PRESS RELEASE
28th September 2018
The 2018 South African Literary Awards Announces Nominees, Launches 2 Additional Categories, Names New Poet Laureate
Celebrating 13th anniversary of their existence, the South African Literary Awards (SALA) have shortlisted twenty three (23) authors from a total of just under two hundred (200) submissions received for 2018. The winners will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony on the 6th November at UNISA.
Following the passing on of the 2nd National Poet Laureate, Prof Keorapetse Kgositsile, the prestigious South African Literary Awards will announce his successor as well as introducing two additional categories: Novel Award and Children’s Literature Award.
The Awards will be followed by the 6th Africa Century International African Writers Conference whose International African Writers Day Lecture will be delivered by Professor Kwesi Kwaa Prah, the renowned, highly respected scholar, prolific author and public speaker, who is also the founder of the Center for Advanced Studies of African Societies in South Africa.
The Conference is also taking place at UNISA over two days, i.e. 6th and 7th November 2018.
“We are excited that South African literature continues to flourish, with many young writers coming into the scene, sharing platforms with their more established and experienced counterparts”, said Morakabe Seakhoa, Project Director of the South African Literary Awards.
Seakhoa, however, expressed sadness and concern that “we still see less and less of works written in African languages”.
Founded by the wRite associates, in partnership with the national Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) in 2005, the main aim of the South African Literary Awards is to pay tribute to South African writers who have distinguished themselves as groundbreaking producers and creators of literature, while it celebrates literary excellence in the depiction and sharing of South Africa’s histories, value systems and philosophies and art as inscribed and preserved in all the languages of South Africa, particularly the official languages.
With thirteen successful years of existence, thirteen categories and over 161 authors honoured, the SA Literary Awards have become the most prestigious and respected literary accolades in the South African literary landscape. SALA prides itself in not only acknowledging established authors but as a platform to budding writers through the First-time Published Author Award category.
We congratulate the 2018 nominees for their sterling work and keeping South Africa’s literary heritage alive.
2018 SALA Shortlist
Released by the South African Literary Awards
(28th September 2018)
- First-time Published Author Award
| #NO | Author | Title of book/publication | Language |
| 1 | Celesté Fritze | Verlorenkop | Afrikaans |
| 2 | Malebo Sephodi | Miss Behave | English |
- Creative Non- Fiction Award
| #NO | Author | Title of book/publication | Language |
| 1 | Deon Maas | Melk die heilige koeie: Van baarde en banting tot Zupta and zol | Afrikaans |
| 2 | Jurgen Schadeberg | The Way I See It | English |
- Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award
NO SHORTLIST
- Poetry Award
| #NO | Author | Title of book/publication | Language |
| 1 | Johan Myburg | Uittogboek | Afrikaans |
| 2 | Kelwyn Sole | Walking, Falling | English |
- Literary Translators Award
| #NO | Author & Age | Title of book/publication | Language |
| 1
2 |
Jeff Opland and Peter Mtuze
Jeff Opland and Peter Mtuze |
Umoya Wembongi: Collected Poems 1922 – 1935) by John Solilo | isiXhosa to English |
| Iziganeko Zesizwe: Occasional Poems(1900-1943) by S.E.K. Mqhayi |
- Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award
| #NO | Author | Title of book/publication | Language |
| 1 | Nick Mulgrew | The First Law of Sadness | English |
| 2 | Nicole Jaekel Strauss | As in die mond | Afrikaans |
- Novel Award
| #NO | Author | Title of book/publication | Language |
| 1 | Dan Sleigh | 1795 | Afrikaans |
| 2 | Rehana Rossouw | New Times | English |
- Children’s Literature Award
| #NO | Author | Title of book/publication | Language |
| 1 | Marilyn J Honikman | There should have been five | English |
| 2 | Jaco Jacobs | Daar is nie ʼnkrokodil in hierdie boek nie | Afrikaans |
| 3 | Jaco Jacobs | Moenie hierdeie boek eet nie | Afrikaans |
| 4 | Marita Van Der Vyver | Al wat ek weet | Afrikaans |
- Posthumous Literary Award
| #NO | Author | Title of book/publication |
| To be announced at the award ceremony | Body of work |
- Literary Journalism Award
| #NO | Author | Title of book/publication |
| To be announced at the award ceremony | Body of work |
- Lifetime Achievement Literary Award
| #NO | Author | Title of book/publication | Language |
| 1 | Hermann Giliomee | Body of work | Afrikaans |
| 2 | Ronnie Kasrils | Body of work | English |
- Chairperson’s
| #NO | Author | Title/Publication |
| To be announced at the award ceremony | Body of work |
- National Poet Laureate
| #NO | Author | Title/Publication |
| To be announced at the award ceremony | Body of work |
