The Sol Plaatje European Union Poetry Award, a South African prize, has announced its 2017 longlist, and it comprises 63 poets. The award is an initiative of The Jacana Literary Foundation (JLF) and the longlisted poets will be published in the 7th annual Sol Plaatje European Union Poetry Anthology. It received entries “in a range of South Africa’s official languages.”
Among the judges is Koleka Putuma, who is shortlisted for the Brittle Paper Award for Poetry and is sparking a change in how African books are sold. Joining her on the panel are Athol Williams, with whom she reviewed the English entries; Goodenough Mashego, who reviewed the indigenous-language entries; Pieter Odendaal who reviewed the Afrikaans entries; the chair, Professor Mongane Wally Serote, who “will select from the longlisted poems a shortlist of three poems, determining a winner as well as two runners-up.”
Here are the 63 longlisted poets.
- Agustin, Jim Pascual
- Archer, Caroline F.
- Bamjee, Saaleha
- Beyers, Marike
- Bloem, Diana
- Bohnen, René
- Booley, Fadwah
- Botes, Kathryn Clare
- Clough, Margaret
- Coates, Christine
- Day, Lise
- De Beer, Sara
- Dendy, Gail
- Dlamini, Wandile
- Ellis, Jeanne
- Gantana, Nobuntu
- Garisch, Dawn
- Geyer, Sunelle
- Haller, Hallie
- Haresnape, Geoffrey
- Head, Vernon RL
- Jacobs, Rochelle
- Jonas, Siphokazi
- Khanyile, Musawenkosi
- Kirsten, Lara
- Kloot, Lynne
- Kussing, Ulrike
- Lakajoe, Tsietsi Thabiso
- Mabaso, Portia
- Mahlangu, Busisiwe
- Makue, Thabile
- Manenzhe, Resoketswe
- Maputi, Sibongile
- Masilela, Sibusiso
- Matshoba, Zongezile T.
- Mawela, Katise
- Mayisa, Nompumelelo
- Mbanjwa, Phila
- Mofokeng, Thabiso
- Mohale, Maneo
- Molefe, Tshepo
- Momogos, George
- Moonsamy, Nedine
- Newham, Pamela
- Ngemntu, Vuyokazi
- Njoloza, Bomikazi
- Nongogo, Zola
- Ntsuku, Constance
- Ntuli, Sihle
- Nxumalo, Bheki
- Olivier, Megan
- Ross, Megan
- Seletisha, Moses
- Sindaphi, Lwanda
- Sebolelo, Lorraine Sithole
- Snyckers, Annette
- Snyman, Louisa
- Swanson, Archie
- Thompson, Jarred
- Tsolo, Thabang
- Wallace McKeown, Jeannie
- Warren, Lunette Elle
- Wilson, Hilda
We are happy to see among the nominees Megan Ross whose short story, “Farang,” was second runner-up for the 2016 Short Story Day Africa Prize and is shortlisted for the Brittle Paper Award for Fiction.
The shortlist will be announced at the inaugural Nirox Foundation Word Festival in Johannesburg on 21 October 2017.
Congratulations to Megan Ross, and all the longlisted authors.
See the press release HERE.
Correction: This post incorrectly stated that the Saaleha Bamjee longlisted for the Sol Plaatje EU Poetry Award is the same who is a two-time finalist for the Writivism Short Story Prize in 2014 and in 2017. We apologize for this error, as they are two different people.
Otosirieze Obi-Young September 10, 2017 09:39
Okay, Saleeha. The mistake has been corrected. Thanks.