The Sanlam Prize for Youth Literature was established in 1984 by Sanlam, an insurance company, and Tafelberg Publishers. This prize is awarded on the basis of a competition where authors are invited to submit original manuscripts on a predetermined theme. The winning manuscripts are subsequently published by Tafelberg Publishers.

Over the years the award has undergone a few changes. From 1984-1995 prizes were awarded for Afrikaans and English books, but since 1996 the competition has been open to all the official languages in South Africa. In 2000 Gold and Silver Prizes were awarded in four different categories: Afrikaans, English, Nguni and Sotho languages.

The following themes were dealt with during the past years:

1985: interpersonal relations
1996: any historical theme - as long as it dealt with something
           that happened at least fifty years ago
1990: contemporary background
1992: urban background
1994: light approach
1996: any theme that deals with sport or the outdoors
1998: any theme that dealt with the end of the century, the
           millennium and the beginning of the new century
2000: a story that dealt with issues with issues such "the
           community and the individual", "the loner and the group
           person", "herd animal and outsider", "Western
           individualism and Ubuntu", "alienation and belonging",
           et cetera.
2002: a story with an upbeat approach
2004:

Winners

1985:

English:

Winner: Ghamka, man-of-men by Eve Merchant
Runners-up: Secret of the Eagles by Desmond Greig
                      The Cave by Peter Slingsby

For a list of all the Afrikaans winners of the Sanlam Award, go to: Sanlampryswenners

1988:

English:

Gold: Rebecca’s Horse by Allan Jermieson
Silver: When whales go free by Dianne Hofmeyr
Bronze: The last of the Huguenots by Nancy Oakes

1990:

English:

Gold: A Red kite in a pale sky by Dianne Hofmeyr
Silver: Into the valley by Michael Williams
Bronze: Flash flood by Jenny Winter

1992:

English:

Gold: The genuine half-moon kid by Michael Williams
Silver: The Slowachi snoz by Gail Smith
Bronze: Lucy’s games by Marie Thorpe

1994:

English:

Gold: Boikie, you better believe it by Dianne Hofmeyr
Silver: Don’t panic, mechanic by Jenny Robson
Bronze: Roller-coaster by Ada-Marie Hauptfleisch

1996:

English:

The Joining by Peter Slingsby
One magic moment by Jenny Robson and
Wheels! by Gail Smith

1998:

English:

The denials of Kow-Ten by Jenny Robson and
Sons of Anubis by Robin Saunders

Beginners

Zanemvula the rain child by Johnny Masilela

2000:

English:

Gold: Because pula means rain by Jenny Robson
Silver: The worst year of my life - so far by Sarah Britten

Nguni-languages:

Silver: Isahluko sokugqibela (The last chapter) by Zibele Sisusa (Xhosa)

Sotho-languages:

Silver: Njeng manong fa ke sule! (Devour me, vultures, when I'm dead!) by Kabelo Kgatea (Tswana)

2002:

English

Gold: Jedro’s bane by  Peter Slingsby
Silver:Welcome to the Martin Tudhope Show  by Sarah Britten   

Nguni languages

Gold: No prize awarded
Silver: Kungasa ngifile (Over my dead body) by Dumisani Sibiya

Sotho languages

Gold: No prize awarded
Silver: Leba seipone (Look in the mirror) by Kabelo Kgatea

2004:

English:

Gold: Praise Song by Jenny Robson
Silver: SuperZero by Darrel Bristow-Bovey

Nguni languages:

Gold: Ngidedele ngife by Dumisani Sibiya

Sotho languages:

Gold: Ntshware ka letsogo by Kabelo Duncan Kgatea

For a list of all the Afrikaans winners of the Sanlam Award, go to: Sanlampryswenners