South African Literary Awards 2018 winners announced.

The South African Literary Awards 2018 winners were announced at a ceremony in Johannesburg, South Africa on November 6, 2018.

The South African Literary Awards popularly referred to as the SALAs, started in 2005, have honoured 160 authors in 11 categories in all official South African languages. The award has been won by writers like Es’kia Mphahlele, Nadine Gordimer, Miriam Tlali, Lauretta Ngcobo, Keorapetse Willie Kgositsile, Wally Mongane Serote, Sindiwe Magona, Zakes Mda, Panashe Chigumadzi, Zukiswa Wanner, Sihle Khumalo, Nuruddin Farah, Yewande Omotoso, Sifiso Mzobe, Sabata Mpho Mokae, and Phillippa Yaa de Villiers.

In the call out earlier in the year the SALA awards sought out work from South African writers in the categories of, First-time Published Author Award, K Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award, Poetry Award, Nadine Gordimer Short story Award, Creative Non-fiction Literary Award, Literary Translators Award, Literary Journalism Award, Posthumous Literary Award, Lifetime Achievement Literary Award, Novel Award and Children’s Literature Award. For each award category the winner would receive a trophy, certificate and R30,000 prize money.

In the awards shortlists announced earlier in October, the K Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award which has been won in previous years by Nthikeng Mohlele (2017), Panashe Chigumadzi (2016), Zukiswa Wanner (2015), and Jamala Safari (2014) surprisingly did not have a shortlisted work.

Speaking at the award ceremony its project director Morakabe Seakhoa stated, ‘SALA continue continues to remain prestigious and respected literary accolades in the South African literary landscape.’

The full list of winners announced at the gala evening are;

• First-time Published Author Award – Malebo Sephodi, Miss Behave.
• Creative Non- Fiction Award – Jurgen Schadeberg, The Way I See It.
• K Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award – NO WINNER.
• Poetry Award – Kelwyn Sole, Walking, Falling.
• Literary Translators Award – Jeff Opland and Peter Mtuze, Umoya Wembongi: Collected Poems 1922 – 1935) by John Solilo, isiXhosa to English.
• Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award – Nick Mulgrew, The First Law of Sadness and Nicole Jaekel, Strauss As in die mond.
• Novel Award – Dan Sleigh,
• Children’s Literature Award – Marilyn J Honikman, There should have been five, and Jaco Jacobs, Daar is nie ʼnkrokodil in hierdie boek nie and Moenie hierdeie boek eet nie.
• Lifetime Achievement Literary Award – Hermann Giliomee and Ronnie Kasrils.
• Posthumous Literary Award – Leon Rousseau and SM Mofokeng.
• Literary Journalism Award – Sam Mathe.
• Chairperson’s Award – Peter Magubane.
• National Poet Laureate – Wally Mongane Serote.