BookTok’s growing impact: celebrating heritage through short videos
Entrepreneur and author Sylvester Chauke has become one of the most influential voices on South African BookTok.
Image: Supplied
In recent years, BookTok, the literary corner of TikTok, has grown into a global phenomenon, changing the way readers discover and engage with books.
Often associated with challenges and viral videos, the platform has quietly become a hub for South African readers and writers.
With the #BookTok hashtag generating over 64.4 million videos globally, authors and enthusiasts are using short videos to champion local literature and interactively explore heritage.
Entrepreneur and author Sylvester Chauke is one of the most prominent voices in this space. His videos cover mindset, creativity, perspective and ambition.
“Books have always been my portal to new worlds,” he said. “Stories should never live quietly on shelves. They should spark conversations and connect people across borders.”
This month, Chauke recommended Zukiswa Wanner’s “Love, Marry, Kill”, Kopano Matlwa’s “Coconut” and his own memoir, “Stand Against Bland”.
“Part of heritage is also the courage to tell your own story,” he noted. On the platform, he’s found a community that meets him halfway. “It’s not about broadcasting; it’s an ongoing dialogue where books actually breathe in the community.”
Entrepreneur and author Sylvester Chauke has become one of the most influential voices on South African BookTok.
Image: Supplied
Atlegang Mosimanekgosi, the creator behind Thee Kgosi Bookshelf, approached the platform from a different angle.
Mosimanekgosi noticed that trending books leaned heavily toward Western fantasy and romance, while African authors were largely absent. “I wasn’t finding content centred around African literature, so I decided to create it,” he said.
His initiative has expanded rapidly. His indie bookstore reached new audiences, his online book club has run since 2023, and earlier this year, he launched a film circle for members interested in adaptations.
He also hosts a monthly book recommendation segment on a leading radio station, bridging digital and traditional spaces.
Atlegang Mosimanekgosi approached BookTok with a clear purpose: to create space for African literature.
Image: Supplied
For author Shavonne Bulmer, the platform became the foundation for Mzansi Cupcake, a collective built on Ubuntu.
“I wanted to create a safe haven where people could come together and connect,” Bulmer said.
Her hashtags, like #MzansiCupcakes, have linked local readers and authors while inspiring a spin-off group in the US called The Sweet Tarts. “It’s about celebrating our voices and the unique way we tell stories,” she explained.
Book influencer, Nokukhanya Ntsaluba, demonstrates that South African BookTok reaches globally. Now based in the UK, she shares local literature with an international audience.
Her 2026 Reading Retreat has already drawn worldwide interest.
Ntsaluba began her social media account, PrettyBookish, in 2019 to document her reading journey.
By 2020, she noticed the impact of her reviews, naturally becoming a book influencer. She now focuses on amplifying African stories, encouraging women of colour to embrace reading.
“You can open up a book and for a few hours, you can transport yourself to another reality,” she told “Independent Media Lifestyle”.
Nokukhanya Ntsaluba is a South African book influencer who has taken BookTok beyond local borders.
Image: Supplied
Her content normalises leisure for black women, urging them to embrace the beauty of everyday moments.
“As black women, we rarely find time to truly enjoy the things we love,” she said. “The platform helps bridge the gap when heritage risks becoming niche or forgotten. It’s a living repository of culture. You can open the app and instantly engage with people reading your stories, speaking your language, eating your food.”
Ntsaluba’s recommendations for this month include K. Sello Duiker’s “The Quiet Violence of Dreams”, Mohale Mashigo’s “Intruders”, and Mongane Wally Serote's "To Every Birth Its Blood”.
5 things we love about BookTok:
- Diverse voices: It highlights authors and stories that mainstream media often overlooks.
- Interactive community: Readers and authors engage in ongoing discussions, not just posts.
- Heritage celebration: Local literature and cultural narratives find new audiences.
- Global reach: South African stories now connect with readers worldwide.
- Creative discovery: The platform’s format encourages short, engaging and thought-provoking content that inspires us to read.