Zukiswa Wanner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zukiswa Wanner
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Wanner discusses anthology New Daughters of Africa in 2020
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| Born | 1976 (age 48–49) |
| Nationality | South African |
| Alma mater | Hawaii Pacific University, Honolulu |
| Occupation |
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| Organization | Afrolit Sans Frontieres Festival |
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Notable work
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London Cape Town Joburg (2014) |
| Awards | Africa39; K Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award |
| Writing career | |
| Period | 2006–present |
| Genre | Fiction, non-fiction, children's books |
Zukiswa Wanner (born in 1976) is a talented South African writer. She is known for her work as a journalist, novelist, and editor. Zukiswa was born in Zambia and now lives in Kenya.
She started publishing books in 2006. Since then, her novels have been nominated for important awards. These include the South African Literary Awards (SALA) and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize. In 2015, she won the K Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award for her book London Cape Town Joburg. In 2014, Zukiswa was named one of the top 39 young African writers. This list, called Africa39, highlights writers with the potential to shape African literature.
In 2020, Zukiswa Wanner received the Goethe Medal. This is a special award from Germany. She was the first African woman to ever win it. However, in March 2024, she returned the medal. She explained that she did this because of the German government's actions regarding the war in Gaza.
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Early Life and Education
Zukiswa Wanner was born in 1976 in Lusaka, Zambia. Her father was from South Africa, and her mother was from Zimbabwe. She went to primary and secondary school in Zimbabwe. Later, she studied journalism at Hawaii Pacific University in Honolulu.
Her Writing Journey
Zukiswa's first novel, The Madams, came out in 2006. People described it as a fun and lively story. It was nominated for the K Sello Duiker Award in 2007.
She has written several other novels:
- Behind Every Successful Man (2008)
- Men of the South (2010) – This book was nominated for the 2011 Commonwealth Writers' Prize (Africa region) and the Herman Charles Bosman Award.
- London Cape Town Joburg (2014) – This novel won the K Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award in 2015.
Non-Fiction and Children's Books
Zukiswa has also written non-fiction books. In 2010, she worked with photographer Alf Kumalo on A Prisoner's Home. This book tells the story of the first house where Nelson Mandela lived. She also wrote L'Esprit du Sport with French photographer Amelie Debray.
She helped edit a collection of short stories called Behind the Shadows (2012). Zukiswa has also written two books for younger readers:
- Jama Loves Bananas
- Refilwe – This is an African version of the classic fairy tale "Rapunzel".
In 2018, her travel memoir Hardly Working was published. A memoir is a book about a person's own experiences.
Promoting Reading and Writing
Zukiswa is a founding member of the ReadSA initiative. This campaign encourages people in South Africa to read books by South African authors. She also helped with Writivism, a literary project for African writers.
She often takes part in literary events around the world. She has also led workshops for young writers. These workshops have been held in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Denmark, Germany, and Kenya.
In 2015, Zukiswa was a judge for the Etisalat Prize for Literature. This is a major literary award for fiction from across Africa. She was also the African judge for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize in 2017.
She started and manages Artistic Encounters in Nairobi, Kenya. In 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown, she created the Afrolit Sans Frontieres Festival. This online festival brings African writers together. It started on Facebook and Instagram and has featured many famous authors.
In 2018, Zukiswa started her own publishing company called Paivapo. She partnered with her friend Nomavuso Vokwana. Their company focuses on sharing African literature in different parts of Africa.
Journalism and Essays
Zukiswa Wanner is also a very active journalist and essay writer. She has written for many newspapers and magazines. These include The Observer/The Guardian, City Press, and Mail & Guardian.
Her short story "This is not Au Revoir" is in the 2019 book New Daughters of Africa. This collection was put together by Margaret Busby.
In November 2023, Zukiswa released a collection of essays called Vignettes of a People in an Apartheid State. These essays share what she saw in Palestine during her visit in May 2023.
Zukiswa Wanner moved to Nairobi, Kenya, in 2011. She had first visited the city in 2008.
Awards and Recognition
Zukiswa Wanner has received many awards and honours for her writing.
- Africa39 List (2014): She was named one of the 39 best young writers in Sub-Saharan Africa. This list was created by the Hay Festival.
- "Twenty in 20" Initiative (2014): Her work was chosen as one of the top twenty best South African fiction stories since 1994.
- K Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award (2015): She won this award at the South African Literary Awards (SALA) for her novel London Cape Town Joburg.
- Goethe Medal (2020): This award is given by the Goethe-Institut in Germany. It honours people who have done great work for the German language and for cultural connections between countries. Zukiswa was the first African woman to receive it.
- African Literary Personality of the Year (2020): The literary magazine Brittle Paper chose her for this honour.
In February 2024, she returned her Goethe Medal. She stated that this was not a criticism of the Goethe-Institut itself. Instead, it was a protest against the German government's actions regarding the ongoing conflict in Palestine. She felt their actions showed a lack of care for human suffering.
