The 11 winners of the 2024 AVBOB Poetry Competition, representing each of South Africa’s official written languages, were celebrated in grand style at the AVBOB Poetry Gala dinner on Wednesday, 18 September 2024 at the Pretoria Country Club. The gala event showcased the rich cultural diversity of the country and highlighted AVBOB‘s continued commitment to fostering linguistic heritage through the art of poetry.
AVBOB CEO, Carl van der Riet, delivered the keynote address, describing poetry as an essential toolkit for making sense of our most deeply felt experiences. As South Africans prepare to celebrate Heritage Day on 24 September, he paid tribute to a rich and diverse local poetry scene, saying, “I’m here to encourage every poet to reimagine life and explore the possibilities of what is and what could be. Poetry offers individuals and communities the freedom to express their innermost thoughts, bypassing logic and inviting us to listen with our hearts.”
He also proudly introduced a new category of the AVBOB Poetry Competition, “As we find ourselves in the seventh year of celebrating poetry, it’s rewarding to introduce a fresh element to the project, ensuring its longevity. We introduced New Beginnings as a fifth writing category this year, in addition to the original themes of Birth, Hope, Death and Love. This new theme invites poets from all walks of life to explore the possibilities of a fresh start and capture the joy of embarking on new journeys and chapters through the art of poetry.”
The winner in each language category of the AVBOB Poetry Competition secured a R10 000 cash prize, a R2 500 book voucher, and an elegant trophy.
Each guest to the gala received a copy of the annual anthology, I Wish I’d Said… Vol. 7, which was launched at the event. The top six poems in each language appear in the anthology (each with an English translation). The anthology is rounded out by a selection of commissioned poems, as well as one Khoikhoi poem by prolific poet, Toroga Denver. This comprehensive collection was compiled by the Editor-in-Chief of the AVBOB Poetry Competition, Johann de Lange, and the Siswati Editor, Prof Stanley Madonsela.
According to de Lange, poetry has a unique ability to not only express what is profoundly personal but also to provide a shared language of mourning or celebration when we need it most. “When we read and write strong poetry, we remember that we are not alone. We know that others have been here before us, looking for words just as we are now. The wonderful thing about a competition such as this is that it encourages participants to reach deep inside themselves to find the words that keep hope alive.”
This year, attendees were entertained by violin and beatbox duo Beauty and the Beat, blending timeless music and modern poetry. Their vibrant soundscapes set the scene for the event’s emcee, Tumelo Mothotoane, who assisted in introducing each winner with AVBOB CEO, Carl van der Riet. Moving poetry performances were also delivered by Fezile Mpela, Siyasanga Papu, Hanli Rolfes and Nozi Langa.
In alphabetical order of language category, the 2024 AVBOB Poetry Prize (first place) winners are: Salvia Ockhuis (Afrikaans), Sarah Frost (English), Nosipho Noxolo Nxumalo (isiNdebele), Athi Simamkele Dyantyi (isiXhosa), Siyabonga Nxumalo (isiZulu), Moses Seletisha (Sepedi), Moeketsi Golden Mokotjo (Sesotho), Othusitse Moses Lobelo (Setswana), Junior Gcina Nkomo (Siswati), Humbulani Julia Tharaga (Tshivenda) and Amukelani Deborah Mashele (Xitsonga).
