Today, on the fifth anniversary of André Brink’s death, we pay tribute to his life and work and announce that the first Philida Literary Award, established in his memory, goes to Mohale Mashigo and is awarded to her for an oeuvre of literary excellence.
Novelist, writer, singer, songwriter, Mohale Mashigo, was born Kgomotso Carol Mashigo in Mapetla, Soweto, in 1983. She is also known by her stage name ‘Black Porcelain’. Her debut novel The Yearning (Picador Africa, 2016) won the 2016 University of Johannesburg Prize for South African Debut Writing and has been longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award 2018. Mohale is also the author of Scared Tumi, Beyond the River, Intruders and Where Is Lulu?. Together with Loyiso Mkize and Clyde Beech, she collaborates on Kwezi, the local bestselling superhero comic. She lives in Cape Town.
Mohale Mashigo on accepting the inaugural Philida Literary Award: “It is an incredible honour. Philida is one of my favourite novels of all time.”
2016 The Yearning
2016 Scared Tumi
2017 Beyond the River
2018 Intruders
2019 Where Is Lulu?
‘Mohale Mashigo tells her story with charming lucidity, disarming characterisation, subversive wisdom and subtle humour.’
– Zakes Mda about The Yearning
The 2020 Philida Literary Award judges were Desiree-Anne Martin, Helen Moffett, Joanne Hichens, Karina M. Szczurek and Sara-Jayne Makwala King.
Philida Literary Award 