SA media veteran scoops commonwealth book award

16 Mar 2009

DURBAN: South African writer and media veteran Mandla Langa has scooped the Commonwealth Writers' Prize Best Book Award in the Africa Region 2009 for The Lost Colours of the Chameleon. This was announced on Wednesday, 11 March 2009, at The Time of the Writer Festival held in Durban.

Langa* and Uwen Akpan of Nigeria, who won the Best First Book Award, in the Africa Region, for Say You're One of Them, will now enter the final phase of the competition. They will compete with the six finalists from Canada and the Caribbean, Europe and South Asia and South East Asia and the Pacific for the overall Best Book and Best First Book award.

The overall winners, chosen by an international panel of six judges coming together in New Zealand, will be announced on 16 May at the Auckland Writers' and Readers Festival (AWRF) in New Zealand.

Minister of Arts and Culture Pallo Jordan said South Africa's creative talents were sweeping the board in African film, literature and in music. “Given the awards already won this year, it was our expectation that the regional winner would also come from here,” he said.

The minister also congratulated Akpan adding that he also wishes both authors further success in this competition.

SA success at the Pan-African Film Festival

Meanwhile, South African filmmakers won at least six prestigious prizes at the 40th Anniversary of the Pan-African Film Festival in Ouagadogou, Burkino Faso. John Kani and Winston Ntshona were presented with the Silver Stallion of Yenenga for “Nothing But the Truth”. The film was also awarded the Ousmane Sembene Prize for Peace.

"Jerusalema" received three technical awards and film director Khalo Matabane won Best TV Series for “When We Were Black”.

“It is our conviction that their achievements will inspire a new generation of filmmakers to rise to the challenges of creating impressive and meaningful movies whose impact will be long-lasting. South African talent is setting trends not merely on the continent but they are ready to compete with the best among their international counterparts,” he said.

He added that South African filmmakers have become special voices when it comes to telling the human story of the African Renaissance in a globalised world.

“I want to extend my personal congratulations to all these award winners and to urge them to continue doing what they do best - making entertaining and moving films that can make the South African experience part of the world cinematic legacy,” he said.

*According to the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Mandla Langa has been a Sunday Independant columnist, scriptwriter, SABC television programme director, ICASA chairperson, SABC board member and is now chairman of MultiChoice Africa, as well as sitting on various other boards and being a trustee of the Nation's Trust, Read Educational Trust and the South African Screenwriters' Laboratory.

Article published courtesy of BuaNews