The University of Pretoria (UP) has conferred an honorary doctorate on Associate Professor Makhosazana Xaba, an award-winning poet, short story writer, essayist and editor, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to literature, feminist thought and cultural activism in South Africa.

The honorary degree will be conferred at the Faculty of Humanities graduation ceremony on 14 May, as part of UP’s Autumn 2025 Graduation season, during which more than 12 000 students will graduate.

Prof Xaba’s literary career spans poetry, fiction, biography and editing, with her writing known for its profound exploration of gender, memory, healing and transformation. Her poetry and short stories are widely anthologised and celebrated for amplifying the voices and experiences of women in South Africa.

Professor Kevin Thomas, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at UP, described Prof Xaba as an exceptional literary scholar. “Her short story Running and other Stories has been analysed in literary and academic journals and theses and is taught at more than five South African universities, and universities abroad such as Rutgers, Hawaii University and Hebrew University of Jerusalem, to name a few.”

“She has served as a judge for numerous poetry competitions – most recently the 2021 Brunel International African Poetry Prize. Her poetry has been translated into six languages. She has featured in numerous anthologies and has been a writing fellow at institutions for health and social and economic research,” Prof Thomas said.

“Literature allows us to reimagine ourselves and to tell the stories that shape and challenge us,” Prof Xaba said. “I am honoured to receive this recognition from the University of Pretoria, whose commitment to scholarship, creativity and social justice resonates deeply with my own journey as a writer and scholar. This recognition affirms the power of words to build more inclusive and compassionate societies.”

Prof Xaba was born in Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal, and is a trained midwife and psychiatric nurse. As an anti-apartheid activist, went to Angola to be trained as an uMkhonto weSizwe MK soldier and then went into exile in Zambia in 1986. Following her return to South Africa in 1990 as a member of the African National Congress’ Women’s Section Task Team, she worked as a broadcaster at Radio Freedom, as well as with various local and international NGOs. She has also worked with media organisations in the areas of women’s rights, gender and anti-bias training and violence against LGBTQI++ communities.

She has a MA (distinction) in Creative Writing and a Certificate course: Epidemiology for Clinicians both from Wits University, a Baccalaureus Curations (cum laude) from University of Zululand, a Diploma in Journalism (distinction) from Werner-Lambertz International College of Journalism, a Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing from the Midlands Psychiatric Nursing College and a Diploma in Nursing Science and Art and Midwifery (distinction) from Edenvale College of Nursing.

Her literary body of work spans more than two decades and includes critically acclaimed poetry collections such as These Hands (2005), Tongues of Their Mothers (2008), The Alkalinity of Bottled Water (2019) and The Art of Waiting for Tales: Found Poetry from Grace – a novel (2021).

Her contribution to the recovery of women’s literary histories is evident in her biographical writing and editing of important anthologies, including Like the Untouchable Wind: An Anthology of Poems and Our Words, Our Worlds: Writing on Black South African Women Poets.

“As an editor, Prof Xaba has not only encouraged new and established writers but has also brought to public attention important literary works that may have otherwise been neglected,” Prof Thomas said.

Among Prof Xaba’s significant contributions is her biographical work on Helen Nontando (Noni) Jabavu, a pioneering Black South African writer and journalist, which has played a key role in reviving Jabavu’s literary legacy. In 2022 Prof Xaba co-edited a volume with Bhekizizwe Peterson and Khwezi Mkhize titled, Foundational African Writers: Peter Abrahams, Noni Jabavu, Sibusiso Nyembezi & Es’kia Mphahlele and in 2023, together with Dr Athambile Masola, she introduced Noni Jabavu: A Stranger at Home, a compilation of columns written by Jabavu for the Daily Dispatch newspaper in 1977.  

“Prof Xaba’s work on Noni Jabavu’s life is testimony to her commitment to feminist literary recovery and activism. It is a ground-breaking work that provides important insight into the life and work of a significant South African writer,” said Prof Thomas.

Prof Xaba’s academic and literary achievements have earned her national and international recognition. She is the recipient of the 2014 South African Literary Awards (SALA) Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award for short story collection Running and Other Stories, and her poetry has been translated into multiple languages.

She holds honorary positions at various academic institutions, including being a Fellow at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Studies, where she is working towards a collection of historical short stories of the 19th century focusing on the geographical area that was later claimed as Natal in 1910. In September 2021, she was appointed as an Associate Professor of Practice in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Johannesburg’s Centre for Race, Gender and Class.

She was commissioned by Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research to translate Frantz Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth from English into isiZulu. Izimpabanga Zomhlaba was released in May 2024.

“Prof Xaba’s body of work is a vital part of the South African literary landscape and her influence as a poet, writer, editor and feminist scholar continues to inspire new generations of writers and readers,” Prof Thomas said. “The University of Pretoria is proud to honour her contribution to literature, scholarship and cultural activism.”