Poetry Africa will honour one of South Africa’s most influential storytellers when Dr Gcina Mhlophe receives its 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award at the festival’s 30th edition.
The award recognises more than four decades of Mhlophe’s contribution to storytelling, poetry, theatre and literature, as well as her role in preserving and strengthening South Africa’s oral storytelling tradition.
The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented during Poetry Africa, which takes place from 5 to 10 October 2026 at the Durban Playhouse Theatre.
“It is a true honour to be recognised in this manner! I’m humbled and my heart is full of gratitude, Sibonga Ophezulu, Sibonge Abaphansi,” said Mhlophe.
Born in KwaZulu-Natal in 1958, Mhlophe emerged as an important creative voice during the 1980s through her work at Johannesburg’s Market Theatre.
Her autobiographical play Have You Seen Zandile? went on to win a Fringe First at the Edinburgh Festival and became part of a body of work that has taken South African stories to audiences around the world.
Mhlophe has performed and taught storytelling in English, Afrikaans, isiZulu and isiXhosa, helping preserve oral storytelling while introducing the tradition to new generations.
Her work extends across theatre, poetry, children’s literature and film and has been translated into numerous languages.
Her previous honours include a SAFTA Lifetime Achievement Award, an Obie Award and the South African Children’s Laureate Award, as well as honorary doctorates from universities in South Africa and internationally.
In 2016, she was included in the BBC’s 100 Women list, while her birthday on 24 October has been recognised as National Storytelling Day in South Africa since 2019.
Ismail Mahomed, Director of the Centre for Creative Arts, said Mhlophe’s influence reaches beyond her extensive body of work.
“Gcina Mhlophe has spent decades reminding us that a story, told with courage, can hold an entire nation’s memory,” said Mahomed.
“Honouring her this year is a chance to celebrate not just a body of work, but a legacy that has shaped how South Africans understand the power of their own voices.”
The recognition forms part of a milestone year for Poetry Africa as the festival celebrates three decades of providing a platform for African and international poets.
Koleka Putuma has already been announced as the festival’s 2026 Featured Poet, while Durban will also welcome 40 slam poets representing 40 countries for the fifth World Slam Poetry Championships.
Presented by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Poetry Africa has operated since 1997 and brings together poets through performances, discussions, school and campus visits, book launches, poetry exchanges, open mic sessions and slam competitions.
Over three decades, the festival has helped create space for poetry to contribute to conversations about society, identity and social change while strengthening opportunities for poets and audiences to connect.
For Mhlophe, the Lifetime Achievement Award recognises a career that has demonstrated how storytelling can preserve culture, connect generations and ensure that South African voices and experiences continue to be heard.
