SOUTH AFRICAN LITERARY AWARDS (SALA) CATEGORIES
Background
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. The awards aim to become the most
prestigious and respected literary accolades in South African literature.

Selections are made from published authors whose primary input is in imaginative writing – fiction as well as creative
non-fiction. The work must demonstrate good linguistic presentation, the nation’s identity, the societal values,
universal truths, and cultural aesthetics, contribution to social cohesion and nation building and transcendence of
time. To date, SALA has honoured one hundred and forty seven (147) recipients since its inception in 2005.

General rules
1.  The work must be original
2.  The submissions must follow the criteria
3.  Only South African official languages are considered
4.  All categories accept work in all eleven official languages
5.  Nominations must be accompanied by an endorsement of the author and/or publisher
6.  The authors contact detail ( telephone/cell and email) must be included in the nomination form, and, where
requested, age/birthdate
7.  Ten copies of the book/publication must be submitted with a nomination form each
8.  All the submitted copies, whether successful or not, will not be returned to the submitting party
9.  The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
10.  Work that has previously won under any category does not qualify
11.  Set books are not accepted
12.  Submissions sent by electronic mail (email) or facsimile (fax), will be automatically disqualified and will not
be replied to.
13.  Late submissions will not be accepted

Categories and criteria
1.  Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award

  • Only short story collections by one author will be considered
  • No age restriction
  • Only works published in 2014 – 2015 will be accepted

2.  k. Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award

  • The award is open to novels and novellas only
  • Only writers aged 40 and below are eligible to enter
  • Only works published in 2014 – 2015 will be accepted
  • The current age/birthdate of the author must be included in the nomination form

3.  Posthumous Literary Award

  •  The author will be judged on his/her overall literary achievement
  • Ten copies of the profile of the author and any supporting material must be submitted
  • No age restrictions
  • Contacts (telephone/Cell and email) of a family member must be included in the nomination form

4.  Lifetime Achievement Literary Award

  • The author must be 60-years old or above
  • The author will be judged on her/his outstanding work regardless of quantity and year of publication
  • Ten copies of the profile of the author and any supporting material must be submitted
  • The current age/birthdate of the author must be included in the nomination form

5.  Literary Journalism Award

  • The entrant must have made significant contribution to the promotion and development of literature through
    writing about and analysing South African literature
  • The award includes print and electronic media
  • Ten copies of the profile of the journalist and any supporting material must be submitted
  • No age restriction

6.  Literary Translators Award

  • Only the literary works translated by a South African on South African works of art will be considered
  • All the literary genres are welcome.
  • Both the original and translated copies must be submitted
  • Only works published in 2014 – 2015 will be accepted
  • No age restriction

7.  Poetry Award

  •  Only collections by an individual author will be considered
  • Only works published in 2014– 2015 will be accepted
  • No age restriction

8.  First-time Published Author Award

  • The award is open to all genres
  • The work can be fiction or non-fiction
  • The author must not have published before in any genre
  • Only works published in 2014– 2015 will be accepted
  • No age restriction

9.  Creative Non-Fiction Award

  • The award is open to creative non-fiction works, i.e. biographies/autobiographies, letters, speeches and
    memoirs
  • In the case of letters and speeches, only a collection of work published by one author will be accepted
  • Only works published in 2014 – 2015 will be accepted
    No age restriction
Download Categories and Criteria

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