M-Net Literary Awards were a group of South African literary awards, awarded from 1991 to 2013. They were established and sponsored by M-Net (Electronic Media Network), a South African television station. The award was suspended indefinitely after the 2013 season. In the awards' fourth year, an award for indigenous African languages was inaugurated, alongside the original English and Afrikaans awards, to encourage writing in indigenous languages. In subsequent years there were six language categories, covering all eleven official South African languages: English; Afrikaans; Nguni (Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, and Swati); SeSotho (Sotho, Pedi, and Tswana); TshiVenda; and SeTsonga. In 2005, a Film award was introduced, for novels that novels that showed promise for translation into a visual medium. Three Lifetime Achievements Awards were also given: to Mazisi Kunene (2005), Cynthia Marivate (2006), and Mzilikazi Khumalo (2007).

Judging criteria and history In their early years, the M-Net Awards were notable among South African literary awards for considering, under their judging criteria, not only literary merit but also "strong narrative content" and "accessibility to a broad reading public." They were also, in the 1990s, the best remunerated literary awards in South Africa. From 2011, winners received a prize of R50 000, up from R30,000 in previous years."The 2011 M-Net Literary Awards Winners" . Books LIVE. Retrieved 21 June 2011.

Until 2010, the Awards were announced at the same event as the Via Afrika Awards (previously known as the Nasboek Literary Awards), which are ongoing as the Media24 Books Literary Awards."The 2010 M-Net Literary Awards Winners" . Sunday Times Books. Retrieved June 09, 2013.

Award winners

+Winners (1999–2013)YearCategoryWinnerWorkRef.Notes2013EnglishImraan CoovadiaThe Institute for Taxi PoetryAwarded 20 September in Johannesburg. Shortlisted in the English category were:

Life Under Water by Ken Barris No Time Like the Present by Nadine Gordimer The Land Within by Alistair Morgan The Book of War by James WhyleAfrikaansIngrid WinterbachDie aanspraak van lewende wesensNguniJuly Innocent MtsweniInzinto ZyaphendukaM.J. MngadiBayeza AbanqobiSeSothoSabata-Mpho MokaeGa Ke ModisaSeTsongaNo awardTshiVendaN.M. Mphaphuli Mbofho dza MalofhaFilmSabata-Mpho MokaeGa Ke ModisaKarin BrynardOnse VadersDebutJames WhyleThe Book of WarS.J. GambuLeqotjane2012EnglishFinuala DowlingHomemaking for the Down-at-HeartAwarded in October in Johannesburg. Shortlisted in the English category were:

Lost Ground by Michiel Heyns The Landscape Painter by Craig Higginson Shooting Angels by Christopher Hope Nineveh by Henrietta Rose-InnesAfrikaansSonja LootsSirkusboereNguniNo awardSeSothoN.P. MaakeManong a lapileHerbert LentsoaneTšhweu ya ditsebeSeTsongaNo awardTshiVendaTakalani MbedziMurunzi wa VhutshiloFilmDeon Meyer7 Dae2011EnglishIvan VladislavicDouble NegativeAwarded in June in Cape Town. Shortlisted in the English category were:

Zoo City by Lauren Beukes

In a Strange Room by Damon Galgut

Last Summer by Craig HigginsonAfrikaansIngrid WinterbachDie BenederykNguniNcedile SauleInkululeko IsentabeniSeSothoK.J. SekeleLehutsoSeTsongaNo awardTshiVendaNo awardFilmCynthia JeleHappiness is a Four-Letter Word2010EnglishSally-Ann MurraySmall Moving Parts"The 2010 M-Net Literary Awards Winners" . Books LIVE. Retrieved 25 June 2012.Awarded 31 July in Cape Town. Shortlisted in the English category were:

To Heaven by Water by Justin Cartwright

Summertime by J.M. Coetzee

High Low In-between by Imraan Coovadia

Little Ice Cream Boy by Jacques PauwAfrikaansEben VenterSanta GamkaNguniPeter MtuzeIingada Zibuyile EndleSeSothoM.S. MachitelaGa di MpheleleSeTsongaNo awardTshiVendaNo awardFilmKarin BrynardPlaasmoord2009EnglishAnne LandsmanThe Rowing Lesson"2009 M-Net Literary Award Winners" . Books LIVE. Retrieved 6 June 2013.Awarded 13 June in Cape Town. AfrikaansEtienne van Heerden30 Nagte in AmsterdamNguniNo awardSeSothoMathethe MolopeBabuši ba LehonoSeTsongaNo awardTshiVendaTsireledzo MushomaNne na inwi FilmDeon Meyer13 Uuur2008EnglishJ. M. CoetzeeDiary of a Bad YearAwarded 15 June in Cape Town. Shortlisted in the English category were:

Blood Kin by Ceridwen Dovey After Tears by Niq Mhlongo Plot Loss by Heinrich Troost No Man's Land by Carel van der Merwe AfrikaansEtienne van HeerdenAsbesmiddagNguniPhakamile GongoUkutshona kweHotyazanaSeSothoM.C. MphahleleDilo tšela ke bathoSeTsongaM.C. LubisiXijahatanaTshiVendaNo award2007EnglishShaun JohnsonThe Native CommissionerAwarded 17 June in Cape Town.Shortlisted in the English category were:

Green-eyed Thieves by Imraan Coovadia How We Puried Puso by Morabo Morojele My Mother's Lovers by Christopher Hope The Shadow Follows by David MedalieAfrikaansIngrid WinterbachDie boek van toeval en toeverlaatNguniKula SiphatheleniElowo NalawoSeSothoKabelo Duncan KgateaNtshware ka letsogoSeTsongaNo awardTshiVendaNo awardLifetime AchievementMzilikazi Khumalo2006EnglishNo awardAwarded at the Cape Town Book Fair.AfrikaansAndré P. BrinkBidsprinkaanMarita van der VyverBestemmingsI.L. de VilliersJerusalem tot JohannesburgNguniNelisile Thabisile MsimangUmsebenzi UyindlalaSeSothoMathediso Aletta MotimeleNgwana wa MpaGoitsemodimo L. ManchoWetsho ke a go rataSeTsongaS.J. MalunganaSwilo Swa HumelelaTshiVendaNo awardLifetime AchievementCynthia Marivate2005EnglishAfrikaansMarlene van NiekerkAgaatAnoeschka von MeckVaselinetjieCharl-Pierre NaudéIn die geheim van die dagNguniS.D. KhumaloIsiqalo EsishaC. Nyanda and J.J. ThwalaIntathakusaSeSothoSeTsongaTshiVendaLifetime AchievementMazisi Kunene2004EnglishAfrikaansDan SleighEilandeNguniM.J. MngadiIziboshwa ZothandoSeSothoNo awardSeTsongaNo awardTshiVendaNo award2003EnglishAwarded in Cape Town.AfrikaansNguniNakanjani G. SibiyaKuxolelwa abanjani?SeSothoSeTsongaTshiVendaJemima L. PhaswanaIsha la mitodzi2002EnglishAfrikaansNguniSeSothoSeTsongaTshiVenda2001EnglishZoe WicombDavid's StoryShortlisted in the English category were: Quiet Violence of Dreams by K. Sello Duiker Shark's Egg by Henrietta Rose-InnesAfrikaansEtienne van HeerdenDie swye van Mario SalviatiNguniM.J. MngadiIfa NgukufaSeSothoKabelo Duncan KgateaNjeng manong fa ke sule! SeTsongaN. PhaswanaTshi do LilwaTshiVendaN. B. MkhariMbilu ya Wanuna2000EnglishShortlisted in the English category were: Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee Frieda and Min by Pamela Jooste Gods of our Time by Mongane Wally Serote Manly Pursuits by Ann Harries The Prodigal Husband by Lazarus MitiAfrikaansNguniJ.J. NcongwaneLoyishayile SewuyosileSeSothoSeTsongaTshiVenda1999EnglishMehlaleng MosothoThe Tikeline YuppieAfrikaansChristoffel CoetzeeOp soek na General Mannetjies MentzNguniLivingstone Lubabalo NgewuKoda Kube nina na?SeSothoLazarus M. MalebanaHlabang tlou ka dilokaSeTsongaConny Masocha LubisiI VutomiTshiVendaSampson Nditsheni MahambaMagala a vhahali1998EnglishKen BarrisThe Jailer's BookAfrikaansPiet van RooyenDie olifantjagtersNguniM.J. MngadiAshiko ndawo bakithiSeSothoPeter TseoleKgori e bona leeSeTsongaGertrude Siphiwe ShabanguN'wanangaTshiVendaAzwianewi Elvis MaishaMme a nndwa dzothe1997EnglishZakes MdaWays of DyingAfrikaansKarel SchoemanVerkenningNguniNcedile SauleUkhozi OlumaphikoSeSothoRamadimetja Ruth PhashaKe SehlolaSeTsongaNdhuma Benneth MkhariNkhavi wa le NdzhakuTshiVendaJames MafelaMudi Ndi Wanga1996EnglishMark BehrThe Smell of ApplesAfrikaansA. H. M. ScholtzVatmaarNguniRayman Fumanekile McimeliKazi ndenzeni naSeSothoKgotso P.D. MaphallaBashemane ba DibataolongSeTsongaN.R. MgibaVutomi i VhilwaTshiVendaPatrick Maanda NefefeMato a penya mitodzi1995EnglishDianne HofmeyrBoikie, You Better Believe It AfrikaansMarlene van NiekerkTriomfNguniJ.C. ButheleziImpi yabomdabu isethunjiniSeSothoN.P. MaakeKweetsa ya pelo ya motho1994EnglishJustin CartwrightMasai DreamingAfrikaansLettie ViljoenKarolina FerreiraNguniG.A. MalindzisaSihongaSeSothoN.P. MaakeSejamonna ha se moto geteS.A. MamadiMahlagahlaga a Mafulang1993EnglishJohn EppelD.G.G. Berry’s The Great North RoadAfrikaansMarita van der VyverGriet skryf ‘n sprokie1992EnglishTony Spencer-SmithThe Man Who Snarled at FlowersAfrikaansJohn MilesKroniek uit die doofpot1991EnglishLesley BeakeA Cageful of ButterfliesAfrikaansJeanne GoosenOns is nie almal so nie

References

External links M-Net Literary Awards, African Book Awards Database, Indiana University