After leaving her full-time job nearly twenty years ago to pursue writing, receiving an honorary degree has become one of those moments that affirms that the risk was worth it for author and publisher, Dr Zukiswa Wanner.

Dr Wanner was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree in the Faculty of The Humanities on 14 April 2026 during a graduation ceremony on the University of the Free State Bloemfontein Campus.

A career shaped beyond the page

Wanner’s recognition reflects a body of work that extends beyond storytelling into shaping literary culture across the continent. She is the author of several novels, including the South African Literary Award-winning London Cape Town Joburg, as well as children’s books, essays, and memoirs. Her work has been translated into multiple languages, reaching readers far beyond South Africa. 

Her influence also lies in the spaces she has created for others. As a publisher, she has supported emerging African writers, and during the COVID-19 lockdown, she founded Afrolit Sans Frontières – a virtual literary festival that connected more than 80 writers across Africa and its diaspora at a time when physical borders were closed. 

This combination of creative work and cultural leadership has seen her recognised as one of New African’s 100 Most Influential Africans, most recently in 2025 among thinkers and opinion shapers. 

The power of pursuing a dream

In her acceptance speech, Dr Wanner described the conferral of the degree as an honour that inspires her to continue working in the service of literature. She reflected on the decision to fully commit to writing two decades ago – a choice that was not always met with confidence from others.

After the release of her debut novel, The Madams, she recalled receiving doubtful reactions about whether writing could sustain a career. Those responses became a source of motivation.

“I told myself that I would do whatever it took so that literature ceases being a profession that doesn’t exist,” she said.

The honorary doctorate now stands as one marker of that journey – and of a career that has helped expand what is possible for African writers.

Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Hester C. Klopper noted during the ceremony that the conferral recognises Wanner not only as an accomplished author, but as a continental voice who has contributed to building a vibrant and accessible reading culture. 

Lessons for a new generation

Drawing on her experience as an editor, publisher, and author, Dr Wanner encouraged graduates to remain curious and to engage widely with knowledge.

“Reading and art are about the imagination,” she said, reflecting on how literature allows readers to construct worlds that are entirely their own.

She urged graduates to read broadly and to engage across disciplines – from the arts to the sciences – as a way of shaping both personal and societal futures.

Her message echoed a broader theme of the ceremony: that education carries responsibility. As graduates step into a complex and changing world, the knowledge and skills they leave with are tools – shaped by values – that can influence communities, industries, and public life.