List of South African writers

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This is a list of writers from South Africa.

A-C

• Lionel Abrahams, (1928–2004)
• Peter Abrahams, (born 1919)
• Rehane Abrahams, (born 1970)
• Tatamkulu Afrika, born in Egypt, (1920–2002)
• Hennie Aucamp, (born 1934)
• Christiaan Bakkes, (born 1965)
• C. Johan Bakkes
• Margaret Bakkes, (born 1931)
• Shabbir Banoobhai, (born 1949)
• Lady Anne Barnard, (1750–1825)
• Mark Behr, South Africa/Tanzania, (born 1963)
• Dricky Beukes, (1918–1999)
• Steve Biko (1946–1977)
• Troy Blacklaws, (born 1965)
• François Bloemhof, (born 1962)
• Elleke Boehmer (born 1961)
• Herman Charles Bosman, (1905–1951)
• Diphete Bopape (born 1957)
• Alba Bouwer, (born 1920)
• Johanna Brandt, (1876–1964)
• Breyten Breytenbach, (born 1939)
• Andre Brink, (born 1935)
• Dennis Brutus, (1924–2009)
• Guy Butler (1918–2001)
• Roy Campbell (1901–1957)
• Stuart Cloete, (1897–1976)
• J.M. Coetzee, awarded the 2003 Nobel Prize in Literature, (born 1940)
• Bryce Courtenay, (born 1933)
• Jeremy Cronin, (born 1949)
• Patrick Cullinan, (born 1932)

D

• Achmat Dangor, (born 1948)
• Ingrid de Kok, (born 1951)
• Rolfes Robert Reginald Dhlomo, (1901–1971)
• Finuala Dowling, (born 1962)
• Zebulon Dread
• K. Sello Duiker, (1974–2005)

E-G

• Ahmed Essop, born in India, grew up in Johannesburg (born 1931)
• Tony Eprile, born Johannesburg, lives in U.S.
• Elisabeth Eybers, (born 1915)
• Mary Faulkner, (1903–1973)
• Ruth First, (1925–1982)
• Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, (1862–1931)
• Charles J. Fourie, (born 1965)
• Lynne Freed
• Dave Freer, (born 1959)
• Graeme Friedman
• Athol Fugard, (born 1932)
• Sheila Fugard, born in England (born 1932)
• Damon Galgut, (born 1963)
• Nadine Gordimer, awarded the 1991 Nobel Prize in Literature, (born 1923)
• Stephen Gray, (born 1941)
• Michael Cawood Green, (born 1954)
• Mafika Gwala, (born 1946)

H-J

• Joan Hambidge, (born 1956)
• Bessie Head, born in South Africa but usually seen as a Botswanan writer, (1937–1986)
• Manu Herbstein, (born 1936)
• Christopher Hope, (born 1944)
• Emma Huismans, (born 1947)
• Robin Hyde, born in South Africa but usually seen as a New Zealand writer, (1906–1939)
• Mhlobo Jadezweni, (born 1954)
• Ingrid Jonker, (1933–1965)
• Archibald Campbell Jordan, (1906–1968)
• Elsa Joubert, (born 1922)
• Gideon Joubert, (born 1923)

K-L

• John Christoffel Kannemeyer (1939-2011)
• Farida Karodia (born 1942)
• Anne Kellas also connected with Australia (born 1951)
• Antjie Krog (born 1952)
• Mazisi Kunene (1930–2006)
• Richard Kunzmann (born 1976)
• Ellen Kuzwayo (1914–2006)
• Alex La Guma (1925–1985)
• David Lambkin
• Anne Landsman (born 1959)
• Mandla Langa (born 1950)
• C.J. Langenhoven (1873–1932)
• Etienne Leroux (1922–1989)
• Graham Michael Lesch (1936–2007)
• Douglas Livingstone, born in Malaysia (1932–1996)
• Al Lovejoy (born 1963)

M

• Rozena Maart, (born 1962)
• E.S. Madima
• Tenda Madima
• Sindiwe Magona, (born 1943)
• Arthur Maimane, (1932–2005 )
• Rian Malan, (born 1954)
• Nelson Mandela, (born 1918)
• Chris Mann, (born 1949)
• Eugène Marais, (1871–1936)
• John Mateer, also connected with Australia, (born 1971)
• Mark Mathabane, (born 1981)
• Dalene Matthee, (1938–2005)
• Todd Matshikiza, (1921–1968)
• Don Mattera, (born 1935)
• James McClure, (1939–2006)
• Michelle McGrane, born in Zimbabwe, (born 1974)
• Zakes Mda, (born 1948)
• John van Melle, born in the Netherlands, (1887–1953)
• M.E.R., (1875–1975)
• Deon Meyer, (born 1951)
• Gcina Mhlophe, (born 1959)
• Kirsten Miller
• Bloke Modisane, (1924–1986)
• Casey Motsisi, (1932–1977)
• Phaswane Mpe, (1970–2004)
• Es'kia (Ezekiel) Mphahlele, (1919–2008 )
• Samuel E.K. Mqhayi, (1875–1945)
• Oswald Mtshali, (born 1940)
• Ena Murray, (born 1936)
• Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa, (born 1921)

N

• Njabulo Ndebele, (born 1948)
• Christopher Robert Nicholson, (born 1945)
• Lewis Nkosi, (born 1936)
• Arthur Nortje, (1942–1970)
• Sibusiso Nyembezi, (1919–2000)

O-S

• Joy Packer, (1905–1977)
• Raj Patel
• Alan Paton, (1903–1988)
• Sol T. Plaatje, (1876–1932)
• Sir Laurens van der Post, (1906–1996)
• Jan Rabie, (1920–2001)
• Richard Rive, (1931–1989)
• Dan Roodt, (born 1957)
• Daphne Rooke, (1914–2009)
• Henrietta Rose-Innes, (born 1971)
• Eric Rosenthal, (1905–?)
• Mary Sadler, (born 1941)
• Riana Scheepers, (born 1957)
• Karel Schoeman, (born 1939)
• Alan Scholefield, (born 1931)
• Olive Schreiner, (1855–1920)
• Sipho Sepamla, (1932–2007 )
• Mongane Wally Serote, (born 1944)
• Gillian Slovo, (born 1952)
• Adam Small, (born 1936)
• Russell Smith, born South Africa, raised and lives in Canada, (born 1963)
• Wilbur Smith, (born 1932)
• Sylvester Stein, (born 1920)
• Jonny Steinberg, (born 1970)
• Barry Streek, (1948–2006 )
• Mary Phillips, (born 1905)

T-Z

• Can Themba, (1924–1969)
• Miriam Tlali, (born 1933)
• J.R.R. Tolkien, born in Bloemfontein, Orange Free State (now South Africa); raised and lived in England (1892–1973)
• Benedict Vilakazi, (1906–1947)
• Lettie Viljoen, (born 1948)
• A.G. Visser, (1878–1929)
• Ivan Vladislavic, (born 1957)
• John van de Ruit, (born 1975)
• Etienne van Heerden, (born 1956)
• Marlene van Niekerk, (born 1954)
• Charles van Onselen
• Christopher van Wyk, (born 1957)
• F.A. Venter, (1916–1997)
• Nicolaas Vergunst, (born 1958)
• Gert Vlok Nel, (born 1963)
• Alf Wannenburgh (born 1936)
• Lyall Watson, (1939–2008)
• Mary Watson
• Stephen Watson, (born 1955)
• Zoe Wicomb, (born 1948)
• Rachel Zadok, London-based, (born 1972)
• Rose Zwi, born in Mexico, (born 1928)

See also

• List of African writers by country
• Amstel Playwright of the Year Award
• South African literature
• South African poetry
• List of poets
• List of South African poets