# List of South African women writers

This is a list of South African women writers, including women writers either from or associated with South Africa.
* A
* B
* C
* D
* E
* F
* G
* H
* I
* J
* K
* L
* M
* N
* O
* P
* Q
* R
* S
* T
* U
* V
* W
* X
* Y
* Z
* See also

## A

* Barbara Adair (living), novelist
* Wilna Adriaanse (born 1958), romantic fiction writer
* Jani Allan (born 1952), journalist, columnist, broadcaster
* Phyllis Altman (1919–1999)
* Ingrid Andersen (born 1965), poet
* Diane Awerbuck (born 1947), novelist

## B

* Gabeba Baderoon (born 1969), poet
* Margaret Bakkes (1931–2016)
* Lesley Beake (born 1949), children's author
* Dricky Beukes (1918–1999), writer of novels, short stories and radio dramas
* Lauren Beukes (born 1976), novelist, short story writer, journalist and television scriptwriter
* Audrey Blignault (1916–2008)
* Anna Böeseken (1905–1997), history academic, journalist and writer
* Johanna Brandt (1876–1964)
* Sarah Britten (born 1974), writer and blogger
* Babette Brown (1931–2019), writer on race and diversity issues in the United Kingdom.
* Cheryl Brown (living), professor of education
* Penny Busetto (living), novelist

## C

* Maxine Case (born 1976), novelist and short story writer
* Cecile Cilliers (1933–2018), journalist and writer
* Yvette Christiansë (born 1954), poet and novelist
* Lindsey Collen (born 1948), novelist and activist
* Jeni Couzyn (born 1942), poet and anthologist
* Hazel Crane (1951–2003), memoirist
* Judy Croome (born 1958), novelist, short story writer and poet
* Sheila Cussons (1922–2004), Afrikaans poet

## D

* Alide Dasnois (born 1950), journalist and newspaper editor
* Nadia Davids (born 1977)
* Marike de Klerk (1937–2001)
* Ingrid de Kok (born 1951), poet
* Phillippa Yaa de Villiers (born 1966), poet
* Janette Deacon (born 1939)
* Isobel Dixon (born 1969), poet
* Ceridwen Dovey (born 1980)
* Finuala Dowling (born 1962), poet

## E

* Elisabeth Eybers (1915–2007), poet

## F

* Dawn Faith (born 1982), author, musician and social activist
* Diana Ferrus (born 1953), poet
* Mary Anne Fitzgerald (born c. 1945), journalist
* Corlia Fourie (born 1944), writer of drama, children's books, short stories and novels
* Lynn Freed (born 1945), novelist, essayist, and writer of short stories
* Patricia Fresen (born 1940)
* Lisa Fugard (living)
* Sheila Meiring Fugard (born 1932), writer of short stories and plays

## G

* Jeanne Goosen (1938–2020), journalist and poet
* Nadine Gordimer (1923–2014), novelist, political activist and recipient of the 1991 Nobel Prize in Literature
* Lyndall Gordon (born 1941), literary biographer
* Sheila Gordon (1927–2013)
* Pregs Govender (born 1960), feminist human rights activist, author and former Member of Parliament
* Henriette Grové (1922–2009)

## H

* Megan Hall (born 1972), poet
* Joan Hambidge (born 1956), Afrikaans poet, literary theorist and academic
* Stacy Hardy (living), writer, journalist, multimedia artist and theatre practitioner
* Marié Heese (born 1942), novelist and teacher
* Cat Hellisen (born 1977), author of fantasy novels
* Colleen Higgs (born 1962), writer and publisher
* Heidi Holland (1947–2012), journalist and author
* Emma Huismans (born 1947), writer, journalist, and activist

## J

* Noni Jabavu (1919–2008), writer and journalist
* Cynthia Jele (living), novelist
* Liesl Jobson (living), poet and musician
* Sarah Johnson (born 1980), poet
* Isabel Jean Jones (died 2008), consumer journalist
* Ingrid Jonker (1933–1965), poet
* Pamela Jooste (living), novelist
* Elsa Joubert (1922–2020), Afrikaans-language novelist
* Irma Joubert (living), novelist
* Leonie Joubert (living), science writer, author and journalist

## K

* Ronelda Kamfer (born 1981), poet
* Farida Karodia (born 1942), novelist and short-story writer
* Anne Kellas (living), poet, reviewer and editor
* Olga Kirsch (1924–1997), poet
* Elizabeth Klarer (1910–1994)
* Sheila Kohler (born 1941), novelist and short story writer
* Antjie Krog (born 1952), poet and academic
* Ellen Kuzwayo (1914–2006), women's rights activist, politician and autobiographer

## L

* Anne Landsman (born 1959), novelist
* Lauren Liebenberg (born 1972), novelist
* Freda Linde (1915–2013), children's writer and translator
* Anna M. Louw (1913–2003)

## M

* Rozena Maart (born 1962)
* Michelle McGrane (born 1974), poet
* Lindiwe Mabuza (1938–2021), poet, academic, journalist, diplomat
* Sindiwe Magona (born 1943)
* Angela Makholwa (living), crime fiction writer
* Barbara Masekela (born 1941), poet, educator, activist
* Mohale Mashigo (living), singer-songwriter, novelist and former radio presenter
* Lebogang Mashile (born 1979), actor, writer and performance poet
* Emma Mashinini (1929–2017)
* Kopano Matlwa (born 1985), novelist
* Dalene Matthee (1938–2005), novelist
* Fatima Meer (1928–2010), writer, academic, screenwriter
* Joan Metelerkamp (born 1956), poet
* Nontsizi Mgqwetho (fl. 1920s), poet
* Gcina Mhlophe (born 1958), actress, storyteller, poet, playwright, director
* Kirsten Miller (living)
* Ruth Miller (1919–1969), poet
* Sarah Millin (1889–1968)
* Natalia Molebatsi (living), performance poet and cultural worker
* Marion Molteno (born 1944), novelist
* Rose Moss (born 1937), writer of novels, short stories, words for music and non-fiction
* Natasha Mostert (living), author and screenwriter
* Isabella Motadinyane (1963–2003), poet and actor
* Ena Murray (1936–2015)
* Sally-Ann Murray (born 1961)

## N

* Beverley Naidoo (living), writer of children's books
* Thirza Nash (1885–1962), novelist
* Bongi Ndaba (born 1972)
* Lauretta Ngcobo (1931–2015), novelist and essayist
* Paige Nick (living), novelist
* Michelle Nkamankeng (born c. 2008)
* Cecily Norden (1918–2011)

## O

* Bree O'Mara (1968–2010), novelist
* Yewande Omotoso (born 1980), novelist, architect and designer
* Margie Orford (born 1964), author of crime fiction, children's fiction, non-fiction and school textbooks

## P

* Joy Packer (1905–1977), author of autobiography and romantic adventure novels
* S. A. Partridge (born 1982), author of young adult fiction
* Amelia Blossom Pegram (1935–2022), poet
* Antoinette Pienaar (born 1961)
* Bridget Pitt (living)
* Marguerite Poland (born 1950)
* Elsa Pooley (born 1947)
* Karen Press (born 1956), poet
* Elaine Proctor (born 1960), film director, screenwriter, novelist, and actress

## Q

* Christine Qunta (born 1952)

## R

* Jo-Anne Richards (living), journalist and author
* Margaret Roberts (1937–2017), herbalist and author
* Daphne Rooke (1914–2009)
* Henrietta Rose-Innes (born 1971), novelist and short story writer
* Maria Elizabeth Rothmann (1875–1975)
* Rona Rupert (1934–1995)
* Diana E. H. Russell (1938–2020), feminist writer and activist

## S

* Arja Salafranca (born 1971), poet
* Lin Sampson (living), journalist
* Riana Scheepers (born 1957), writer of children's books, short fiction and poetry
* Karin Schimke (born 1968)
* Patricia Schonstein (born 1952), novelist, poet, author of children’s books
* Olive Schreiner (1855–1920), novelist, anti-war campaigner
* Judith Sealy (living)
* Jenefer Shute (living), novelist
* Joyce Sikakane (born 1943), journalist and activist
* Ansuyah Ratipul Singh (1917–1978), medical doctor and writer
* Elinor Sisulu (born 1958), writer and activist
* Paula Slier (living), television, radio and print journalist
* Gillian Slovo (born 1952), novelist, playwright and memoirist
* Charlene Leonora Smith (living), journalist and biographer of Nelson Mandela
* Louise Smit (born 1940), writer of children's books
* Pauline Smith (1882–1959), novelist
* Lina Spies (born 1939), poet
* Dianne Stewart (born 1952)
* Wilma Stockenström (born 1933), writer, translator, and actor
* Cynthia Stockley (1873–1936), novelist
* Toni Stuart (born 1983), poet

## T

* Jane Taylor (1956–2023)
* Gladys Thomas (1934–2022), playwright, poet and children's writer
* Miriam Tlali (1933–2017), novelist
* Lesego Tlhabi (born 1988), writer and comedian
* Marianne du Toit (born 1970)
* Barbara Trapido (born 1941)
* Jann Turner (born 1964), film director, novelist, television director and screenwriter

## U

* Shereen Usdin (born 1962)

## V

* Marita van der Vyver (born 1958)
* Marjorie van Heerden (born 1949)
* Mary-Anne Plaatjies van Huffel (1959–2020)
* Marlene van Niekerk (born 1954)
* Verna Vels (1933–2014)
* Lettie Viljoen, pseudonym of author Ingrid Winterbach (living)
* Anna de Villiers (1900–1979)

## W

* Zukiswa Wanner (born 1976), journalist and novelist
* Harriet Ward (1808–1873)
* Marie Warder (1927–2014)
* Crystal Warren (living)
* Mary Watson (born 1975)
* Elizabeth Weber (born 1923)
* Mary Morison Webster (1894–1980), novelist and poet
* Zoë Wicomb (born 1948), author and academic
* Sarah Wild (living), science journalist and author
* Margaret Wild (born 1948)
* Faldela Williams (1952–2014)
* Wendy Wood (1892–1981)

## X

* Makhosazana Xaba (born 1957), poet

## Z

* Rachel Zadok (living), novelist
* Rose Zwi (1928–2018)