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South African poetry since 2014
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Photo of Koleka Putuma by Andiswa Mkosi. Photo of Rosa Lyster by Ben Stanwix. Photo of Francine Simon supplied by author.

Announcing debut collections from Koleka Putuma, Rosa Lyster & Francine Simon

August 15, 2016

uHlanga's stable of new South African voices is growing. Today we are thrilled to announce the upcoming publication of three debut collections from exceptional young women: Koleka Putuma, Rosa Lyster, and Francine Simon.

Lyster's collection, Modern Rasputin, comes out late-November 2016. Simon's collection, Thungachi, is slated for release in February 2017. Putuma's as-yet-untitled book will be out in April 2017.

Rosa Lyster (b. 1984) is a writer born in Durban. She is currently a PhD student at the University of Cape Town, and works as a staff writer at Prufrock, and as contributor to the Sunday Times, the Hairpin, Casimir and Between 10 and 5. Her poems have appeared in the uHlanga magazine, the Toast, and elsewhere. She writes an essay a week on her website, rosalyster.com. Follow her on Twitter at @rosalyster.

Francine Simon (b. 1990) grew up in Durban. Her poetry has been published widely in South African magazines and anthologies. Currently she is a PhD candidate at the University of Stellenbosch. Her debut reading will take place at David Krut Projects on 18 August 2016, with Stephen Symons. She will also be appearing at the uHlanga showcase at the McGregor Poetry Festival on 27 August. Follow her on Twitter at @WriterGirlRose.

Koleka Putuma (b. 1993) is a director, writer and performance poet. In 2014, she became South Africa's first national slam poetry champion. Her poem "Water" won her the PEN SA Student Writing Award (video below). Her plays – which include UHM and Mbuzeni – resulted in a nomination for the Rosalie van der Gucht Prize for Best New Directors at the annual Fleur Du Cap Theatre Awards in 2015. She is currently a resident poet and creative director of poetry collective Lingua Franca, and the co-founder of The Papercut Collective theatre company. Follow her on Twitter at @KPutuma.

We are exceptionally proud to have all three writers on board with uHlanga. Expect more news about each collection as their release dates approach.

← uHlanga x David Krut Poetry Evenings #3: Shirmoney Rhode & Helen MoffettAnnouncing: Prunings, by Helen Moffett →

About uHlanga

uHlanga is a small South African poetry press run by Nick Mulgrew.

Our books are available to order from all retail bookstores in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. From 1 October 2025, all of our books are represented to the trade by Blue Weaver and distributed by Booksite.

Outside of South Africa, many of our books are available print-on-demand through the African Books Collective.


On social media

“But sickness, like the toilet, swallows sweepingly,
with little to no carre when I whinge that it’s just so unfair
as if this was the only time loss and living would meet;
as if worse things weren’t happening mere metres
down the s
“But sickness, like the toilet, swallows sweepingly, with little to no carre when I whinge that it’s just so unfair as if this was the only time loss and living would meet; as if worse things weren’t happening mere metres down the street.” – Genna Gardini ‘Matric Rage’ is Genna Gardini’s reckoning with youth, womanhood and mortality. With hyper-literate, humorous and often heartbreaking poems, Gardini signalled a wind change in South African poetry – where the personal is not just political, but polemical, too. In sickness and sex, misogyny and manners, this is a collection that, above all, showcased – when it was published in 2015 – and still showcases, a powerful writer coming unapologetically into her own. ⚘ Commended for the 2016 Ingrid Jonker Prize 📗 Make it yours at our link in bio. #uHlanga #poetry #poemspoemspoems #GennaGardini #poet #MatricRagePoems
uHlanga is proud to present ‘Kruiper-Crawler’, the debut poetry collection from Shane van der Hoven 📗🪲

“In this, their debut, @shanevdh explores both the sprawling Lowveld and the decaying South African city through the metaphor
uHlanga is proud to present ‘Kruiper-Crawler’, the debut poetry collection from Shane van der Hoven 📗🪲 “In this, their debut, @shanevdh explores both the sprawling Lowveld and the decaying South African city through the metaphor of the Biblical crawler – the grotesque, misunderstood and unfairly maligned creatures of the earth and scrubland. Besmet met ironie en literêre verwysings, mag Kruiper-Crawler se eksoskelet taai en stekelrig lyk. Maar, breek deur tot die sagte binneste en bevind jouself in ’n wêreld van selftwyfel en taalkundige onsekerheid, ’n diep liefde vir die onbekende, en, in die kern, ontdek ’n jong digter watter soort wese hulle moontlik is.” 🕷️ Available in December, you can read more about ‘Kruiper-Crawler’ now at our link in bio. 📷: Amandla Singqoto / Edition Events / LEGACY #uHlanga #KruiperCrawlerPoems #ShanevanderHoven #PoetryCollection #poetry #poet #poems #NewBook
From today, 1 October, uHlanga now distributes our books through Blue Weaver and Booksite. Trade customers in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana can now order through Blue Weaver, and soon all of our books in print will be available to purchase from
From today, 1 October, uHlanga now distributes our books through Blue Weaver and Booksite. Trade customers in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana can now order through Blue Weaver, and soon all of our books in print will be available to purchase from mzansibooks.co.za 📚 #uHlanga

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