Shaun de Waal
The M-Net Book Prize celebrates the 10th year of its existence this year. It has supplanted the CNAPrize, once South Africa’s leading literary award, in English at least (the Herzog Prize led the Afrikaans field), until it was discontinued by its sponsors. There was talk of its being revived in a new form, but nothing has happened and it has quietly died. Certainly, the CNAno longer has the image of a bookshop chain with any real interest in serious literature.
Initially, the M-Net prize focused on South African novels in English and Afrikaans only. In 1993, however, it expanded to include novels in other South African languages, which has helped encourage new writing in those tongues. M- Net now annually awards to books some quarter of a million rands .
In addition to the novel prizes, M-Net every year awards two study bursaries worth R15 000 each to post-graduate language students.
The origin of a prize for novels given by a television station was that M-Net was looking for texts that could be turned into scripts. None of the winners have yet, as far as Iknow, been turned into a movie script by M-Net, but the publicity given to winning novels has surely helped their chances in both the film and book markets.
The prize has occasionally been controversial, such as when a book for teenagers won over a novel by JM Coetzee, or Mark Behr got the award for The Smell of Apples, which had been a contender – but not a winner – in the Afrikaans category a year or two earlier. Novels that had previously been finalists in another language were later declared ineligible.
The inclusion of novels for teenagers did somewhat cloud the waters:can they be judged by the same standards as a novel for adults?In one year that Iwas a judge, it certainly felt wrong to put them all in the same basket. Now the prize asks for novels intended for adult readers.
But then it can be equally hard to evaluate some of those novels in relation to each other. Pitting relatively popular fiction, which may be accessible and readable but conventional, against more complex literary fiction, which can be dense and difficult, raises problems of genres and expectations.
Such issues, though, are almost impossible to resolve in any legalistic way. In the end, it’s a matter of what the judges in each category think of each book. The judges are sequestered on the day of the prize-giving itself, and they discuss their preferences until a winner emerges, voting if necessary. In neither of the years Iwas a judge was there any bitter disagreement about the chosen winner.
n This year’s finalists are:
English:Disgrace by JM Coetzee; Manly Pursuits by Ann Harries; Frieda and Min by Pamela Jooste; The Prodigal Husband by Lazarus Miti; Gods of our Time by Mongane Wally Serote.
Afrikaans: Boendoe by Chris Barnard; Wegkomkans by Marita van der Vyver; Vos by Anna M Louw; Draaijakkals by George Weideman; Buller se Plan by Ingrid Winterbach.
Nguni languages: Loyishayile Sewuyosile by JJ Ncongwane.
Sotho languages: Kodiyamalla by Nhlanhla P Maake; Lehlaba la Lephako by TWD Mohapi; Tshwara Thebe ka Mallela by MB Tsolo.
Tsonga: … Ri Hava Xilondza by PHNkuna.
Venda: No finalists, but a merit award may be given.
The winners will be announced at a function on March 18.
Mehlaleng Mosotho The Tikieline Yuppie (English)
Christoffel Coetzee Op Soek na Generaal Mannetjies Mentz (Afrikaans)
Livingstone Lubabalo Ngewu Koda kube nini na? (Xhosa)
Lazarus M Malebana Hlabang tlou ka diloka (Tswana)
Conny Masocha Lubisi I Vutomi (Tsonga)
Sampson Nditsheni Mahamba Magala a vhahali (Venda)
2000
Professor Elize Botha has been the advisor to the prize since its inception, joined by Mothobi Mutloatse from 1993 to 1999 and currently by Dr Cynthia Marivate. Each category has a separate panel of three to six judges and the judging of the shortlisted novels takes place on the actual day of the prizegiving function.
In addition to the prizes for novelists, M-NET annually awards two study bursaries, of R15 000 each, to post-graduate language students. These bursaries are currently held by students from UCT (Afrikaans- Nederlands) and the University of the North (African Languages).
John Badenhorst has been administrator
of the Book Prize since it was established. Further information may be obtained from him at Three Worlds Agency in Cape Town, tel. (021) 424-3297, fax 424-3298, e-mail: [email protected]
Mehlaleng Mosotho The Tikieline Yuppie (English)
Christoffel Coetzee Op Soek na Generaal Mannetjies Mentz (Afrikaans)
Livingstone Lubabalo Ngewu Koda kube nini na? (Xhosa)
Lazarus M Malebana Hlabang tlou ka diloka (Tswana)
Conny Masocha Lubisi I Vutomi (Tsonga)
Sampson Nditsheni Mahamba Magala a vhahali (Venda)
2000
??????The M-NET Book Prize
for novels in all eleven official languages
The M-NET Book Prize is currently in its tenth year. Six South African novelists will be awarded cash prizes totalling R250 000 when the winners for 2000 are announced in Johannesburg on Saturday, 18 March. The prize was established in 1990, initially for novels in English and Afrikaans.
In 1993 a category for other indigenous languages was established and there are currently prizes in six categories: English, Afrikaans, Nguni languages (Zulu, Xhosa, Swazi and Ndebele), Sotho languages (South Sotho, North Sotho and Tswana), Tsonga and Venda.
Past winners: M-NET Book Prize
Past winners: M-NET Book Prize
1991-1999
1991
Lesley Beake A Cage Full of Butterflies (English)
Jeanne Goosen Ons is nie almal so nie (Afrikaans)
1992
Tony Spencer-Smith The Man Who Snarled At Flowers (English)
John Miles Kroniek uit die Doofpot (Afrikaans)
1993
John Eppel DGG Berry’s The Great North Road (English)
Marita van der Vyver Griet Skryf ‘n Sprokie (Afrikaans)
1994
Justin Cartwright Masai Dreaming (English)
Lettie Viljoen Karolina Ferreira (Afrikaans)
NP Maake Sejamonna ha se moto gete (South Sotho)
SA Mamadi Mahlagahlaga a Mafulang (North Sotho)
GA Malindzisa Sihonga (Swazi)
1995
Dianne Hofmeyr Boikie, You Better Believe It (English)
Marlene van Niekerk Triomf (Afrikaans)
NP Maake Kweetsa ya pelo ya motho (South Sotho)
JC Buthelezi Impi yabomdabu isethunjini (Zulu)
1996
Mark Behr The Smell of Apples (English)
AHM Scholtz Vatmaar (Afrikaans)
Rayman Fumanekile Mcimeli Kazi ndenzeni na (Xhosa)
Kgotso PD Maphalla Bashemane ba Dibataolong (South Sotho)
NR Mgiba Vutomi i Vhilwa (Tsonga)
Patrick Maanda Nefefe Mato a penya mitodzi (Venda)
1997
1998
1999
The M-NET Book Prize
for novels in all eleven official languages
The M-NET Book Prize is currently in its tenth year and six South African novelists will be awarded cash prizes totalling R250 000 when the winners for 2000 are announced in Johannesburg on
Barris The Jailer’s Book (English)
Piet van Rooyen Die Olifantjagters (Afrikaans)
Zakes Mda Ways of Dying (English)
Karel Schoeman Verkenning (Afrikaans)
Ncedile Saule Ukhozi Olumaphiko (Xhosa)
Ramadimetja Ruth Phasha Ke Sehlola (North Sotho)
Ndhuma Benneth Mkhari Nkhavi wa le Ndzhaku (Tsonga)
James Mafela Mudi Ndi Wanga (Venda)
Ken Barris The Jailer’s Book (English)
Piet van Rooyen Die Olifantjagters (Afrikaans)
Mathews Jabulani Mngadi Ashiko Ndawo Bakithi (Zulu)
Peter Tseole Kgori e bona lee (Tswana)Gertrude Siphiwe Shabangu N’Wananga (Tsonga)
Azwianewi Elvis Maisha Mme a Nndwa Dzothe (Venda)
Zakes Mda Ways of Dying (English)
Karel Schoeman Verkenning (Afrikaans)
Ncedile Saule Ukhozi Olumaphiko (Xhosa)
Ramadimetja Ruth Phasha Ke Sehlola (North Sotho)
Ndhuma Benneth Mkhari Nkhavi wa le Ndzhaku (Tsonga)
James Mafela Mudi Ndi Wanga (Venda)
Ken Saturday, 18 March. The prize was established in 1990, initially for novels in English and Afrikaans.
In 1993 a category for other indigenous languages was established and there are currently prizes in six categories: English, Afrikaans, Nguni
Overleaf: PAST WINNERS (1991-1999)
THE SHORTLIST FOR 2000
SHORTLIST/KORTLYS:
M-NET BOOK PRIZE/BOEKPRYS 2000
NB: For first publication: Monday, February 28: EMBARGO
English
Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee (Random House, South Africa)
Frieda and Min by Pamela Jooste (Doubleday)
Gods of our Time by Mongane Wally Serote (Ravan Press)
Manly Pursuits by Ann Harries (Bloomsbury)
The Prodigal Husband by Lazarus Miti (Kwela Books)
Afrikaans
Boendoe by Chris Barnard (Tafelberg)
Buller se Plan by Ingrid Winterbach (Human & Rousseau)
Draaijakkals by George Weideman (Tafelberg)
Vos by Anna M. Louw (Human & Rousseau)
Wegkomkans by Marita van der Vyver (Tafelberg)
Nguni languages/-tale
Loyishayile Sewuyosile by J.J. Ncongwane (Heinemann) SISWATI
Sotho languages/-tale
Kodiyamalla by Nhlanhla P. Maake (Heinemann) SESOTHO
Lehlaba la lephako by T.W.D. Mohapi (S&W Promotions) SESOTHO
TsHwara thebe ka mallela by M.B. Tsolo (J.L. van Schaik) SESOTHO
Tsonga
Will be announced in due course/sal mettertyd aangekondig word
Venda
Will be announced in due course/sal mettertyd aangekondig word
Mehlaleng Mosotho The Tikieline Yuppie (English)
Christoffel Coetzee Op Soek na Generaal Mannetjies Mentz (Afrikaans)
Livingstone Lubabalo Ngewu Koda kube nini na? (Xhosa)
Lazarus M Malebana Hlabang tlou ka diloka (Tswana)
Conny Masocha Lubisi I Vutomi (Tsonga)
Sampson Nditsheni Mahamba Magala a vhahali (Venda)
2000