9 October 2026 · Reporting verified against the dated sources below.
Five days, one question: who imagines Africa’s future?
Fak’ugesi African Digital & Innovation Festival has unveiled its full 2026 programme ahead of its 13–17 October return to Johannesburg. The 13th edition, themed African Imaginaries, spreads talks, installations, immersive experiences, performances, screenings and game-making across Wits University and the surrounding Braamfontein cultural circuit.
The programme is organised around three linked strands: Memory Engines, on knowledge and cultural preservation; Imagination Engines, on creative experimentation; and Future Engines, on the technologies and systems that might shape cities and societies. The distinction matters because this is not simply a showcase of new gadgets. It asks whose histories, languages and ideas are built into the tools.
Wednesday: archives become interactive
After an invitation-only opening on Tuesday 13 October, the public programme begins on Wednesday at Origins Centre. Molemo Moiloa is scheduled to discuss restitution and heritage in the keynote “We Are the Future’s Ancestors”. Immersive exhibitions under Futures_Past and discussions about indigenous knowledge, games and XR put memory and access at the centre of the day. The evening includes COSMOCENO 2026 at the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome.
Thursday and Friday: AI, cities and creative businesses
Thursday’s Imagination Engines programme includes a keynote from Dr Benjamin Rosman on why Africa should help invent the next generation of intelligence, alongside discussions about human-centred AI, language and filmmaking. The Bioscope Independent Cinema hosts screenings and animation programming.
Friday shifts towards Future Engines. The schedule includes ByLwansta on imagination as infrastructure, a session by Dr Sechaba Maape in which audiences redesign a city precinct using AI-assisted tools, the Red Bull Wings Cup at the Gaming Hub and an AI & Music in Africa business hackathon. The Red Balloon Festival South Africa is also set to launch during the day.
Saturday: making and recognition
The closing day centres hands-on game jams, including Women Game Jam South Africa and Game Jam Plus, before the fourth annual Fak’ugesi Awards. The awards are invitation-only but scheduled to stream online from 18:30.
Tickets, locations and access
Events are spread across Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct, Origins Centre, Chris Seabrooke Music Hall, the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome, The Accelerator and The Bioscope. Wits lists day passes at R135 for students and R340 for the general public; full passes are R540 and R750 respectively, while an industry pass is R1,950. Opening night and the awards are invitation-only. Check the official festival programme for availability, venue changes and registration before travelling.
