
PICTURED: Bush Radio's Mitchum George with a children's bookIn 2014, Central Library launched an annual road march
through the streets of Cape Town. At the time, they marched as a solo team, but
the spirit of the event was too infectious to stay small. By 2017, the Library
& Information Services Department officially joined the movement,
transforming the march into a full-scale departmental event. The 2026 marked
the ninth annual march under the theme ‘Reclaiming Knowledge, Empowering
Futures’, and focuses on digital inclusion, preserving indigenous knowledge,
and fostering community innovation.
‘’South African Library Week purposefully includes Human
Rights day on 21 March to not only highlight the role of libraries in a
democracy, but also their role in championing the constitutional right to
freedom of access to information. Our libraries are community spaces which
promote social cohesion, offer safe spaces and opportunity for all the
residents of Cape Town, especially our young people,’’ said Francine Higham, Mayoral
Committee Member for Community Services and Health.
During SALW, library patrons can return any overdue items
to the library without being fined. At the same time, if you have lost your
library card, this week provides the perfect opportunity to receive a
replacement card free of charge.
Done by: Mitchum George
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