South Africa, Nov. 21 -- Over 200 dignitaries attended the event that is increasingly being regarded as the "Oscars" of the literary calendar in South Africa.

Sala was founded by wRite associates in 2005 in collaboration with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC). This year's ceremony was the culmination of many months of sifting through nominees to find the winner in each category.

The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, delivered a keynote address with humorous and inspiring anecdotes about how he began his journey as a writer.

"The South African Literary Awards have become a sanctuary for these voices, a space where all 11 official languages find equal dignity and where the full breadth of our literary h...