Sefika Booksellers Awards

Members of the SA Booksellers Association and the Publishers’ Association of South Africa (PASA) gathered at the Sunnyside Park Hotel in Parktown, Johannesburg last night to applaud and be applauded. The annual event is set to thank and celebrate both booksellers and publishers for the roles they play in promoting literacy and a culture of reading by producing and selling quality books in South Africa. The theme for this year’s gala event was 50 Shades of Colour.

The booksellers awards, voted for by their colleagues in the publishing sector went to:
• Best Academic Bookseller of the Year – Van Schaik Bookstore
• Best Education Bookseller of the Year – Adams Booksellers
• Best Library Supplier of the Year – Hargraves Library Services
• Best Trade Bookseller of the Year (Chain Store) – Exclusive Books
• Best Trade Bookseller of the Year (Independent) – The Book Lounge

Winning publishers were:
• Best Academic Publisher of the Year – Oxford University Press Southern Africa
• Best Education Publisher of the Year (Large) – MacMillan Education South Africa
• Best Education Publisher of the Year (Small) – Berlut Books CC
• Best Trade Publisher of the Year – Pan MacMillan South Africa

The final award for the evening, the prestigious Nielsen Booksellers Choice Award is bestowed upon a local author for a South African published book that booksellers most enjoyed selling or that sold so well that it made a difference to the bottom line of booksellers across the country. This is a very special award and the industry as a whole celebrated Marguerite Poland who won this year with her book The Keeper, published by Penguin Books South Africa.

“Last night I got a message that thrilled and uplifted me incredibly! Penguin sent a message to let me know that my novel, ‘The Keeper’, had won the Booksellers and Publishers Choice Award. I am absolutely delighted and it is the highlight of my career. I so wish I had been at the dinner but I am not well enough to travel. In the circumstances you can imagine how wonderful it is to have this acknowledgement of my work.” said this venerated author in a message sent from her home.

“I thank all concerned for choosing me and for supporting my work in this wonderful way. It is a great honour and a privilege to have been chosen and is enormously valued.”

The short-listed books were:

• 150 Stories, by Nataniël le Roux – Human & Rousseau.
• Goeiemôre Mnr Mandela, by Zelda la Grange – Penguin Books South Africa.
• Kamphoer, by Francois Smith – Tafelberg Publishers.
• Low Carb is Lekker, by Inè Reynierse – Struik Publishers.
• The Keeper, by Marguerite Poland – Penguin Books South Africa.

The awards evening forms part of the SA Booksellers Association and PASA’s joined AGM which will continue today. Updates and key learning from the event can be found on twitter under the hashtags #saba #sefika or follow @SA Booksellers.