List of South African women writers
This is a list of South African women writers, including women writers either from or associated with South Africa.
A
- Barbara Adair, novelist
- Wilna Adriaanse, romantic fiction writer
- Jani Allan, journalist, columnist, broadcaster
- Phyllis Altman
- Ingrid Andersen, poet
- Diane Awerbuck, novelist
B
- Gabeba Baderoon, poet
- Margaret Bakkes
- Lesley Beake, children's author
- Dricky Beukes, writer of novels, short stories and radio dramas
- Lauren Beukes, novelist, short story writer, journalist and television scriptwriter
- Audrey Blignault
- Anna Böeseken, history academic, journalist and writer
- Johanna Brandt
- Sarah Britten, writer and blogger
- Babette Brown, writer on race and diversity issues in the United Kingdom.
- Penny Busetto, novelist
C
- Maxine Case, novelist and short story writer
- Cecile Cilliers, journalist and writer
- Yvette Christiansë, poet and novelist
- Lindsey Collen , novelist and activist
- Jeni Couzyn, poet and anthologist
- Hazel Crane, memoirist
- Judy Croome, novelist, short story writer and poet
- Sheila Cussons, Afrikaans poet
D
- Alide Dasnois, journalist and newspaper editor
- Nadia Davids
- Marike de Klerk
- Ingrid de Kok, poet
- Phillippa Yaa de Villiers, poet
- Janette Deacon
- Isobel Dixon, poet
- Ceridwen Dovey
- Finuala Dowling, poet
E
- Elisabeth Eybers, poet
F
- Diana Ferrus, poet
- Mary Anne Fitzgerald, journalist
- Corlia Fourie, writer of drama, children's books, short stories and novels
- Lynn Freed, novelist, essayist, and writer of short stories
- Patricia Fresen
- Lisa Fugard
- Sheila Meiring Fugard, writer of short stories and plays
G
- Jeanne Goosen, journalist and poet
- Nadine Gordimer, novelist, political activist and recipient of the 1991 Nobel Prize in Literature
- Lyndall Gordon, literary biographer
- Sheila Gordon
- Pregs Govender, feminist human rights activist, author and former Member of Parliament
- Henriette Grové
H
- Megan Hall, poet
- Joan Hambidge, Afrikaans poet, literary theorist and academic
- Stacy Hardy, writer, journalist, multimedia artist and theatre practitioner
- Marié Heese, novelist and teacher
- Cat Hellisen, author of fantasy novels
- Colleen Higgs, writer and publisher
- Heidi Holland, journalist and author
- Emma Huismans, writer, journalist, and activist
J
- Noni Jabavu, writer and journalist
- Cynthia Jele, novelist
- Liesl Jobson, poet and musician
- Sarah Johnson, poet
- Isabel Jean Jones, consumer journalist
- Ingrid Jonker, poet
- Pamela Jooste, novelist
- Elsa Joubert, Afrikaans-language novelist
- Irma Joubert, novelist
- Leonie Joubert, science writer, author and journalist
K
- Ronelda Kamfer, poet
- Farida Karodia, novelist and short-story writer
- Anne Kellas, poet, reviewer and editor
- Olga Kirsch, poet
- Elizabeth Klarer
- Sheila Kohler, novelist and short story writer
- Antjie Krog, poet and academic
- Ellen Kuzwayo, women's rights activist, politician and autobiographer
L
- Anne Landsman, novelist
- Lauren Liebenberg, novelist
- Freda Linde, children's writer and translator
- Anna M. Louw
M
- Rozena Maart
- Michelle McGrane, poet
- Lindiwe Mabuza, poet, academic, journalist, diplomat
- Sindiwe Magona
- Angela Makholwa, crime fiction writer
- Barbara Masekela, poet, educator, activist
- Mohale Mashigo, singer-songwriter, novelist and former radio presenter
- Lebogang Mashile, actor, writer and performance poet
- Emma Mashinini
- Kopano Matlwa, novelist
- Dalene Matthee, novelist
- Fatima Meer, writer, academic, screenwriter
- Joan Metelerkamp, poet
- Nontsizi Mgqwetho, poet
- Gcina Mhlope, actress, storyteller, poet, playwright, director
- Kirsten Miller
- Ruth Miller, poet
- Sarah Millin
- Natalia Molebatsi, performance poet and cultural worker
- Marion Molteno, novelist
- Rose Moss, writer of novels, short stories, words for music and non-fiction
- Natasha Mostert, author and screenwriter
- Isabella Motadinyane, poet and actor
- Ena Murray
- Sally-Ann Murray
N
- Beverley Naidoo, writer of children's books
- Thirza Nash, novelist
- Bongi Ndaba
- Lauretta Ngcobo, novelist and essayist
- Paige Nick, novelist
- Michelle Nkamankeng
- Cecily Norden
O
- Bree O'Mara, novelist
- Yewande Omotoso, novelist, architect and designer
- Margie Orford, author of crime fiction, children's fiction, non-fiction and school textbooks
P
- Joy Packer, author of autobiography and romantic adventure novels
- S. A. Partridge
- Antoinette Pienaar
- Bridget Pitt
- Marguerite Poland
- Elsa Pooley
- Karen Press, poet
- Elaine Proctor, film director, screenwriter, novelist, and actress
Q
- Christine Qunta
R
- Jo-Anne Richards, journalist and author
- Margaret Roberts, herbalist and author
- Daphne Rooke
- Henrietta Rose-Innes, novelist and short story writer
- Maria Elizabeth Rothmann
- Rona Rupert
- Diana E. H. Russell, feminist writer and activist
S
- Mary Sadler, novelist
- Arja Salafranca, poet
- Lin Sampson, journalist
- Riana Scheepers, writer of children's books, short fiction and poetry
- Patricia Schonstein, novelist, poet, author of children’s books
- Olive Schreiner, novelist, anti-war campaigner
- Jenefer Shute, novelist
- Joyce Sikakane, journalist and activist
- Ansuyah Ratipul Singh, medical doctor and writer
- Elinor Sisulu
- Paula Slier, television, radio and print journalist
- Gillian Slovo, novelist, playwright and memoirist
- Charlene Leonora Smith, journalist and biographer of Nelson Mandela
- Pauline Smith, novelist
- Lina Spies, poet
- Wilma Stockenström, writer, translator, and actor
- Cynthia Stockley, novelist
- Toni Stuart, poet
T
- Jane Taylor
- Gladys Thomas, playwright, poet and children's writer
- Miriam Tlali, novelist
- Marianne du Toit
- Barbara Trapido
- Jann Turner, film director, novelist, television director and screenwriter
U
- Shereen Usdin
V
- Marita van der Vyver
- Marjorie van Heerden
- Mary-Anne Plaatjies van Huffel
- Marlene van Niekerk
- Verna Vels
- Lettie Viljoen, pseudonym of author Ingrid Winterbach
W
- Zukiswa Wanner, journalist and novelist
- Harriet Ward
- Marie Warder
- Crystal Warren
- Mary Watson
- Elizabeth Weber
- Mary Morison Webster, novelist and poet
- Zoë Wicomb, author and academic
- Sarah Wild, science journalist and author
- Margaret Wild
- Faldela Williams
- Wendy Wood
X
- Makhosazana Xaba, poet
Z
- Rachel Zadok, novelist
- Rose Zwi
- Zoë Bogale