The SA Book Awards were held for the twenty-fifth time this week, hosted online on 23 September. The awards, originally known as the South African Booksellers Choice Award, were established in 2000 by NielsenIQ BookData with the support of the Publishers Association of South Africa and the SA Booksellers Association.
What makes these awards worth paying attention to is the voting — they’re chosen by booksellers, not panels. The people who hand books to customers every day decide which titles deserve recognition. That feels right.
The numbers
NielsenIQ’s BookScan data for 2024 shows a South African book market worth R1.7 billion, with 7 million units sold at an average price of R253. Volume has come down from a peak of 11.8 million units in 2011, but the first half of 2025 showed signs of recovery — 3.3 million units, up 5% year-on-year.
The average price of a book has nearly doubled in fifteen years, from R129 in 2010 to R254 in 2024. That’s worth thinking about, particularly for discount retailers like Bargain Books who work to keep books affordable.
What it means for us
Papyrus handles the stock and sales data for a good number of the booksellers who vote in these awards. We see the patterns in the data — which titles move, which sit, how seasons affect buying. It’s a reminder that the software exists to serve the trade, not the other way round.
Congratulations to all the winners and shortlisted authors.