Karina Author, Book, Prize

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

Karina Author, Book, Literary Awards, Prize

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

Karina Author, Book, Prize

UJ Prize Shortlist for Books Published in 2024 announced

Media release:

The University of Johannesburg Prize (UJ Prize) for South African Writing is pleased to announce the shortlist for books published in 2024. The Prize opened for submissions on 26 November 2024 and closed on 28 February 2025.

The UJ Prize was established in 2006 for South African writing and is not genre-specific.

We trust our panel of judges to do a fair and rigorous evaluation of submitted texts and select the most outstanding books. Following an intensive adjudication process, the judges have shortlisted the following books in their respective categories:

Debut Prize

  • Morafe: Person, Family and Nation in Colonial Bechuanaland by Khumisho Moguerane
  • Weeping Becomes a River by Siphokazi Jonas
  • Who Looks Inside by Anna Stroud

Main Prize

  • Keorapetse Kgositsile and the Black Arts Movement by Uhuru Portia Phalafala
  • The Comrade’s Wife by Barbara Boswell
  • The Lost Love of Akbar Manzil by Shubnum Khan

The prize money is R75,000 (Seventy-Five Thousand Rand only) for the main prize, and R45,000 (Forty-Five Thousand Rand only) for the debut prize. The final results will be announced before the end of September 2025. For more information, please contact the UJ Prize coordinator, Prof Siphiwo Mahala via email: siphiwom@uj.ac.za 

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Congratulations to all shortlisted authors, especially to Anna Stroud! We are thrilled that her debut novel, Who Looks Inside, is shortlisted for the UJ Debut Prize.

Earlier this year, Anna won the HSS Award for Best Fiction Emerging Author.

Thank you, Anna, for publishing with Karavan Press. It is a joy to celebrate you and this exquisite novel.

Karina Author, Book, Prize

THE OTHER ME by JOY WATSON shortlisted for the UJ Debut Prize

Announcement of the UJ Prize Shortlists (Debut Prize and Main Prize) for Works Published in 2022

The University of Johannesburg Prize (UJ Prize) for South African Writing is delighted to announce the shortlist for books published in 2022. The UJ Prize opened for submissions on 25 October 2022 and closed on 31 January 2023.

We received a record number of entries this year, and a panel comprised of seven judges considered the submissions. Following a rigorous adjudication process, the judges have shortlisted the following books in the respective categories:

Debut Prize

  • Boy on the Run (novel) by Welcome Mandla Lishivha
  • The Other Me (novel) by Joy Watson
  • Things My Mother Left Me (novel) by Pulane Mpondo

Main Prize

  • An Angel’s Demise (novel) by Sue Nyathi
  • Greyheart (poetry) by Lesego Rampolokeng
  • How to be a Revolutionary (novel) by C.A. Davids

The panel of judges drawn from three different universities around South Africa, selected these six titles out of more than 100 entries. “The overwhelming response to the prize is indicative of the growth and diversity of South African writing,” said Professor Ronit Frenkel, Chairperson of judges and Head of the English Department at the University of Johannesburg.

The final results will be announced on 14 September 2023.

Congratulations, Joy, and all other shortlisted writers!

Karina Author, Book, Prize

UJ Prize shortlist clarification

As many of you would have seen when the original press release about the University of Johannesburg Prize for Creative Writing shortlists went out on 15 September, our A Hibiscus Coast by Nick Mulgrew was included — troublingly, however, for the debut prize.

But the novel is the author’s fourth book, a fact clearly stated both inside the book and on its cover. 

We were thrilled nevertheless, because we thought that the inclusion of the novel might have been a simple administrative mix-up, and that the novel belonged on the main category’s shortlist.

When we asked for clarification before making an official announcement on our side, however, the response was:

“Unfortunately, the UJ literary prize panel erroneously shortlisted Nick Mulgrew’s The [sic] Hibiscus Coast as a debut publication. As his publisher pointed out that he had published creative writing previously, we have removed this wonderful book from the debut shortlist. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.”

With considerable disappointment, therefore, the book has been withdrawn entirely from consideration for the University of Johannesburg Prizes.

Thank you to all who congratulated Nick and Karavan Press after the initial press release. We are celebrating this exceptional novel (shortlist or no shortlist) and continue to congratulate the shortlisted authors.

Here is the updated, correct (sadly for us), press release: JRB.