We are excited to announce the winners of our ‘My father’ competition, where entrants wrote about what the word ‘father’ meant to them. Essays had to be around 450 – 550 words, and had to include description.

But before we celebrate these winners, we would like to send this important message to ALL the entrants of the competition:

Thank you so much for your essays. It has been a profoundly moving experience to mark them.

We would like to send love and strength to those of you who described the pain of absent fathers, and of abusive fathers. Sadly, you are not alone. We got many of these descriptions that brought tears to our eyes. We hope that writing your story helped you with healing in some way, and that you find others who can support you in your life’s journey.

But we also got descriptions of inspiring, loving, hardworking fathers who are adored by their children. Some of them have passed on, and we send you condolences. We want to celebrate these men, alongside the many neighbours, uncles, grandfathers, teachers and priests who were described as standing in the father role for many of you. We salute them and thank you for these stories of kind and lovely men across the country.

The stories touched our hearts, and it was very difficult to choose winners. We got 1,475 entries, so please do not be disheartened if you didn’t win this time. Thank you for sharing your work, and we look forward to seeing more of your writing.

But, it was a competition! The writers of the winning entries below each receive R1500 and a goodie bag, and the runners-up receive R750 and a goodie bag. Thanks to Heartlines, who was our partner for this competition as part of their Fathers Matter campaign, and who sponsored the prizes. Find out more about the Fathers Matter campaign here.

Senior Winner
A Man Of Not So Many Words – Athenkosi Cetyana

Athenkosi said about his win: “This win comes at an important hour in my journey as an artist and a human being. I’d had writer’s block for a while prior to this competition, so I am grateful for the win because it restores my creativity and affirms the work I’ve been doing. It truly is meaningful and I am more grateful to the FunDza team for deeming this story worth publishing. This win is dedicated to my old man.”

Senior Runner-up
Heads or Tata? – Moses Phiri

Moses said, “I’m a writer, and a traveller. Before the pandemic, I hitchhiked across the country and ended up in Cape Town, Tableview. I found there a wonderful, serene park, where I wrote from dusk till dawn. I cannot hitchhike at the moment, so I’ll use the prize to finance my trip back there.”

Senior Runner-up
There’s a man in the kitchen – Angel Mhlongo

Angel responded: “For me, winning means I actually have my head on the right path. It validates my skills and makes me feel like someone appreciates my writing. Winning makes me feel like I’m actually one of the best. I heard about FundZa from a friend in 2020 during the first hard lockdown. With the cash prize, I’m going to get a few medical essentials for my mom, spoil the family a little with KFC, keep some pocket money for in case I get called in for an interview or any emergency arises at home.”

Intermediate Winner
Bastard of Bhacaland – Lamla Bam

Lamla said: “I chanced upon this competition when I applied to be a volunteer, teaching children reading skills on ‘YouthPotentialSA’. They mentioned it to me during our email communication and I jumped at the opportunity. I doubted I would win so I had even forgotten I entered. Ha Ha. This means a lot to me in that the money will be helpful as I am unemployed. I will use it to buy a coding course on Udemy. Winning also gives me tiny confidence that perhaps there is a future for me as a writer. Thank you Fundza!”

Intermediate Runner-up
I was raised by many fathers except mine – Phaswana Asakundwi Emmanuel

Phaswana said, “Winning this competition was a huge surprise since I don’t usually write essays in my free time I am a poet so it came as a surprise to know that I won but it really gives me hope as a young South African writer who is hoping to be a well-published writer because I believe that my work can inspire anyone who reads it. I will be spending the money with my family since they are my biggest supporters in this journey.”

Intermediate Runner-up
Baba, I carry what I can… – Innocent Madzhoni

Innocent said: “This win confirms some suspicions I have been trembling with for a while, and which have been keeping me awake at night with sweat forming a well on my face: I can write, and my writing deserves some space in the hearts of those who value honest literary outputs. For some nostalgic reason, I feel like Can Themba when he won the Drum short story contest in 1953. It’s without a doubt that I am getting the physical paperback copy of James Baldwin’s Notes of a Native Son with the prize money and, of course, I am buying some pencils too. I might slide the rest of the money into my dad’s hand and say, ‘Thank you’. I have been reading material on Fundza for years. A friend of mine, who was in Grade 12 in 2017, if I recall correctly, had recommended a piece on Fundza called Life after Matric by Khethelo Shamase. That’s how I first came across Fundza. And the competition just popped up on my facebook, because I follow the Fundza page, around the 16th of June.”

Junior Winner
The firefighter of my troubles – Mwewa Beatrice Ng’andu

Mwewa responded: “Winning means the world to me as I would love to further improve my writing skills and I will be saving the cash prize.”

Junior Runner-up
The white king – Karabo Nwamusi

Karabo said, “I will use the money responsibly and definitely pamper my father, driven by him to enter the competition. And also save some of the money to publish my book (LITTLE COMRADE) in print. I found out about fundza on social media sites early last year. I’ve never looked back since I became one of the fundza writers. I’d also like to encourage other aspiring writers to enter such competitions – if you don’t win get up and write again!”

Junior Runner-up
Dad with a plan – Rayyan Ebrahim

Rayyan said, “I first found out about this competition (and Fundza) around the beginning of June from my English teacher at Pinelands High School. I am a passionate writer and having my piece selected gives me a great boost of confidence in my writing ability. This is the first writing competition I have ever won! Thank you so much for this opportunity! It has truly made me a better writer and has served as a motivation for me to continue writing. I will probably donate a portion of the money and save the rest of it for a good cause for my future. Once again I express my deepest gratitude and am humbled to have been chosen.”

We would also like to celebrate the following pieces:

Highly commended
My Congolese shield – Simamkele Mbambo
In times of need – Lavender Logan
His Absence in My Life – Ngwenyama Mpumi
UThando lukaBaba mina ngiyalazi – Uanda Gcwabe
Delicate Memories – Lithe-thaa Tembani
Through the arms of reliability – an essay on Papa – Khutjo Diphofe
Showing Up – Jarred Thompson
To Learn My Father – Palesa Radebe
Tata, the father Christmas of our family – Olwethu Zeleni
The Horn – Zintombi D
The Infiniteness of Dad – Nivashnie Poonsamy

Commended:
The father I never knew – Surprise Mashaba
Journeys With My Dad – Michelle Becker
It either builds you or destroy you! – M.Theosonia
The Father of the 14th First Born – Nirrah Siphe Malinda
My thirst hasn’t been quenched – a father is an investor – Rotenda Gavhi
My Love… – Itumeleng Ngakane
Daddy’s Pride – lark
Ashes to Ashes – Bhoke
A fatherly blueprint: Fatherhood, bo ntate, papa.. – Tshwarelo Mashile
Elimthende Elihle-The purest of them all – Dube Omuhle
The Man who loved me first – my father! – Thabisile Bertha Mahatlane
I could only imagine what it would be like… – African Barbie
My father, my hero – Thembeni Molose
I have had a father – Katlego Maake
What If I Was My Father? – theguythatdoesntexist
The Secret of Life Baba – Impunyela
He Never Returned – Edward Montle
Love In His Lessons – Yolokazi Magaqa