Winners announced at libraries writing competition

08 September 2024

The City’s  Library and Information Service hosted a writing competition last month for learners aged between nine to 13 and 14 to 17. The competition which closed on 28 August 2024 saw 131 stories submitted with category winners announced yesterday at the Open Book Festival held at the Homecoming Centre in Cape Town. 

Learners who entered the competition  had to write a story about an environmental hero, either as a short or long-form story, graphic novel, picture book or novel. Writing workshops were held at numerous libraries to assist  learners to acquiring writing skills. Stories were submitted in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa. 

 The following winners in categories are;

 Age category 9-13 

English

Winner:  Isabella Ismail (11 years), Wynberg Library

Runner up: Lethabo Nhlapho (12 years), Wynberg Library

 Afrikaans

Winner: Skyler Plaatjies (10 years), Strand Library

Runner up:  Elmone Tromp (11 years), Huguenot Square Library

 IsiXhosa

Winner: Uzuko Zenani (10 years), Moses Mabhida Library

Runner up: Alinda Zonke (12 years), Moses Mabhida Library

 Age category14 – 18

English

Winner:  Cadence Marinus (14 years ), Ocean View Library

Runner up:  Latita Matyhila (17 years), Langa Library

 IsiXhosa 

Winner:  Sinalo Taho (17 years), Harare Library

Runner up:  Lilitha Macamba (15 years),  Nyanga Library

 The  Afrikaans category received no entries

 The competition received so many entries that had beautiful illustrations and graphic sketches that the City's Libraries and Information Service decided to extend the certificates to include a creative component for outstanding artwork to Jordan Tiltman ( 13 years) from Fish Hoek Library and Luhle Mayeki (12 years) from the Moses Mabhida Library

 In partnership with the Dream City author, Mzwamadoda Mvimbeli, the brand new authors will get a chance to appear in an online production, reading and acting their own stories.

 The winning submissions will either be published, or loaded onto the Library Service's Libby app.  The winning stories for the 9 -13 year old categories will be used for the Library Reading programme that will be rolled out in December.

 'We are pleasantly surprised by the number of entries, the excitement and the quality of the stories submitted by the learners. The success of the writing competition is a shining example that our libraries are well visited and plays and important role as a knowledge centre in our communities. I would like to congratulate all those who participated and especially the winners in the various categories. I hope that the competition will be a motivation for aspiring young writers to enter writing competitions,' said Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia van der Ross.

End

Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office