Etienne van Heerden

Etienne Roché van Heerden (1954- ) is an award-winning South African author, who has published books of poetry, books of short stories, a collection of cabaret songs, theoretical and academic work, and novels.

Youth
He was born on 3 December 1954 in Johannesburg and spent his early youth on sheep farms near Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape. He completed his secondary schooling in Stellenbosch.

Training
He graduated from the University of Stellenbosch with BA and LL.B. degrees and an honnours degree in Afrikaans and Dutch. He completed a Master's degree at the University of the Witwatersrand and a PhD at Rhodes University.

Career
Started his career as a legal clerk, worked in an advertising agency and then became a university lecturer, ending up at the University of Cape Town, where he was appointed Hofmeyr Professor in the School of Languages and Literatures, and chairman of the Afrikaans and Netherlandic Studies Section.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
Wrote the lyrics for the Afrikaans cabarets Ekskuus vir die Wals (performed in 1984 by the Libertas Theatre Club), and Lied van die Boeings (performed in 1998 at the KKNK and in the Oude Libertas Theatre).

Awards, etc
For various published works:

Toorberg: WA Hofmeyr Award (Via Afrika Awards); ATKV-prys, CNA Literary Award; 1989 Hertzog Prize for Afrikaans Prose.

Die Swye van Mario Salviati: 2001 M-Net Literary Awards (Afrikaans category).

30 Nagte in Amsterdam: 2009 M-Net Literary Awards (Afrikaans category); 2009 WA Hofmeyr Award (Via Afrika Awards); 2009 UJ Prize; 2010 Hertzog Prize for Afrikaans Prose.

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