List of South African writers
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This is a list of writers from South Africa.
A–B
- Lionel Abrahams (1928–2004)
- Peter Abrahams (born 1919)
- Rehane Abrahams (born 1970)
- Tatamkulu Afrika, born in Egypt (1920–2002)
- Hennie Aucamp (born 1934)
- Diane Awerbuck
- Christiaan Bakkes (born 1965)
- C. Johan Bakkes (born 1956)
- Margaret Bakkes (born 1931)
- Shabbir Banoobhai (born 1949)
- Lady Anne Barnard (1750–1825)
- Lesley Beake (born 1949)
- Mark Behr, South Africa/Tanzania (born 1963)
- Dricky Beukes (1918–1999)
- Lauren Beukes (born 1976)
- 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)
- André Brink (born 1935)
- Dennis Brutus (1924–2009)
- Guy Butler (1918–2001)
C–D
- Roy Campbell (1901–1957)
- Stuart Cloete (1897–1976)
- J.M. Coetzee, awarded the 2003 Nobel Prize in Literature (born 1940)
- Bryce Courtenay (1933–2012)
- Jeremy Cronin (born 1949)
- Patrick Cullinan, (born 1932)
- Achmat Dangor (born 1948)
- Ingrid de Kok (born 1951)
- Phillippa Yaa de Villiers (born 1966)
- Rolfes Robert Reginald Dhlomo (1901–1971)
- Finuala Dowling (born 1962)
- Graham Downs (born 1980)
- 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 (born 1945)
- 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)
- Miriam Green, an academic now living in England
- 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)
- Cat Hellisen (born 1977)
- 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)
- Cynthia Jele
- 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)
- Keorapetse Kgositsile (born 1938)
- Anne Kellas also connected with Australia (born 1951)
- Robert Kirby (1936–2007)
- 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)
- Greg Lazarus
- Etienne Leroux (1922–1989)
- Graham Michael Lesch (1936–2007)
- Douglas Livingstone, born in Malaysia (1932–1996)
- Sarah Lotz
- Al Lovejoy (born 1963)
M
- Rozena Maart (born 1962)
- E. S. Madima
- Tenda Madima
- Sindiwe Magona (born 1943)
- Arthur Maimane (1932–2005 )
- Angela Makholwa (born 1976)
- Rian Malan (born 1954)
- Nelson Mandela (1918– 2013)
- 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)
- M.E.R. (1875–1975)
- Deon Meyer (born 1958)
- Thando Mgqolozana (born 1983)
- Niq Mhlongo (born 1973)
- 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–R
- Njabulo Ndebele (born 1948)
- Lauretta Ngcobo (born 1931)
- Christopher Robert Nicholson (born 1945)
- Mike Nicol (born 1951)
- Lewis Nkosi (1936–2010)
- Arthur Nortje (1942–1970)
- Sibusiso Nyembezi (1919–2000)
- Joy Packer (1905–1977)
- Raj Patel (born 1972)
- Alan Paton (1903–1988)
- Mary Phillips (1905–2007)
- Sol T. Plaatje (1876–1932)
- Jan Rabie (1920–2001)
- Richard Rive (1931–1989)
- Dan Roodt (born 1957)
- Daphne Rooke (1914–2009)
- Henrietta Rose-Innes (born 1971)
- Eric Rosenthal (1905–?)
S
- Mary Sadler (born 1941)
- Riana Scheepers (born 1957)
- Karel Schoeman (born 1939)
- Alan Scholefield (born 1931)
- Patricia Schonstein (born 1952)
- 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)
- Jason Staggie (born 1984)
- Sylvester Stein (born 1920)
- Jonny Steinberg (born 1970)
- Harold Strachan (born 1925)
- Barry Streek (1948–2006 )
- Stefan Swanepoel raised in South Africa and now lives in United States (born 1958)
T–V
- 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)
- Sir Laurens van der Post (1906–1996)
- John van de Ruit (born 1975)
- Etienne van Heerden (born 1956)
- John van Melle, born in the Netherlands (1887–1953)
- Marlene van Niekerk (born 1954)
- Charles van Onselen
- Christopher van Wyk (born 1957)
- F.A. Venter (1916–1997)
- Nicolaas Vergunst (born 1958)
- Wayne Visser (born 1970)
- Ivan Vladislavic (born 1957)
- Gert Vlok Nel (born 1963)
W–Z
- Alf Wannenburgh (born 1936)
- Zukiswa Wanner (born 1976)
- Lyall Watson (1939–2008)
- Mary Watson (born 1975)
- 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