The completion of the adjudication process by between 30 and
35 seasoned judges will yield a short list of nominees from whom ultimate
winners will emerge and announced at the Awards handover ceremony on 7November
2024, at a venue still to be confirmed.
On the same day and venue, preceding this Awards ceremony
will be the 12th Africa Century International African Writers
Conference, both celebrating the 33rd anniversary of the
African Union-declared International African Writers’ Day and 30 years of South
Africa’s Freedom and Democracy.
The prestigious South African Literary Awards were founded in
2005 by the wRite associates, in partnership with the national Department of
Arts and Culture (now Department of Sport, Arts and Culture), as a platform to
honour authors, translators, poets and other literary practitioners who made
and continue to make a contribution in the South African literary landscape.
More than 300 wordsmiths have been honoured over the last 18 years.
Morakabe Raks Seakhoa, Managing Director at wRite associates
and SALA’s founder Executive Director, is pleased with the massive impact SALA
has had on South Africa’s literary scene over the past 18 years. “We are
pleased with the consistency, growth and maturing
of SALA across languages, generational, gender and other social prisms”, Seakhoa
says.
“The
past 19 years have seen SALA recognise authors who have since soared higher in
their literary careers, leading to them being republished, invitations and
participation in literary events at home and abroad, some of their work
optioned for movies and theatre stages”.
Seakhoa is confident that this year’s adjudicators will, once
again, select the best literary offerings. “SALA always goes out of its way to
source the best adjudicators through literary and
linguistic departments at institutions of higher learning, writers’ and
literary translations experts and so on”.
The categories
SALA honours writing and writers in all official languages
across 16 categories.
These are:
1.
k. Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award
2.
First-Time published writers are also acknowledged and
honoured by the Awards.
3.
The Nadine Gordimer Short Story Literary Award,
honouring thespians in the genre, across all languages.
4.
National Poet Laureate Prize
5.
Poetry Award
6.
Literary Translators Award
7.
Lifetime Achievement Literary Award
8.
Posthumous Literary Award
9.
Literary Journalism Award
10.Creative Non-Fiction Award
11.Chairperson’s Award
12.Children’s Literature Award
13.Youth Literature Award
14.Novel Award
15.Regional Poet Laureate Prize
16.Local Poet Laureate Prize
As writers are given an equal opportunity to contest any of the Awards categories, the winners over the years reflect that elevated state of South African literature, which has seen some of the local works adapted to screen- and stage-plays.
A history of literary distinction
Some of the literary practitioners
honoured in various categories over the years include the current National Poet
Laureate, Prof Mongane Wally Serote, the late Nobel Laureate, Nadine Gordimer,
multi-award winning novelist Kgebetli Moele, literary journalists Phakama
Mbonambi, Bongani Madondo and Sabata-Mpho Mokae, poet Kobus Moolman, book
critics Karabo Kgoleng and Jenny
Crwys-Williams, activist, poet and author Ambassador Lindiwe
Mabuza, short story writers Makhosazana Xaba and Reneilwe Malatji, scholars and
prolific writers Zakes Mda, Njabulo Ndebele, Mbulelo Mzamane, Ashraaf Kagee,
Nhlanhla Maake, Imraan Coovadia, the late translator, poet, novelist and
children’s writer Chris van Wyk; Lebohang Masango, also a children’s author,
and many others.