The South African Literary Awards (SALA) has announced the shortlisted nominees for its 2025 edition, marking 20 years of celebrating the country’s leading literary voices.
With the final adjudication concluded by a 33-member panel of judges, the announcement reflects the culmination of a yearlong process honouring excellence in South African writing across all 11 official languages and 16 categories.
Supported by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and held in partnership with the City of Johannesburg’s Library and Information Services, the 20th anniversary ceremony will take place on November 11, 2025, at the Roodepoort Theatre and Museum in Florida Park.
The event will precede the 13th Africa Century International African Writers Conference, which coincides with the celebration of 34 years of International African Writers’ Day and 31 years of South Africa’s freedom and democracy.
Established in 2005 by the wRite associates, SALA serves as a national platform for recognising authors, poets, translators, and literary practitioners whose work contributes to South Africa’s cultural and creative growth. The awards span 16 categories, including the Children’s Literature Award, Youth Literature Award, First-Time Published Author Award, Poetry Award, Novel Award, Literary Translators Award, and the National, Regional, and Local Poet Laureate Prizes, among others.
Over the past two decades, SALA has honoured many of the country’s most prominent literary figures, including poets laureate Mazisi Kunene, Mongane Wally Serote, and Keorapetse Kgositsile, as well as Nobel laureate Nadine Gordimer, Lauretta Ngcobo, Miriam Tlali, and Barbara Masekela.
The 2025 shortlist includes:
Children’s Literature Award
- Nkateko Emily Mabasa — Celebrating Our Differences: Embracing My Superpowers
- Kabelo Duncan Kgatea — Petleke ya Malemelagotlhe
- Phuti Seboni — Rakgolo Masoba
- Upile uThixo Bongco — Big Shoes to Fill
First-Time Published Author Award
- Lebogang Seale — One Hundred Years of Dispossession: My Family’s Quest to Reclaim Our Land
- Happy Gladness Simelane — Thandeka
- Lungile ka Dlamini — And Give Us This Day Our Daily Hope
Youth Literature Award
- Kobate John Sekele — Sejamosela se fetetša noka
- Seakgwe Phalatse — Menomasweu
- Vusi Makhoba — Mhlawumbe Ngale Kwethuna
- Tiah Marie Beautement — A Tale of Many Tangents
k. Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award
- Lesedi Molefi — Patient 12A
Poetry Award
- Frank Meintjies — A place to night in
- Sizakele Nkosi — u-Grand, Malume?
- Molebatsi Bosilong — Mosikaro
- MH Hlaka — Tau Ahlama
- Bafana Charles Peter — Umkhumezelo Umqulu 3
- Muntomuhle Silindokuhle Mcambi — Ukufa Kwenono
- Muntomuhle Silindokuhle Mcambi — Amagagasi Enjabulo
- Mosima Phakane — Go Ribega tša Masa
- Hlayiseka S Rikhotso — Nyika nkarhi, nkarhi
- Vutshila Mission Magaisa — Vutshila bya vutlhokovetseri
- Nombeko Nontshokweni — uNobuntu
Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award
- Raphashe Abram Lesufi — ‘Temošo Setšhabeng’
- Zaheera Jina Asvat — ‘Tears of the Weaver’
- David Mann — ‘Once Removed: Short Stories’
- Kwandile Hadebe — ‘Ishumi’
Creative Non-Fiction Literary Award
- Maria Suriano — A Rare Gift To The Struggle: Ma Vesta Smith and The Everyday Politics of Liberation
- Adekeye Adebajo — The Black Atlantic’s Triple Burden: Slavery, Colonialism, and Reparations
Literary Translators Award
- Moses Seletisha — Ke Rata Punky
- Sifiso Mzobe — Izinkabi: Yasho Inganono, Laphalala Igazi
Novel Award
- Bulelani Matshoba — Akwaba Ndandingambonanga
- Kobate John Sekele — Ditlhoka Tša Bagaditšong
- Barbara Boswell — The Comrade’s Wife
- Nick Clelland — Good Hope
- Musa Aubrey Baloyi — Xilondza Xa Le Nhompfini
- Mandlakayise Mfanta — Ing’iyayikhotha Kanti Iyayixathula
Congratulations to all 2025 Shortlisted Nominees!
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
