Nick Clelland’s GOOD HOPE shortlisted for the SALA Novel Award

The 20th edition of the South African Literary Awards is set to take place on 11 November 2025 at the Roodepoort Theatre and Museum and we are delighted to announce that Nick Clelland’s Good Hope has been shortlisted for the Novel Award. Congratulations, Nick and all other shortlisted authors!

Read the official press release: SALA Announces the 2025 Shortlisted Nominees

Celebrating ‘What Remains’ by Dawn Garisch

Last year was a remarkable year for Karavan Press in all kinds of ways, but specifically in terms of literary awards. Karavan Press authors won five major awards, two of which recognised What Remains by Dawn Garisch. The story collection won the HSS Award for Best Fiction Short Stories and SALA’s Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award in 2024. In order to celebrate this wonderful achievement, we will be relaunching the collection at Exclusive Books Cavendish on Wednesday, 29 January, 5.30 for 6PM. Dawn will be in conversation with Mathapelo Mofokeng. Please join us for the celebration!

To RSVP, click here: Exclusive Books Cavendish

Dawn Garisch wins the Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award for her collection, What Remains

We are delighted to announce that Dawn Garisch won SALA‘s Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award 2024 for her collection, What Remains! This is the second prestigious award for What Remains. It also won the HSS Award for Best Fiction Short Stories earlier this year. Congratulations Dawn and What Remains!

The Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award is one of the South African Literature Awards (SALA). This year, two other Karavan Press titles featured on the SALA shortlists: Sipho Banda’s A Crowded Lonely Walk was nominated for the Poetry Award, and Diane Awerbuck’s Inside your body there are flowers was also nominated for Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award. Congratulations to all nominated writers and books! And thank you, Dawn, Sipho and Diane for your amazing contributions to short story writing and poetry.

For the full announcement of this year’s SALA winners, please see: “SALA announces 2024 winners” (LitNet)

SMALL SOULS by Stephen Symons shortlisted for the SALA Poetry Award

The shortlisted nominees of the S.A. Literary Awards 2023 have been announced and we are delighted to report that Small Souls by Stephen Symons was shortlisted for the Poetry Award.

“The 34-strong panel of judges of the South African Literary Awards (SALA) spent months rigorously reading, scrutinising, and scoring the over 200 books that answered to the Call for Submissions issued in November 2022. […] The huge number and diversity of books submitted are a testimony to the amazing journey SALA has travelled since the inaugural ceremony held at the Durban International Convention Centre, Kwa-Zulu Natal, on the 5th March 2005, in honour of South Africa’s world-renowned scholar, author, eminent yet unsung poet of majestic epics and literary genius, Prof. Mazisi Kunene.” (SALA)

Poetry Award

  • Vuyisile Msila – Yombela
  • Kaka Mokakale – Tswina ya poko
  • Anelisa Thengimfene – Amajingiqhiw’ entlalo
  • Michèle Betty – Dark Horse
  • Stephen Symons – Small Souls: New and Collected Poems

Congratulations to Stephen and all other shortlisted authors!

The 18th SALA Awards handover ceremony will take place on 7th November 2023.

For more information, click here: S.A. Literary Awards 2023

AN ISLAND by Karen Jennings shortlisted for the K. SELLO DUIKER MEMORIAL LITERARY AWARD

It gives us great joy to announce that An Island by Karen Jennings has been shortlisted for the K. SELLO DUIKER MEMORIAL LITERARY AWARD in the South African Literary Awards (SALA).

The shortlist also includes Lihle Sokapase’s Yapatyalaka Ibhobhile (isiXhosa) and Brian Fredericks’s As die Cape Flats kon praat (Afrikaans).

Congratulations to all shortlisted authors in this and all other categories!