Difference between revisions of "Achmat Dangor"

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== Biography ==
 
== Biography ==
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Achmat was born in Johannesburg in 1948.  
 
Achmat was born in Johannesburg in 1948.  
  
He was one of the founding members of the [[Congress of South African Writers]] and headed up various non-governmental organisations in South Africa, including the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and was the Southern Africa Representative for the Ford Foundation.  He lived in Johannesburg, South Africa, with his wife, Audrey, and young son Zachary, and devoted his time to his writing.
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He was one of the founding members of the [[Congress of South African Writers]] and  
 
 
 
 
  
He was banned from 1973-1978.
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His membership of the cultural group [[Black Thoughts]] led to his banning for six years (1973-1978). He subsequently taught creative writing at City University in New York, before returning to  South Africa, where he worked for [[Kagiso]] and the Independent Development Trust. He later headed up various non-governmental organisations in South Africa, including the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and was the Southern Africa Representative for the Ford Foundation.
  
His poetry was published in the journals ''Wietie'' and ''Staffrider'', anthologised in ''A Century of South African Poetry'' (1981) and published in the collection ''Bulldozer'' (1983). He also wrote the novel ''Bitter Fruit''.
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His poetry was published in the journals ''Wietie'' and ''Staffrider'', anthologised in ''A Century of South African Poetry'' (1981) and published in the collection ''Bulldozer'' (1983). He also wrote the novel ''[[Bitter Fruit]]''.
  
His membership of the cultural group Black Thoughts in 1973 led to his banning for six years.  
+
.  
  
He subsequently taught creative writing at City University in New York. On his return to South Africa he worked for Kagiso and the Independent Development Trust. In 2000 he was attached to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.
+
On his return to South Africa he worked for Kagiso and the Independent Development Trust. In 2000 he was attached to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.
  
Achmat Dangor passed away on the 6 September 2020
+
Achmat Dangor passed away on the 6 September 2020.
  
 
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
 
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==

Revision as of 09:15, 12 September 2020

Achmat Dangor. (1948-2020) Novelist, playwright and poet.

Biography

Achmat was born in Johannesburg in 1948.

He was one of the founding members of the Congress of South African Writers and

His membership of the cultural group Black Thoughts led to his banning for six years (1973-1978). He subsequently taught creative writing at City University in New York, before returning to South Africa, where he worked for Kagiso and the Independent Development Trust. He later headed up various non-governmental organisations in South Africa, including the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and was the Southern Africa Representative for the Ford Foundation.

His poetry was published in the journals Wietie and Staffrider, anthologised in A Century of South African Poetry (1981) and published in the collection Bulldozer (1983). He also wrote the novel Bitter Fruit.

.

On his return to South Africa he worked for Kagiso and the Independent Development Trust. In 2000 he was attached to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.

Achmat Dangor passed away on the 6 September 2020.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

His plays include Majiet.

Awards, etc

Winner of the Mofolo-Plomer Prize for the short story Waiting for Leila (1981).

His work has been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2004.

In 2015 he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the South African Literary Awards (SALA).

Sources

NELM catalogue.

Beeld, 6 August 2000.

Go to ESAT Bibliography

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