South Africa has a rich literary tradition, with its authors weaving stories that reflect the diverse tapestry of its people, history, and landscapes. From the poignant narratives of apartheid to the vibrant tales of post-colonial identity, South African authors have captivated readers worldwide with their insightful perspectives and compelling storytelling. Their words resonate with themes of resilience, justice, and the human experience, offering profound insights into the complexities of society and the human condition.
The literary landscape of South Africa is as diverse as its population, with writers hailing from various cultural backgrounds and linguistic traditions. From the iconic works of Nadine Gordimer and J.M. Coetzee to the contemporary voices of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Zakes Mda, South African literature continues to evolve and inspire. These authors tackle themes of identity, race, and power with nuance and depth, challenging readers to confront uncomfortable truths and envision a more just and equitable society. Their words serve as a testament to the power of storytelling to foster empathy, understanding, and social change.
Hey, I’m a girl, and we like to play dress-up. Charlize Theron
Diamonds are intrinsically worthless, except for the deep psychological need they fill. Nicky Oppenheimer
A lot of America is kind of done. People have been making films about it for 100 years. Everything to me feels used up. But Jo-Burg feels unbelievably inspirational to me. Neill Blomkamp
My guitar is a 1934 National Trojan. They call it a resonator, which is the guitar guys played in the honky-tonks before amplification. It’s very loud. It’s the type of guitar that Son House and Robert Johnson played. Johnny Flynn
I never wanted to launch legal action, but Cricket Australia simply left me no option. James Sutherland himself said that, to an extent, I had been made ‘a scapegoat.’ I find that a totally unfair basis to end my career. The damage to my reputation and career has been immense, which means the chances of me getting a senior job are that much less. Mickey Arthur
Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected. William Plomer
When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor. Elon Musk
Many of our own people here in this country do not ask about computers, telephones and television sets. They ask – when will we get a road to our village. Thabo Mbeki
It’s always been the most important thing for me to enjoy my cricket. AB de Villiers
I have an obligation to use what I know to try to bring real, usable medical science to every doctor and bedside and patient. Patrick Soon-Shiong
Even when bad things happen you have to try to use those bad things in a positive manner and really just take the positive out of it. Natalie du Toit
Take any person, put them in the wrong environment, and they can get off to some pretty bad things. Warren Buffett has said that he would not like to get into debt because he doesn’t want to discover what behavior he’s capable of. Guy Spier
I like a man who looks like a bad boy but knows how to treat a woman like a queen. Candice Swanepoel
I don’t think age matters. In cricket, if you have the skill, you can go on playing. Dale Steyn
Zef is, you’re poor, but you’re fancy. You’re poor, but you’re sexy; you’ve got style. Yolandi Visser
There is no cloud above my head – there is not even a mist. Jacob Zuma
All autobiography is storytelling; all writing is autobiography. J. M. Coetzee
Trends carry on forever, until they stop. I want to be around after things come to a standstill. As a result, I tend to be pretty conservative. Johann Rupert
Black man, you are on your own. Steven Biko
My people have been sucked into the violence because some feel they have to retaliate, and some feel they have to protect themselves. Mangosuthu Buthelezi
I want children to look at me and see my face and I want them to see their faces reflected in mine. Zozibini Tunzi
People say I don’t write books, I make Christmas presents. Bryce Courtenay
I’m very thrilled and excited to have been given the opportunity to captain England. Kevin Pietersen
Even the cleanest air, at the centre of the South Pacific or somewhere over Antarctica, has two hundred thousand assorted bits and pieces in every lungful. And this count rises to two million or more in the thick of the Serengeti migration, or over a six-lane highway during rush hour in downtown Los Angeles. Lyall Watson
God made me the way I am, and I accept myself. I am who I am, and I’m proud of myself. Caster Semenya
Without white South Africa realizing what it had done – and on the basis of that realization having the courage to ask for forgiveness – there can really be no significant movement. Athol Fugard
One of my goals is to become the perfect player but you’ll never reach that goal if your mindset is not right, I think. Faf de Klerk
Soccer was my first love, and I enjoyed playing on the left wing until a groin injury forced me out of the game in 2008. Chad le Clos
Taking good care of my hair is just as important to me as taking good care of my body and soul. Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters
Suffering isn’t ennobling, recovery is. Christiaan Barnard
I stand for simple justice, equal opportunity and human rights. The indispensable elements in a democratic society – and well worth fighting for. Helen Suzman
Education is at the heart of achieving your dreams. Patrice Motsepe
It always seems impossible until it’s done. Nelson Mandela
It must not be forgotten in fairness to the National Government that apartheid is not just a policy of oppression but an attempt – in my opinion an attempt doomed to failure – to find an alternative to a policy of racial integration which is fair to both white and black. Harry Oppenheimer
We have a shared destiny, a shared responsibility to save the world from those who attempt to destroy it. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
The only real things in life is the unexpected things. Everything else is just an illusion. Watkin Tudor Jones
When a deep injury is done us, we never recover until we forgive. Alan Paton
The idea behind fast food is great – people want convenience. Kimbal Musk
I still enjoy what I’m doing, which is building businesses. I don’t play golf. I don’t have any particular passion apart from my business and my family, and that gives me all the pleasure that I want. Christoffel Wiese
The fight for freedom must go on until it is won; until our country is free and happy and peaceful as part of the community of man, we cannot rest. Oliver Tambo
To get where you want to go you can’t only do what you like. Peter Abrahams
Take what you can from your dreams, make them as real as anything. Dave Matthews
In our quest for peace, we should constantly ask ourselves what we should do to create conditions in which peace can prosper. F. W. de Klerk
I try not to get too political. But coming from South Africa, where apartheid was a huge problem, and there was lots of inequality, has shaped me in terms of how I view certain issues. Kevin Anderson
I never actually had a guitar lesson. I taught myself the guitar from piano exercise books, which led me to have a pretty good technique on the guitar and allowed me to find different ways to do things. Trevor Rabin
Generally, when I come to festivals, I just wander freely and see what happens. St. Lucia
When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said ‘Let us pray.’ We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land. Desmond Tutu
I was born and raised in Pretoria. Nobody ever really talked about Santa because the whole concept just didn’t make sense to us. Think about what South Africa looks like: I mean, we don’t even have any chimneys for him to come down! Oti Mabuse
People give one another things that can’t be gift wrapped. Nadine Gordimer
I look at an ant and I see myself: a native South African, endowed by nature with a strength much greater than my size so I might cope with the weight of a racism that crushes my spirit. Miriam Makeba
People often ask what my favourite food is, but the answer depends on what I last ate. I love sausages and mash. But if I’d already eaten them for lunch, then you asked me at tea-time, I’d probably answer ‘crab salad.’ Prue Leith
The more I practice the luckier I get. Gary Player
I stopped focusing on people being different, and I started treating everyone the same way. Ivan Glasenberg
I don’t want to be competing in a sport where I feel that I’m here not on my talent and my hard work but because of a piece of equipment. Oscar Pistorius
You can’t always play the hero. You have to play the villain. John Kani
No good work is ever done while the heart is hot and anxious and fretted. Olive Schreiner
If you laugh with somebody, then you know you share something. Trevor Noah
We are determined to build a society defined by decency and integrity that does not tolerate the plunder of public resources nor the theft by corporate criminals of the hard-earned savings of ordinary people. Cyril Ramaphosa
Whatever you go into, you have to go in there to be the best. There’s no formulas. It’s all about passion and honesty and hard work. It might look glamorous, but it takes a lot of hard work. The blessing with the arts is that you can do it forever. Hugh Masekela
Mondays are a good day to make statements, not Friday. Ernie Els