Media24 Books Literary Awards
The Media24 Books Literary Awards are a group of South African literary prizes awarded annually by Media24, the print-media arm of the South African media company Naspers. They are open to authors whose books are published within the Media24 Books stable, which includes NB Publishers, Jonathan Ball Publishers, LuxVerbi-BM, NVA, and Van Schaik Publishers. The awards were worth R35 000 each in 2013, and the total prize fund in 2020 was R210 000.
The awards comprise:
- The WA Hofmeyr Prize, a long-established prize, across all genres, for authors who could “potentially, through their outstanding writing, shift the boundaries of Afrikaans literature”
- The Herman Charles Bosman Prize for English literature, including drama, poetry, prose and fiction
- The Recht Malan Prize, which “acknowledges excellence in the field of non-fiction books”
- The MER Prizes for illustrated children’s books and youth literature
- The Elisabeth Eybers Prize for poetry in Afrikaans or English
Media24 Books Literary Awards winners
;2020The 2020 awards were heavily criticised for their lack of diversity. The winners included six white males and one white female, while the 18 judges consisted of only two people of colour.
- W.A. Hofmeyr Prize: Zirk van den Berg for Ek wens, ek wens
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Trevor Sacks for Lucky Packet
- Recht Malan Prize: Jonny Steinberg for One day in Bethlehem
- M.E.R Prize for best youth novel: Edyth Bulbring for The Choice Between Us
- M.E.R. Prize for best illustrated children’s book: Fanie Viljoen for Die dag toe die draak kom: ’n Boek vir meisies and Theodore Key for Die hasie van fluweel
- Jan Rabie Rapport Prize:
- Elisabeth Eybers Prize: Loftus Marais for Jan, Piet, Koos and Jakob
- W.A. Hofmeyr Prize: Andries Buys for Die Dao van Daan van der Walt
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Niq Mhlongo for Soweto, Under the Apricot Tree
- Recht Malan Prize: Rob Rose for Steinheist: Markus Jooste, Steinhoff and SA’s biggest corporate fraud
- M.E.R Prize for best youth novel: Sally Ann Partridge for Mine
- M.E.R. Prize for best illustrated children’s book: Dihanna Taute and Theodore Key for Die legendariese Lua Verwey
- Jan Rabie Rapport Prize:
- Elisabeth Eybers Prize: Gabeba Baderoon for The History of Intimacy
- W.A. Hofmeyr Prize: Eben Venter for Groen soos die hemel daarbo
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Ken Barris for The Life of Worm and Other Misconceptions
- Recht Malan Prize: Jacques Pauw for The President’s Keepers
- M.E.R Prize for best youth novel: Carin Krahtz for Blou is nie ’n kleur nie
- M.E.R. Prize for best illustrated children’s book: Rosamund Haden and Tony Pinchuck for The All Africa Wildlife Express
- Jan Rabie Rapport Prize:
- Elisabeth Eybers Prize: Marlene van Niekerk for In die stille agterkamer
- W.A. Hofmeyr Prize: Dan Sleigh for ‘1795’
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Not awarded
- Recht Malan Prize: Sean Christie for ‘Under Nelson Mandela Boulevard: Life Among the Stowaways’
- M.E.R Prize for best youth novel: Edyth Bulbring for ‘Snitch’
- M.E.R. Prize for best illustrated children’s book: Ingrid Mennen and Irene Berg for ‘Ink’
- Jan Rabie Rapport Prize:
- Elisabeth Eybers Prize: Bibi Slippers for ‘Fotostaatmajien’
- W.A. Hofmeyr Prize:ingrid Winterbach for’Vlakwater’
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Finuala Dowling for ‘The Fetch’
- Recht Malan Prize: Milton Shain for ‘A Perfect Storm: Antisemitism in South Africa 1930-1948
- M.E.R Prize for best youth novel: Carin Krahtz for ‘Elton amper famous April en juffrou Brom’
- M.E.R. Prize for best illustrated children’s book: Elizabeth Wasserman and Astrid Castle for ‘Die Dingesfabriek 4: Jannus en Kriek en die tydmasjien’
- Jan Rabie Rapport Prize:
- Elisabeth Eybers Prize: Gilbert Gibson for ‘vry-‘
- W.A. Hofmeyr Prize: Buys: ’n grensroman by Willem Anker
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: A Sportful Malice' by Michiel Heyns
- Recht Malan Prize: Lost and Found in Johannesburg by Mark Gevisser
- M.E.R Prize for best youth novel: Alive Again by Andre Eva Bosch
- M.E.R. Prize for best illustrated children’s book: Noko and the Kool Kats by Fiona Moodie
- Jan Rabie Rapport Prize:
- Elisabeth Eybers Prize: Mede-wete by Antjie Krog
- W.A. Hofmeyr Prize: Klimtol by Etienne van Heerden
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Shadows by Novuyo Rosa Tshuma
- Recht Malan Prize: The Hidden Thread: Russia and South Africa in the Soviet Era by Irina Filatova and Apollon Davidson
- M.E.R Prize for best youth novel: Sharp Edges by S.A. Partridge
- M.E.R. Prize for best illustrated children’s book: In die land van pamperlang by Linda Rode and illustrated by Johann Strauss
- Jan Rabie Rapport Prize: Valsrivier by Dominique Bothar
- Elisabeth Eybers Prize: Kaar by Marlene van Niekerk
- W.A. Hofmeyr Prize: Die aanspraak van lewende wesens by Ingrid Winterbach
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Groundwork by Rustum Kozain
- Recht Malan Prize: The External Mission by Stephen Ellis
- M.E.R Prize for best youth novel: Totsiens, Koning Arthur by Annelie Ferreira
- M.E.R. Prize for best illustrated children’s book: Ben en die walvisse by Ingrid Mennen
- Jan Rabie Rapport Prize: Bloedfamilie by MS Burger
- W.A. Hofmeyr Prize: Wals met Matilda by Dan Sleigh
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Lost Ground by Michiel Heyns
- Recht Malan Prize: Diepsloot by Anton Harber
- M.E.R Prize for best youth novel: Dark Poppy’s Demise by SA Partridge
- M.E.R. Prize for best illustrated children’s book: Goblin Diaries by Alex D’Angelo, illustrated by Marjorie van Heerden
- Jan Rabie Rapport Prize: Alfabet van die voëls by S.J. Naudé
- W.A. Hofmeyr Prize: Dwaalpoort by Alexander Strachan
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Young Blood by Sifiso Mzobe
- Recht Malan Prize: The War for South Africa: The Anglo-Boer War: 1899-1902 by Bill Nasson
- M.E.R Prize for best youth novel: Willem Poprok by Derick van der Walt
- M.E.R. Prize for best illustrated children’s book: Just Sisi / Net Sisi by Wendy Hartmann, illustrated by Joan Rankin
- Jan Rabie Rapport Prize: Marike se laaste dans'' by Deborah Steinmair
Via Afrika Awards winners
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Sally-Ann Murray, Small Moving Parts
- WA Hofmeyr Award: Etienne van Heerden, 30 nagte in Amsterdam
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Michiel Heyns, Bodies Politic
- Recht Malan Prize: Shared between Tony Leon and Jonny Steinberg On the Contrary and Three-letter Plague
- MER Prize for youth literature: Derick van der Walt, Lien se lankstaanskoene
- MER Prize for illustrated children's books: Siyolo’s Jersey/Siyolo se trui by Mari Grobler, illustrated by Elizabeth Pulles
- Jan Rabie Rapport Prize: Karin Cronje, Alles mooi weer
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Gail Dendy, The Lady Missionary
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Niq Mhlongo, After Tears
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Maxine Case, All We Have Left Unsaid
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Kgebetli Moele, Room 207
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Simão Kikamba, Going Home
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Keorapetse Kgositsile, This Way I Salute You: Selected Poems
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Rayda Jacobs, Confessions of a Gambler
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Ingrid Fiske, Terrestrial Things: Poems
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: K. Sello Duiker, The Quiet Violence of Dreams
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Willemien Le Roux, Shadow Bird
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Peter Rudolf Gisela Horn, My Voice is Under Control Now and Other Stories
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- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Achmat Dangor, Kafka's Curse: A Novella & Three Other Stories
- Herman Charles Bosman Prize: Rayda Jacobs, Eyes of the Sky