Gcina Mhlophe
Dr. Gcina Mhlophe is a celebrated author, storyteller, and the founding director of the Gcinamasiko Arts & Heritage Trust. Her works have been translated into numerous languages, including all offi cial South African languages, Kiswahili, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, and even Braille. She has directed her theatrical plays in the USA, UK, and Greenland, with her most renowned and studied work being “Have You Seen Zandile?” In addition, her poetry has been transformed into dance and classical music. Recently, she edited and self-published “Our Storytelling Tree: A South African Storytellers Directory” under GAHT, marking the fi rst eff ort to archive 38 storytellers currently active in South Africa. She has received honorary doctorates from seven universities, both nationally and internationally, in recognition of her literary contributions and her impact on intangible heritage through storytelling.
Dr. Mhlophe’s accolades include a SAMA for her CD “Stories of Africa,” the OBBIE and Joseph Jeff erson Awards in the USA, the Fringe First at the Edinburgh Festival, the MultiChoice AFRICA Legend Storyteller Award, the USIBA Cultural Legend Award, the SA Children’s Laureate Award, and, most recently, the SAFTA Lifetime Achievement Award for her acting and contributions to fi lm in South Africa. As a leading fi gure in South African storytelling, her birthday, October 24th, has been designated National Storytelling Day since 2019, celebrated at her own venue, The Storytelling Tree, in Durban.
In November 2022, Dr. Mhlophe was recognized by the Charlotte Manya-Maxeke Institute as one of the Mothers of the Nation, alongside notable pioneers such as Mrs. Nokukhanya Mdima-Dube, Ms. Nicky Newton King, and Mrs. Zanele Mbeki.
In May 2023, she received the Flora Nwapa Literature Award. Her achievements in 2023 also included collaborating with East Coast Radio on a podcast titled African Story Magic, which gained signifi cant attention and was nominated for the Spotify Content Creator Awards. The podcast won the APVA Award for Best in Fiction. Dr. Mhlophe also republished Nozincwadi: Mother of Books in Sign Language.
In 2024, Dr. Mhlophe received her eighth honorary doctorate from the Durban University of Technology. Her podcast, Africa Story Magic with Gcina Mhlophe, was recognized as Podcast of the Year at the 2024 DStv Content Creator Awards and won Silver at the 2024 New Generation Awards. It also earned a Bronze at the 2024 Bookmark Awards. It received an Honourable Mention for Excellence in Podcasting at the 2023 DStv Content Creator Awards, along with the Best in Fiction award at the 2023 APVA Awards. Additionally, she celebrated the 16th edition of the Nozincwadi International Storytelling Festival and marked 23 years of the Nozincwadi Literacy Campaign. Nomkhumbulwane: African Mother Christmas was published in November 2024, and Dr Mhlophe performed the story with music at various venues in Johannesburg and Durban. On Saturday, December 7th, the Dr. Gcina Mhlophe Reading Bench at the Newtown Precinct was honored by Johannesburg City Arts & Culture, VUYANI Dance Company, and ABSA Bank.
