An Experiment Shared & A Challenge Received | In Conversation with Prof Siphiwo Mahala

In this episode, I have a conversation with Professor Siphiwo Mahala about literature. With my podcast I aim to explore literary spaces in a broad sense. That means not only speaking to writers or readers, but also to the people who shape how literature is recognised and valued. Professor Siphiwo Mahala is the Chair of the Sunday Times Literary Awards and an associate Professor in the Department of English at the University of Johannesburg. He is also an acclaimed writer in his own right. We talk about how the judging and selection process works. I explore a question that has been on my mind: what should a South African literary prize winner reveal or achieve in its texts? I think you, listeners, will find this fascinating. I begin this conversation with a little experiment. I read three of Siphiwo’s published works. Two short story collections; African Delights and his latest The Missing Pages, as well as his recent biography of Drum journalist Can Themba, Can Themba: The Making and Braking of the Intellectual Tsotsi. Based on these texts, I attempted to loosely sketch the “writer” that emerged in my mind. I read this experimental sketch to Siphiwo during our conversation, and you’ll hear how he responds. I then ask a few in-depth questions about Can Themba’s work, specifically his famous short story The Suit, and intertextuality. You’ll also discover which of Siphiwo’s stories is my favorite and why. At one point during our conversation, I get a very interesting challenge and my final question is which book we should read during the long summer holiday and festive season ahead of us. Professor Siphiwo Mahala is a writer, playwright, and critic · The announcement of the winner of the Sunday Times Literary Awards 2025 · ChristiSa.com · Connect with Christi on LinkedIn · Follow Christi Sa on Instagram · Follow Saint Germain on Instagram