Filipino-South African poet wins 3rd at 2015 Sol Plaatje EU Poetry Awards

MANILA, Philippines – After being shortlisted for the award, it was announced that Filipino-South African Jim Pascual Agustin placed 3rd at the 2015 Sol Plaatje European Union (EU) Poetry Awards.

Jim’s winning poem is titled “Baleka, What do You Know of Tenders and Thieves? Or Cockroaches for that Matter?“

This is the second time Jim was shortlisted for the Sol Plaatje EU Poetry Awards. In 2014, he placed 3rd for his poem “Illegal, Undocumented,” which focuses on the topic of illegal mining and other migrant issues.

The first place winner of this year’s awards is Athol Williams for his poem “Streetclass Diseases,” while Sindiswa Busku-Mathese’s “Portrait of a Mother and Indiscretion” won second place. All 3 poems can be read here. 

The winners’ places were announced and the awards were presented on October 17 by the Senior judge and chairperson of the Jacana Literary Foundation, Mongane Wally Serote and the European Union Ambassador Designate, Marcus Cornaro.

The Sol Plaatje EU Poetry Awards is organized by the Jacana Literary Foundation and is supported by the EU. 

Every year since the competition started 5 years ago, the Jacana Literary Foundation releases an anthology of  the poems that were submitted. This year, the poems to be included in the anthology were judged by South African poets Goodenough Mashego, Joan Metelerkamp, and Johann de Lange. – Rappler.com