The 2024 Sunday Times Literary Awards shortlist

Non-fiction Award Criteria

The illumination of truthfulness, especially those forms of it that are new, delicate, unfashionable and fly in the face of power; compassion; elegance of writing; and intellectual and moral integrity.

Judges

Kevin Ritchie
Sewela Langeni
Prof Hlonipha Mokoena

CHAIR OF JUDGES KEVIN RITCHIE SAYS:

Every book on the longlist this year was a winner; by sheer virtue of making it onto a longlist as strong and as diverse as this year’s one. The judges will often say it’s a pity that the shortlist can’t be expanded, but there can only ever be five – and so it is this year as well. What makes the selection that much easier as the number of books gets whittled down is the guiding mantra of the Sunday Times non-fiction award (above). All of the books on the longlist showed elements of these characteristics; we had vulnerable memoirs and exhaustively researched biographies, the re-imagining of history, the vivid retelling of forgotten stories that made them feel as compelling as if they had happened yesterday; and, clarion calls for global action too. But the five that made it to the shortlist, unanimously so, showed all of these elements and rightly deserve this accolade in the country’s pre-eminent award for non-fiction. 

Here is the non-fiction shortlist in order of the author’s surname:

The Inheritors: An Intimate Portrait of South Africa’s Racial Reckoning by Eve Fairbanks (Jonathan Ball Publishers)
The Inheritors weaves together the stories of three ordinary South Africans over five tumultuous decades in a sweeping look at what really happens when a country resolves to end white supremacy. Observing subtle truths about race and power that extend well beyond national borders.
Judges said: A work of incredible endeavour, more than a decade in the making, as Fairbanks traverses some of the greatest inflection points in post-apartheid South Africa and explores just how the fault lines of ethnicity and culture are driving us ever further apart.

Place: South African Literary Journeys by Justin Fox (Umuzi)
Fox writes: “The idea behind Place was to embark on a series of journeys around South Africa using literary works instead of maps to guide me. While it is rewarding to engage with landscape through the pages of great books, it’s even better to put boots on the ground, text in hand, and experience first hand something of the authors’ relationship with place, to hear the voices of their characters in situ.”
Judges said: A travelogue, in which the author’s scholarship sits lightly upon his shoulders, as Fox pens a love letter to this land by retracing the steps of some of our most celebrated authors, as he takes stock of their influence on him – and us.

The Plot to Save South Africa: The Week Mandela Averted Civil War and Forged a New Nation by Justice Malala (Jonathan Ball Publishers)
Johannesburg. Easter weekend. 1993. Chris Hani, the charismatic ANC leader, is shot and killed outside his home by white supremacist Janusz Waluś. Twenty-two-year-old rookie journalist Justice Malala was one of the first people at the crime scene and he covered the growing chaos. On the 30th anniversary of Hani’s death, Malala revisits the unforgettable events of these nine days.
Judges said: Meticulously researched, beautifully retold and scrupulously fair in finding the heroes while naming and shaming the villains as South Africa teetered on the edge of the abyss, this is a vital – and timely – contribution to our memories of the past.

The Race To Be Myself by Caster Semenya (Jonathan Ball Publishers)
Caster Semenya is one of the greatest athletes ever to run the 800 meter. She went undefeated for almost four years, winning two Olympic gold medals and three World Athletics Championships. The Race To Be Myself tells the coming-of-age story of Caster’s dramatic early life from a gifted and self-trained novice to become the pinnacle of her sport – and takes readers behind the scenes of her inspiring battle to run in the “body that God gave me”.
Judges said: A cautionary tale for bigots the world over, as relevant now as it was when Semenya was running against prejudice across the world. Vulnerable, heart-rending and unflinchingly brave, this is a story that needs to be told again and again, until the hatred abates.

Winnie and Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage by Jonny Steinberg (Jonathan Ball Publishers)
Jonny Steinberg tells the tale of this unique, iconic marriage – its longings, its obsessions, its deceits in a page-turning political biography with Shakespearean dramatis. Winnie and Nelson is a modern epic in which trauma doesn’t affect just the couple at its centre, but an entire nation.
Judges said: Telling the tale of a statesman as storied as Nelson Mandela is difficult, combining it with the story of another icon in his wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, is remarkably ambitious and fraught with peril. Steinberg does it with skill, courage and sensitivity.

Fiction Prize Criteria

The winner should be a novel of rare imagination and style, evocative, textured and a tale so compelling as to become an enduring landmark of contemporary fiction.

Judges:

Siphiwo Mahala
Dr Alma-Nelisha Cele
Michele Magwood

CHAIR OF JUDGES SIPHIWO MAHALA SAYS:

The judging panel approached the books entered for this year’s Fiction Prize with a keen interest to delve into a world of the unknown. In turn, we were introduced to a kaleidoscopic array of writing from both the seasoned and emerging writers alike. The result was a pleasantly edifying and exhilarating experience, as reading these novels was embarking on a journey punctuated with diverse themes, surprising and experimental narrative styles and boundless imagery. The wide range of settings, encompassing familiar and unfamiliar locations, bears testament to the universality of our stories and illustrate that our narratives transcend the realist preoccupations with the present moment. These five shortlisted novels, each in its own unique way, represent masterful works of rare, unfettered and powerful imagination. 

Here is the fiction shortlist in order of the author’s surname:

Buried Treasure by Sven Axelrad (Umuzi)
Aging cemetery groundskeeper Mateus, his dog named God, and a homeless girl called Novo — Axelrad’s debut novel intrigues from the get-go. Introducing the reader to the fictional town of Vivo, where pigeons deliver messages, a phonebooth is used for trysts, and residents include a prophetic flower-seller.
Judges said: This adventurous coming-of-age story weaves together diverse characters and worlds that stand in stark contrast with one another. Clever, witty and playful, yet with dark and foreboding shadows, Buried Treasure is a highly imaginative and entertaining piece of writing. This is a debut that punches above its weight. 

The Bitterness of Olives by Andrew Brown (Karavan Press)
Written before the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip on October 7, Brown’s latest novel is set against the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A retired detective in Tel Aviv and Palestinian doctor in Gaza with a shared past, must resolve their differences to investigate a murder. 
Judges said: A harrowing account of a moment of strife, beautifully told. The author, endowed with vivid imagination coupled with acumen and erudition, deftly immerses the reader in a brutal and bewildering landscape. A wholly sublime narrative, this novel is contemporaneous, daring, complex and aesthetically pleasing.

Three Egg Dilemma by Morabo Morojele (Jacana)
Morojele’s phantasmagorical story follows the life of EG (short for "Example") and a group of unlikely friends and neighbours as they attempt to survive societal breakdown. Taking place in an unnamed locale — which could be read as Lesotho, South America, the Balkans or the US.
Judges said: A cleverly rendered dystopian novel, Three Egg Dilemma presents a complex narrative that juxtaposes the natural and the supernatural. The author deftly weaves together the familiar realm of village life, drinking dens and sexual exploration, while exploring the visceral, all against the backdrop of a society on the brink of a military strife. Written with lucid and poetic prose, this is a universal and timeless novel. 

The Institute for Creative Dying by Jarred Thompson (Picador Africa)
Thompson’s debut novel is a vivid and fearless exploration of mortality and the interconnectedness of all forms of life.
Judges said: In this debut novel, the author takes the reader by the scruff of the neck and thrusts them into a journey with five intriguing characters. Through the exposure to these characters’ tumultuous lives, we are compelled to become one with them and imagine the ephemeral nature of our own existence. A beautifully written narrative with arresting descriptions, the prose invites you to even marvel at the exquisite portrayal of magnificent death scenes. The story is perceptive, highly imaginative and captivating. 

Mirage by David Ralph Viviers (Umuzi)
Mirage is a fast-paced metaphysical mystery set amid the intricate strata and koppies of the Karoo. In essence, Viviers’ debut novel is a story about loss and healing, and how we utilise narrative to process pain.
Judges said: An intriguing narrative that transcends time and space. The plot of this novel seamlessly connects the past and the present without impeding the flow of the narrative. Erudite without being pompous or overly didactic, the author guides the reader through lessons in history, cosmology, and a spectrum of diverse human emotions. With a sharp, observant eye that sparks our own curiosity, the author has crafted a deeply affecting and sensuous novel.