The Dramatic, Artistic & Literary Rights Organisation (DALRO) marked World Literary Day and the 58th anniversary of Can Themba’s death with the launch of When Water Wants To, the inaugural anthology under the DALRO Can Themba Merit Award. The collection, published by Wits University Press and edited by Neil Coppen, showcases the top ten stories selected from over 250 submissions by emerging South African writers.

The anthology launch took place at Exclusive Books in Rosebank, Johannesburg, bringing together the finalists whose work spans from deeply personal narratives to wildly allegorical tales. The collection delves into the national psyche through the conversations, connections, and parallels the stories create.

A distinguished jury moderated by Ismail Mahomed and comprised of Niq Mhlongo, Shafinaaz Hassim, Lynn Joffe, Lorraine Sithole, Greg Homan, Neil Coppen, and Tiisetso Mashifane selected the final stories. The anthology’s launch event also served as the platform for announcing the competition’s runner-up and winner, with the Market Theatre committing to appoint a dramaturge to help the winning author adapt their short story into a stage play.

“What fascinating stories from a talented group of new writers!” said Veronica Klipp of Wits University Press. “While Wits University Press is best known for scholarly non-fiction, we’re delighted to occasionally branch into short stories and plays, giving a wider range of authors a publishing platform.”

The award honors Can Themba, whose literary legacy continues to inspire new generations of storytellers. As academic Aysha Ahmed noted in an essay about Themba, “Writers are often considered the minority in many societies. Many begin dozens of stories, but only a handful are able to spin these beginnings all the way through into substantial endings. These few can be considered as the compendium of our society.”

The project represents a collaboration between DALRO, Wits University Press, the Market Theatre, and the Centre for Creative Arts, which launched the award at the Time of the Writer festival in March 2025. The Centre provided mentoring support to help writers refine their original submissions and better understand the publishing industry.