Yewande Omotoso, Nthikeng Mohlele Lead the 2017 University of Johannesburg Prize Shortlists

The University of Johannesburg Prize for South African Writing has announced the 2017 shortlists for their Main Prize and Debut Prize.

Founded in 2006, the University of Johannesburg Prize, also known as the UJ Prize, is given annually for “the best original creative work in English published in the previous calendar year.” It comprises a main prize and a debut prize. The judges are drawn from the Department of English at the University of Johannesburg, to whom are added “two academics from other universities and one member of the media or publishing industry.” The prizes do not separate genres: fiction, nonfiction, poetry and biography are shortlisted alongside each other.

The R75 000 Main Prize includes:

• Yewande Omotoso’s The Woman Next Door.
• Nthikeng Mohlele’s Pleasure.
• Bongani Madondo’s Sigh, the Beloved Country.

The R35 000 Debut Prize lists:

• Mohale Mashigo’s The Yearning.
• Sindiswa Busuku-Mathese’s Loud and Yellow Laughter.
• Jolyn Philips’ Tjieng Tjang Tjerries and Other Stories.
• Sylvia Vollenhoven’s The Keeper of the Kumm.

Congratulations to the seven authors.