Jenna Mervis, author of Braided River (Indeed Books), is hosting a writing workshop on 10 October 2026 in Hout Bay. Please email Jenna to book your place.
Karavan Press authors at the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees
We are heading to Stellenbosch for the annual Woordfees that is taking place between 3 and 11 October this year.
Two authors feature with their Karavan Press titles on the programme, Erika Viljoen and Louis Viljoen:
MONDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2026, 11:30 | EasyEquities Skrywerskamer
Louis Viljoen: Selected Plays
As dramaturg is Louis Viljoen bekend vir sy fyn, ingewikkelde taalgebruik en die ongemaklike intimiteit in sy dramas wat gehore vasgenael hou. Die versamelbundel Selected Playsbring vir die eerste keer tien van Viljoen se kragtigste toneelstukke byeen. Die aktrise Emma Kotze, een van Viljoen se gereelde medewerkers, gesels met die dramaturg oor die vakmanskap, chaos en die aard van die Suid-Afrikaanse teater, asook die uitdagings om sy donker werk op te voer.
TUESDAY, 6 OCTOBER 2026, 14:30 | EasyEquities Skrywerskamer
Aggressiewe water
Erika Viljoen se memoires, Aggressiewe water, is gebore uit briewe wat sy aan familie en vriende geskryf het toe die gesin uitgewyk het na ’n stuk veld in die Klein-Karoo waar niemand anders nog permanent gewoon het nie. Wat vir baie mense net ’n droom is, het vir haar gesin ’n werklikheid geword – met al die swoeg en sweet wat daarmee saamgaan. Erika se kind, Roland du Preez, kunstenaar, akteur en skrywer van die toneelstuk Rescue Remedy, tree met haar in gesprek.
Also featured on the programme are authors Lethokuhle Msimang and Zubayr Charles – Lethokuhle with the short film Soil and Grass, written, directed and narrated by her; and Zubayr with his novel, Haram (JB Publishers), and his poetry collection, the sad boy’s starter pack and other poems (Jacana). Lethokuhle published The Frightened and Zubayr published Please, don’t call me moffie with Karavan Press.
3 OCTOBER 2026, 13:30 | Road House Cinema at The Neelsie
Soil and Grass
Soil and Grass follows three traditional artisans in KwaZulu-Natal: a wire basket maker; a potter; and a palm weaver, whose practices move between rural heritage and urban adaptation. As materials are collected, transformed, and re-created, the film traces how knowledge persists in the midst of displacement. Interwoven with a personal story of departure and return, Soil and Grass reflects on what of loneliness, uncertainty, abandonment, survives in the search for a true sense of home. It is also a meditation on women who create alone.
Director, Writer, Narrator Lethokuhle Msimang
Cinematographer Thebe Gee
Editor Kgaugelo Mpyana
Sound Yang Wen Liang
3 OCTOBER 2026, 17:30 | EasyEquities Skrywerskamer
Writers on Writers: The Young Guns with Mia Arderne (How to Stop Being a Naai) and Zubayr Charles (Haram)
4 OCTOBER 2026, 16:00 | EasyEquities Skrywerskamer
Three Part Harmony with Sarah Uheida (Not This Tender), Paula Fourie (Inked in Bone) and Zubayr Charles (the sad boy’s starter pack and other poems)
Full programme: WOORDFEES
Malika Lueen Ndlovu wins the 2026 University of Johannesburg Prize for South African Writing
The University of Johannesburg Prize for South African Writing (UJ Prize) in English has announced its 2026 winners: Michelle Kekana was awarded the Debut Prize for The Fragile Mental Health of Strong Women (Jacana), and Malika Lueen Ndlovu the Main Prize for Griefseed (Karavan Press).
The prize is open to South African works in English across genres and was judged this year by a five-person panel from three universities: Prof Nedine Moonsamy of the University of Johannesburg (Chair), Prof Sikhumbuzo Mngadi and Prof Marzia Milazzo, both also of UJ, Prof Rebecca Fasselt of the University of Pretoria, and Dr Wisani Mushwana of the University of Cape Town. Prof Moonsamy described the judging process as an encouraging one for South African letters. “The quality of submissions was exceptionally high and offered a reassuring view of the contemporary South African literary landscape,” she said. “As usual, we have read across genres to select our winners.”
Kekana’s The Fragile Mental Health of Strong Women took the Debut Prize by unanimous decision, with judges praising the novel’s raw, refreshing portrait of Black South African women and its experimental, luminous quality.
Ndlovu’s Griefseed emerged as this year’s uncontested Main Prize winner. Jury member Marzia Milazzo called the collection, which weaves together poems, reflections, essays, and images, “an extraordinary collection on grief that moves, empowers, and, ultimately, heals.” Milazzo pointed to the book’s insistence on expression over suppression, quoting Ndlovu’s own line from the work: “Let the wound weep.”
Congratulations to all nominated authors and the winners, especially Malika Lueen Ndlovu – thank you for publishing this exceptional book with Karavan Press!
For more information, see: Brittle Paper
Klara du Plessis is die wenner van die Breyten Breytenbach-prys vir digkuns vir haar bundel ‘Ek’t Act’
Netwerk24 kykNET Rapport Breyten Breytenbach-prys vir digkuns 2026
Wenner: Klara du Plessis vir Ek’t Act (Karavan Press)
Commendatio: Ronelda Kamfer
Klara du Plessis se Ek’t Act verteenwoordig ’n belangrike verskuiwing in die nuwer diaspora-literatuur. Dit breek weg van die sentimentele, voorspelbare gegriefdheid en nostalgie van Suid-Afrikaners wat in die buiteland verlang na ’n idolized verlede wat in werklikheid nooit so bestaan het nie.
Wanneer die beoordelingskriteria vra of ’n bundel die leser met ’n helder stem betower, is die antwoord ja. Dit is egter ’n betowering wat gestroop is van pretensie en goedkoop sentiment. Afrikaans word ontwortel en in ’n vreemde, meertalige konteks geplaas waar dit moet veg vir eie meaning. Die leser word gedwing om die ongemak van verplasing self te ervaar. Du Plessis gebruik taal as ’n argitektoniese materiaal, die wyse waarop Afrikaans, Engels en die stiltes tussenin bots, getuig van ’n deurtastende begrip van die meganika van vertaling en taalkundige hibriditeit. Dit is ’n bundel wat Afrikaans uit sy selfbesorgde isolasie haal en in gesprek plaas met globale debatte. Dit is nie ’n museumstuk nie, maar ’n lewendige, buigsame medium.
Hierdie werk herinner ons aan wat poësie wesenlik behoort te wees. Antjie Krog het eenkeer gesê:
“om te kan skryf moet ek myself binne kom
deur my te buite te gaan
ek verlaat die daglig
die sleur van gefabriseerde stemme
en gaan ondergronds”
’n Ingetoë, noodsaaklike proses van selfondersoek en dokumentasie. In ’n era waar die cult van prestasie en verhooggeraas die inherente betekenis van die kunsvorm dikwels overshadow, moet digters kies om die dokumentering van menslike ervaring bo die spektakel te stel.
As digters moet ons leer om terug te staan, die gaze moet uitzoom sodat ons weer stil waarnemers kan word van die wêreld wat ons bewoon. Ons moet krities vra of die literatuur steeds in die regte rigting groei. Want op die mees fundamentele vlak is poësie nie ’n loud performance nie, dit is ’n fluistering, soos die wind, met stil krag wat net gehoor word wanneer ons ophou om te roep.
Klara du Plessis speel met daai stilte en krag. Vir haar moed, tegniese vernuf en visie om Afrikaans sonder om verskoning te maak in die wêreld te herbepaal, behoort die Breytenbach-prys aan haar. Dit is ’n ereloon wat die nalatenskap dra van Breyten Breytenbach, ’n skrywer wie se eie geskiedenis van exile en isolation en internasionale relevansie die verhoog geskep het waarop Afrikaans as ’n wêreldtaal van verset, vryheid en genuanseerde menslikheid kan staan.
Karavan Press title: Please, don’t call me moffie by Zubayr Charles
After viewing a viral online video of a brutal homophobic attack in an unknown country, five men in their late twenties reflect on their experiences of growing up, grappling with their identities and confronting toxic masculinity in Cape Town, South Africa. The play then shifts its focus to a surprise birthday party for Mushfeeq, planned by his group of friends, where the presence of an unwanted guest creates friction and conflict. Through a series of uncomfortable truths, Mushfeeq must come to terms with his own biases and prejudices.
Following successful runs at various local festivals and Artscape Theatre, the critically acclaimed Please, don’t call me moffie is now available in print and includes never-before-staged Acts 2 and 3.
ISBN: 978-1-0671781-6-1
Publication date: September 2026
ZUBAYR CHARLES is a UCT Master’s in Creative Writing graduate and multi-disciplinary writer from Cape Town. He is known as the playwright and theatre-maker of hit plays such as Mercy, this bra’s a psycho, The Battered Housewives’ Club and Brasse, Tot Laat Toe. He was part of the Baxter Theatre’s How to Write a Musical Workshop under the mentorship of David Kramer in 2019, attended LitNet’s and The Jakes Gerwel Foundation’s Kommadagga Nonfiction and Short Story Writing Residency under the mentorship of Rachelle Greeff in 2020, and completed his Master’s in Creative Writing cum laude under the supervision of Imraan Coovadia in 2022 at UCT. His first novel, Haram, and his first poetry collection, the sad boy’s starter pack and other poems, were published in 2026.
Author: Zubayr Charles
ZUBAYR CHARLES is a UCT Master’s in Creative Writing graduate and multi-disciplinary writer from Cape Town. He is known as the playwright and theatre-maker of hit plays such as Mercy, this bra’s a psycho, The Battered Housewives’ Club and Brasse, Tot Laat Toe. He was part of the Baxter Theatre’s How to Write a Musical Workshop under the mentorship of David Kramer in 2019, attended LitNet’s and The Jakes Gerwel Foundation’s Kommadagga Nonfiction and Short Story Writing Residency under the mentorship of Rachelle Greeff in 2020, and completed his Master’s in Creative Writing cum laude under the supervision of Imraan Coovadia in 2022 at UCT. His first novel, Haram, and his first poetry collection, the sad boy’s starter pack and other poems, were published in 2026.
Karavan Press is proud to publish Zubayr’s play Please, don’t call me moffie.
In the Slowness of Melting by Glen L. Thompson launching at Wordsworth Books Gardens
Please join us for the launch of In the Slowness of Melting, Glen L. Thompson‘s debut poetry collection. Glen will be in conversation with Stephen Symons: Wordsworth Books Gardens Centre, Wednesday, 30 September 2026, 5.30 for 6PM.
Malika Lueen Ndlovu’s Griefseed shortlisted for the UJ Prize for South Africa Writing
The University of Johannesburg Prize (UJ Prize) for South African Writing has announced its shortlists for books published in 2025.
Debut Prize:
Buried in the Chest by Lindani Mbuyunza-Memani
Not This Tender by Sarah Uheida
The Fragile Mental Health of Strong Women by Michelle Myeko Kekana
Main Prize:
Griefseed by Malika Lueen Ndlovu
Song of a Slave Girl by Ashraf Kagee
The Nightwatchman: Representing Black Men in Colonial South Africa by Hlonipha Mokoena
The announcement of winners is scheduled for 28 September, while the ceremony will be held on 22 October 2026.
Congratulations to all nominated authors! Special literary hugs to Malika Lueen Ndlovu who published Griefseed with Karavan Press in February last year.
For more information about the shortlists, see: Brittle Paper
Karavan Press title: Aggressiewe Water by Erika Viljoen
Jy skryf so genoeglik, ek sal graag sien dat hierdie briewe ’n wyer gehoor bereik. – A N D R É P. B R I N K
Een dag was daar … ’n mama en ’n papa en twee kindertjies wat uitgewyk het na ’n stuk veld in die Klein-Karoo waar niemand anders nog permanent gewoon het nie. “Julle doen nou dit waaroor ons almal maar net droom,” het ons vriende vir ons gesê. Dit was ’n droom, ’n werklikheid, ’n kosbare skat. Ons het geswoeg en gesweet, ons het geval en opgestaan. Die diepe vreugde van die veld sal altyd deel van ons sielslandskap wees. Die naaktheid waarna ons gesoek en wat ook van ons geëis is, het ons almal vir altyd verander, ten goede.
ISBN: 978-0-6399942-4-6
Publication date: September 2026
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ERIKA VILJOEN kom van ’n skaapplaas in die Noordoos-Kaap, van goeie ou Afrikaner-afkoms, waar sy niks anders as die eenvoud van die plaaslewe geken het nie. Toe word sy ’n swerwer, ontdekker, woordvraat, verloopte Afrikaner, huisskepper, moeder. In haar diep middeljare weet sy dat daar geen groot uitbarsting van wonder en faam is waarop ons kan reken nie, die ou lewe ry jou soms bloots, maar vir vrede in jou hart kan jy nooit genoeg dankie sê nie. Nou is sy ’n trotse “crone”, ’n mama van twee vlieënde arende, ’n voornemende boerin, ’n stoepsitter met haar Geliefde.
