The Bank Windhoek Doek Literary Awards are awarded every two years to celebrate the works of four Namibian literary artists published in Doek! Literary Magazine. As part of Doek’s mission to foster a robust literary community in the country, the Awards seek to bring a wider Namibian and international audience to the selected works and literary artists.
Judges are appointed from experienced members of the Namibian or international literary scene to adjudicate the fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and visual arts categories.
The 2023 panel of judges features a diverse selection of award-winning literary professionals and enthusiasts from Namibia. They bring considerable experience to the adjudication process and are committed to recognising and rewarding Namibian literary artists who have produced resonant works in the fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and visual art fields. They are:
Dr Nelson Mlambo • Judge: Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry
Dr Nelson Mlambo has degrees in literature and communication from the University of Zimbabwe, the University of Namibia, and Stellenbosch University. He is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Namibia; his areas of interest are literary studies, with a particular focus on African literature. Dr Mlambo is an Africa-Oxford (AfOx) Fellow and is currently a Visiting Academic at Oxford University (2023-2024). He has published over 50 journal articles, books, and book chapters on African literature.
Natasha Uys • Judge: Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry
Natasha Uys is a Namibian writer and editor from Windhoek. She has worked in the media industry for 17 years, and regularly writes about her lifelong love: books. She currently works as a sub editor for The Namibian and holds a postgraduate diploma in media management from Rhodes University. In November 2021, she won the inaugural nonfiction award at the Bank Windhoek Doek Literary Awards for her essay, “Ouma Sofie’s Gold“.
Namafu Amutse • Judge: Visual Arts
Namafu Amutse is a multidisciplinary artist from Namibia pursuing a Bachelors of Education Honours degree in English and German at the University of Namibia. She is a photographer, film director, and writer. In 2021 she became the inaugural visual arts winner at the Bank Windhoek Doek Literary Awards for her photography series “Chrysalis“, first published in Issue 4 of Doek Literary Magazine. Her work has been exhibited in Windhoek, Dubai, London, and Freiburg. Namafu’s work has been featured in Pitch Magazine, Culture Icon Zine, Tender Photo, Lolwe, and Black Masculinities.