For immediate release 16.03.18
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SALA adds two new categories
In their thirteenth year of existence, the South African Literary Awards (SALA) have added to their existing line-up two brand new categories, the Novel Award and Children’s Literature Award. More than 170 South African literature practitioners have been honoured since the awards inception in 2005. They started off with only one category, the National Poet Laureate Prize. The two new awards will be issued for the first time at a glittering event on 7 November 2018.
Introducing the new categories, The wRite associates, who in partnership with the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) are both the custodian and patron of this premier accolades said the decision was taken following broad stakeholder consultations and to ensure the awards reflect the development agenda of the country in the field of literacy. The Children’s Literature Award is also inspired by 2018 being designated the Year of Nelson Mandela, the late statesman who dedicated his retirement to championing children’s issues and once said “Our children are the rock on which our future will be built, our greatest assets as a nation. They will be the leaders of our country, the creators of our national wealth who care for and protect our people”
Among luminaries honoured by the SALA are two late poet laureates Prof Mazisi Kunene and Prof Keorapetse Kgositsile. Following the sudden passing away of Prof Kgositsile earlier this year, the award committee will later in the year inaugurate the country’s third poet laureate.
SALA awards the following literary categories which are also open to all South African writers; First-time Published Author Award, k Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award, Poetry Award, Nadine Gordimer Short story Award, Creative Non-fiction Literary Award, Literary Translators Award, Literary Journalism Award, Posthumous Literary Award, Lifetime Achievement Literary Award, Novel Award and Children’s Literature Award. Writers are encouraged to enter in droves and stand a chance to win one of the eleven awards on offer.
The mission of the South African Literary Awards is to pay tribute to South African writers who have distinguished themselves as groundbreaking producers and creators of literature, while it celebrates literary excellence in the depiction and sharing of South Africa’s histories, value systems and philosophies and art as inscribed and preserved in all eleven official languages of South Africa.
Entry closes on May 31, 2018 and no late entries will be entertained. For more information and to download entry forms visit www.sala.org.za or www.writeassociates.co.za