The literati gathered on Friday around crystal clear wine glasses and crisp white linen around tables at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Johannesburg as the country's well-read high society came together for an afternoon lunch and award ceremony to celebrate the new winners of this year's M-Net Literary Awards 2012.
The best of the year's authors in a variety of South African languages were honoured in various categories for their contribution, in elided language in book form, for the every-unfolding South African story.
"From an M-Net point of view, we want to reward writing in all of the languages of this country," said Patricia van Rooyen, M-Net CEO. "We want to reward and welcome all stories and in their mother tongues."
The M-Net Literary Awards 2012 attracted a massive 85 entries, and according to the judges most writers still favour historical novels.
Among African languages current social realities dominate as stories, tackling issues ranging from alcohol abuse and HIV/Aids, to the challenges faced by young South Africans. Crime writing in South Africa is also showing exponential growth.
According to this year's judges, the standard of publication of novels in South Africa remains very high. Novels published between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2011 qualified for the awards held annually. This year marked the first year that a prize was awarded in the Venda category for a novel by a Venda author.
"What M-Net does is to tell stories. It's stories that make our business so successful and sustains us. That's why we continue to support these awards. We believe that anything - a novel, a script for a series - is what helps to make our business tick," Patricia van Rooyen said.
This year's category winners in the M-Net Literary Awards 2012 are:
Sesotho
Manong a lapile ("The Vultures are Hungry") by Nhlanhla Maake (Ekaam Publishers)
Sepedi
Tshweu ya ditsebe ("A Gentleman with White Ears") by Herbert Lentsoane (Maskew Miller Longman)
Venda
Murunzi wa Vhutshilo ("The Shadow of Life") by Takalani Mbedzi (Hibbard Publishers)
English
Homemaking for the Down-at-heart by Finnuala Dowling (Kwela Books)
Afrikaans
Sirkusboere ("Circus clowns") by Sonja Loots (Tafelberg)
Film Award
7 Dae ("7 Days") by Deon Meyer (NB Publishers)
