The University of Johannesburg (UJ) has conferred an honorary doctoral degree on acclaimed South African poet, writer, and academic Antjie Krog, in recognition of her extraordinary contribution to literature, language, and public thought. The honorary degree was awarded during one of the University’s Spring Graduation ceremonies.

Widely celebrated for her powerful voice and creative courage, Krog, born Anna Samuel,has been a leading force in South African poetry for over five decades, captivating readers through her evocative use of language and unflinching exploration of identity, justice, and humanity. She has published thirteen volumes of poetry, with many translated into English and other languages, and is renowned for her translation of Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom (Lang Pad na Vryheid).

Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Kammila Naidoo, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, described Krog as “a literary giant whose work continues to inspire generations of scholars, leaders, and innovators.” She added: “They serve as great role models for all of us who want to see a great UJ, a great South Africa, and a great Africa.”

Professor Refilwe Phaswana-Mafuya, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation, who presided as the acting Vice-Chancellor, said the University chose to honour Krog “For her outstanding and courageous creative lifetime efforts, including her tireless activism over more than five decades towards breaking down barriers and creating new language, new conversation, and new spaces.”

Rather than delivering a traditional acceptance speech, Krog offered a heartfelt poetry performance that reflected on themes of success, hard work, and loss. Before reciting, she invited graduates to be fully present in the moment and to celebrate their achievements with gratitude and awareness.

Professor Bongani Ngqulunga, Senior Executive Director: University Relations, who acted as the functionary chancellor for the ceremony, commended both Krog and the graduates for embodying the spirit of transformation and creativity.

Over her distinguished career, Krog has received numerous accolades for poetry, non-fiction, journalism, and translation in both Afrikaans and English. Her international recognitions include the Stockholm Prize from the Hiroshima Foundation for Peace and Culture (2000), the Open Society Prize from the Central European University, and the Dutch Gouden Ganzenveer (2018). She also holds Honorary Doctorates from the University of East London (UK) and several other institutions.

Her work, translated into more than eight languages, has reached audiences across the globe—including English, Dutch, Italian, French, Spanish, Swedish, Serbian, Arabic, and Chinese. Notably, she co-translated Stitching a Whirlwind, a multilingual anthology that brings together poems from Southern Africa’s indigenous languages such as Sesotho, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Setswana, and Sepedi.

In her foreword to Stitching a Whirlwind, South African poet and scholar Gabeba Baderoon notes that Krog’s work “engages in an imaginative exchange across barriers of language, author and period, overcoming decades of riven conversations.”

That sentiment captures the essence of Krog’s enduring influence as a poet, translator, activist, and intellectual who has dedicated her life to bridging divides and giving voice to South Africa’s diverse linguistic and cultural heritage.

Through her words and actions, Antjie Krog continues to weave together the fabric of a nation in conversation with itself and the world.