Penguin Random House SA celebrates 10-year anniversary

27 January 2025 - 13:26
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Here's to a decade of celebrating Penguin Random House.
Here's to a decade of celebrating Penguin Random House.
Image: Supplied

January 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of Penguin Random House SA (PRHSA), which was officially registered as a South African company in 2015 after the merger of Random House Struik and Penguin SA.

The merger was part of the global union of trade book publishing companies Random House and Penguin Group, creating the world’s largest trade publisher, Penguin Random House.

Over the past decade PRHSA has expanded its local publishing list by acquiring Lapa, the largest Afrikaans-language publisher, and the educational publisher Berlut Books.

Local titles generate more than 40% of PRHSA’s revenue, and the company’s combined international and local lists account for a quarter of the general book market. This makes PRHSA the largest publisher of English and Afrikaans books in South Africa.

Since 2015, the publisher has dominated the top-seller lists and made news headlines with a host of titles, including Truth to Power by André de Ruyter, Gangster State by Pieter-Louis Myburgh, The Land is Ours by Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, Atomic Habits by James Clear and Becoming by Michelle Obama.

In an increasingly polarised world, where those in power often seek to silence dissenting voices, we are committed to ensuring diverse voices are heard. We look forward to the next 10 years
Steve Connolly, CEO of Penguin Random House SA

Among the Afrikaans bestsellers were Low carb is lekker by Inè Reynierse, Hoe verklaar jy dit? compiled by Danny Fourie, Tuisland by Karin Brynard and Mentje - Kind van Pas-Opkamp by Irma Joubert. For younger readers the Tippie educational series, featuring an adorable elephant, continues to top the charts.

PRHSA is also proud of many awards and innovations over the past decade. In 2021, Damon Galgut was awarded the globally prestigious Booker Prize for The Promise, while locally PRHSA won the Sunday Times Literary Fiction Award eight years in a row and the Non-Fiction Award twice in a row. SJ Naudé won the Hertzog Prize for Prose twice in a row for Die derde spoel and Dol heuning, the only author to do so in the award’s 100-year history. PRHSA was awarded the prestigious annual Sefika Trade Publisher of The Year Award in 2016, 2017 and 2019. The award has not been reinstated since the pandemic.

The publishing house built an innovative children’s list, created an inspirational imprint named Luca and launched The Penguin Post, a magazine distributed online and to bookstores.

Steve Connolly, CEO of PRHSA, said: “Looking back, it has been an incredible 10 years. Since 2015, the country has endured devastating droughts, two general elections and welcomed a new president. South Africa has won the Rugby World Cup twice, weathered the global storm of Covid-19, and the local storm of load-shedding. Throughout all of this, PRHSA has successfully created a local publishing list that educates, informs, entertains and stimulates our readers.

“It has been my privilege to help guide the company during its first 10 years. Through our books and reading, we try to help create a world where independent thinking, free expression and creativity flourish. We believe books, with their stories and ideas, have the unique capacity to connect and transform us. In an increasingly polarised world, where those in power often seek to silence dissenting voices, we are committed to ensuring diverse voices are heard. We look forward to the next 10 years.”

Article provided by Penguin Random House SA


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