PRESS RELEASE
7th October 2016
The 2016 South African Literary Awards Nominees Are Announced.
Celebrating 11th anniversary of their existence, the South African Literary Awards (SALA) have shortlisted eighteen (18) authors from a total of one hundred and thirty-two (132) submissions received for 2016. The winners will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony on the 7th November at UNISA. The awards ceremony will be preceded by the 5thAfrica Century International African Writers Conference, also taking place at UNISA on the same day.
This year, the South African Literary Awards (SALA) has partnered with the UNISA Department of English Studies in delivering both SALA and the Conference.
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, however, we are saddened and concerned that “we still see less and less of works written in African languages”.
Going forward, the SALA Adjudication Panel recommended literary workshops and symposia with stakeholders, especially writers, publishers and editors, to address concerns regarding the standard and quality of some of the work, especially in African languages, that SALA has been receiving over time. This would be in line with one of the objectives of SALA,“to promote and preserve all our 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 eleven successful years of existence, eleven categories and 147 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 2016 nominees for their sterling work and keeping South Africa’s literary heritage alive.
2016 SALA Shortlist
|
CATEGORY |
AUTHOR |
TITLE |
| Posthumous Literary Award | TT Cloete | For his body of work |
| Chris van Wyk | For his body of work | |
| Poetry Award
|
Gilbert Gibson | Vry |
| Athol Williams | Bumper Cars | |
| Arja Salafranca | Beyond Touch | |
| Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award
|
Danie Marais | Pruimtwak &Skaduboksers |
| Sandra Hill | Unsettled and Other Stories | |
| Literary Translators Award | Leon de Kock & Karin Schimke | Flame in the Snow: The Love Letters of Andre Brink & Ingrid Jonker |
| Zirk van den Berg | Halfpad Een Ding | |
| Kirby van der Merwe | N Huis Vir Ester | |
| Lifetime Achievement Literary Award | Ingrid Winterbach | Body of work |
| Prof Johan Lenake | Body of work | |
| K Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award | Willem Anker | Buys |
| Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho | The Violent Gesture Of Life | |
| PanasheChigumadzi | Sweet Medicine | |
| First-time Published Author Award | Francois Smith | Kamphoer |
| Ferial Haffajee | What If There Were No Whites In South Africa | |
| Creative Non-Fiction Award | Carel van der Merwe | DonkerStroom |
| Jacob Dlamini | Askari | |
| Chairperson’s Award | Recipient to be announced at the Award Ceremony | Body of work |
Released by the South African Literary Awards
7th October 2016
For enquiries: info@writeassociates.co.za
For more information about SALA and the Africa Century International African Writers Conference please go to: