The winners for this year’s University of Johannesburg Prizes for South African Writing in English (UJ Prizes) have been announced, following a rigorous adjudication process, in which seven judges from three universities evaluated a wide array of books published in 2023. They winners are Morabo Morojele and Jarred Thompson, with Morojele winning the Main Prize with the novel Three Egg Dilemma, while Thompson is the Debut Prize winner for his novel The Institute for Creative Dying.
The winner of the Main Prize will receive prize money to the tune of R75, 000.00, and the Debut Prize will receive R45, 000.00. All the top three nominees in the respective categories will receive certificates of recognition.
Judge Thabo Tšehloane had this to say:
‘Morabo Morojele’s Three Egg Dilemma is a witty, thought-provoking novel that blends humour with social critique. The novel masterfully navigates the complex dilemmas of modern life, grappling with tensions between tradition and identity. Morojele skillfully captures the clash between personal aspirations and societal expectations, using wit and keen observation to explore the complexities of living in a rapidly changing world. Three Egg Dilemma highlights the universal struggle of forging an identity in a world that is constantly shifting. Morojele’s humour and insight make the novel both accessible and profound, offering a meaningful exploration of the challenges facing contemporary African society. With its vibrant characters and satirical tone, Three Egg Dilemma offers readers a fresh and engaging perspective on contemporary African life.’
Ronit Frenkel, chair of the judging panel, described Jarred Thompson’s The Institute for Creative Dying as ‘an extraordinarily original and beautifully crafted novel that heralds the emergence of a new literary star in South Africa.’
Frenkel said:
‘The novel centres on five people as they navigate the idea of how to “die delightfully” while exploring the limits of how they have lived. Thompson investigates big metaphysical questions, along with what he calls the “crisis of the ordinary”, through these vastly different characters. The book is interspersed with moments of joy, beauty and insight while the characters seek meaning in a difficult world. Issues around mortality and the interconnectedness of everything frame the narrative in profound ways that force the reader to ponder the very same questions when the ending is already known—that, inevitably, we will all die.’
This year’s adjudication panel was comprised of the following members:
- Prof Ronit Frenkel (Chair), University of Johannesburg
- Prof Sikhumbuzo Mngadi, University of Johannesburg
- Prof Marzia Milazzo, University of Johannesburg
- Dr Rebecca Fasselt, University of Pretoria
- Dr Thabo Tsehloane, University of Johannesburg
- Prof Grace Musila, University of the Witwatersrand
- Prof Nedine Moonsamy, University of Johannesburg
Morabo Morojele was born in Lesotho and grew up in several countries in Africa and Europe. He has degrees from the London School of Economics and the Institute of Social Studies at The Hague. Morojele has spent most of his life working for international organisations and not-for profit organisation in the development sector. Morojele’s debut novel, How We Buried Puso, was published in 2006, and his second, Three Egg Dilemma, will be published in 2023 by Jacana Media. He is also a musician who has performed and recorded with many of Southern Africa’s leading jazz musicians.
Jarred Thompson is a literary and cultural studies researcher and educator and works as a lecturer in the English Department at the University of Pretoria. He was longlisted for the Sol Plaatje Poetry Award (2017), shortlisted for the Gerald Kraak Award and Anthology (2019) and won the Afritondo Short Story Prize in 2020. In 2021, he placed second in the Dream Foundry Contest, an international award for speculative fiction. In 2022, he was a writing fellow at The Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study. His writing has appeared in local and international journals and he has been the recipient of several prestigious scholarships, including The Global Excellence and Stature Scholarship, The Chris van Wyk Creative Writing Scholarship, two National Arts Council Grants and an NRF nGAP Scholarship. The Institute for Creative Dying is his debut novel.
Tap here to read more on the prizes as well as the shortlist.
Congratulations to Morojele and Thompson on their outstanding achievement!
Bongiwe T. Maphosa
Bongiwe Maphosa is a budding author with a passion for storytelling. With her thought-provoking narratives, she takes her readers on a literary adventure. Bongiwe's works on the human condition from a fresh perspective have earned her recognition and publications in the Avbob Poetry Anthology of 2019, The Writer's Club of South Africa 2021, and JAY Lit in 2021. She hopes to cement her place in the literary community.
