Pan Macmillan announces 2025 Chris van Wyk Bursary recipient
Pan Macmillan is thrilled to announce Vuyokazi Ngemntu as the recipient of the prestigious 2025 Chris van Wyk Bursary.
February 2025 – Pan Macmillan is thrilled to announce Vuyokazi Ngemntu as the recipient of the prestigious 2025 Chris van Wyk Bursary. The writer and performer, currently pursuing a Master’s in Creative Writing at Wits University, has been recognised for her exceptional talent and dedication to exploring critical themes within her work.
Says Vuyokazi: ‘This bursary has capacitated the attainment of a life-long dream, which I’ve had to fight against insurmountable odds to defend.’
From her early performance studies at UCT to her extensive work in theatre, poetry, and short story writing, Vuyokazi has consistently demonstrated her versatility and unique voice. As an RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) candidate, she notes: ‘The acknowledgement of years of experience as a writer and cultural practitioner on the fringes of academia is a move towards embracing alternative means and routes to knowledge production.’
Vuyokazi's writing delves into complex themes. ‘My praxis as a writer and performer is deeply invested in the exploration of epigenetic trauma and, ultimately, the reclamation of the desecrated archive of African intangible heritages,’ she says. She draws inspiration from a range of authors, including Octavia Butler, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Nnedi Okorafor, K. Sello Duiker, as well as Malidoma Patrice Some and Credo Mutwa for their work on African spirituality and healing justice.
The Chris van Wyk Bursary will enable Vuyokazi to continue her studies at Wits University under the guidance of the Creative Writing programme, where she plans to develop an experimental short story collection exploring the intersection of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Science Fiction and Fantasy.
Her aspirations for her writing career are clear: ‘I simply want to thrive – to write dangerously and defiantly in a world that insists on my silencing and erasure. In so doing, I wish that my writing stands testimony to the wealth of stories we may yet tell if we ignore the noise and let the voices of the land speak.’
Says Pan Macmillan publisher Andrea Nattrass: ‘Pan Macmillan is confident that Vuyokazi will make significant contributions to the literary landscape, and we are honoured to support her in this journey.’
‘Vuyokazi’s work exemplifies the transformative power of storytelling,’ says Stacy Hardy, Head of Wits Creative Writing. ‘We are especially excited about her proposed short story collection, which aims to merge African cosmology and speculative elements, hinting at quantum-like entanglements between past, present and the spiritual world.’
She adds, ‘We are deeply grateful to Pan Macmillan for their continued support of emerging writers – this bursary not only enables new talent to flourish but also honours Chris van Wyk’s enduring commitment to nurturing powerful new voices.’
Pan Macmillan South Africa has been awarding the annual Chris van Wyk Bursary since 2014. Previous recipients of the bursary have included Terry-Ann Adams, Jarred Thompson, Shereen Mills, Lindiwe Nkutha, Bongani Ndlovu, Zanele Makhubo, Tuelo Gabonewe and Lidudumalingani Mqombothi.