Siphokazi Jonas

Siphokazi Jonas is a South African poet, playwright and actor with an MA in English Litera­ture and a BA in English and Drama. She was the 2016 runner-up for the national Sol Plaatje European Union Award and headlined as the first Featured Poet at the Poetry Africa Festival in 2021. Siphokazi received a Best Short Film South African Film and Television Award (SAFTA) as co-producer of the poetry film #WeAreDyingHere. Her work has appeared in Poetry London, Atlanta Review, Versopolis Review, The Poetry Society and Stanzas. Weeping Becomes a River was one of Brittle Paper’s 100 Notable African Books of 2024, the Book Lounge’s 2024 Book of the Year, joint winner of the 2025 HSS Award for best poetry collection, one of Topping Africa magazine’s seven must-read books for 2025, and winner of the 2026 Glenna Luschei Prize for African Poetry.