Lindani Mbunyuza-Memani’s manuscript Buried in the Chest won the Dinaane Debut Fiction Award 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa on July 12, 2024.
The Dinaane Debut Fiction Award is a South African literary prize that aims to promote new southern African fiction that speaks to both a local and international audience. Awarded annually, it encourages new writers and new readers by publishing material that would likely otherwise not have been selected – for purely commercial reasons – by local publishers of literature. It was founded in 2004 as the European Union Literary Award before changing its name in 2015/2016. Some of the previous winners have been Fred Khumalo, Kopano Matlwa, Mubanga Kalimamukwento, and Resokestwe Manenzhe.
The jury for 2024, who judged the submissions blind, comprised of Rehana Rossouw (head judge), Jennifer Malec, and Robert Muponde. They received over sixty manuscripts and in February revealed a shortlist of;
- The Price of Blood in Pretoria, Emerson Vale
- Buried in the Chest, Lindani Mbunyuza-Memani
- Jacaranda Days, Zoe Ngombane
Lindani Mbunyuza-Memani’s Buried in the Chest. was revealed to be the winner at an event streamed online on Friday. Judges said that Mbunyuza-Memani, a recent graduate with an MA in English Literature from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and an MFA in Creative Writing, had crafted a bold and startling novel set in post-apartheid South Africa. Buried in the Chest explores themes of self-discovery, love and cultural identity through the journey of Unathi. The young woman searches for her mother amid the complexities of her upbringing in the village of Moya. As Unathi explores lesbian love, interracial relationships and the quest for her mother’s truth, she must also contend with the harsh realities of identity politics and the masks she must wear to survive.
The judges praised Lindani’s approach: ‘Buried in the Chest deals with familiar themes in South African writing, but with an approach that is astonishingly fresh and accomplished. The author interrogates the painful history of apartheid with a unique literary approach, and the book lingers in the heart and mind long after reading. This poetic novel is the kind of inventive truth-telling South Africa urgently needs as we continue to grapple with the past and imagine a better future for all.’
‘I am deeply honoured to receive the 2024 Dinaane Debut Fiction Award. I thank Rehana and the panel of judges, Jacana, and everyone involved in making this possible. This journey began as a part of my MFA, where this novel first took shape. After some time on the shelf, it found new life with the encouragement of my husband to publish,’ Lindani expressed moments after being announced as the winner. ‘I am committed to writing and exploring new narratives, yet my heart and my dreams remain deeply connected to my homeland, South Africa,’ added Lindani, who lives in Illinois.
She receives a R35,000 cash prize, a publication deal with Jacana Media, and international rights representation by Pontas Literary and Film Agency, based in Barcelona, Spain.
Buried in the Chest is now available for pre-order with a special celebratory discount of 20%, valid throughout July 2024. Pre-order your copy here.
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