KwaDukuza author Andile Cele is using her debut novel to highlight two issues she is passionate about: mental health and access to education.

Cele, the first runner-up in the 2023 Island Prize, impressed judges with her early manuscript of Braids & Migraines, which was published by Holland House Books in April this year.

“I have always wanted to write, be it a novel, a poem or a short story. Stories have always been a place of escape, a space to examine life and come out the other side appreciating it even more,” she said.

With a Journalism degree from Tshwane University of Technology and another in Creative Writing and Theory of Literature from UNISA, Cele is currently completing her master’s at Stellenbosch University. Her research explores intergenerational trauma in South African women’s writing.

“All these degrees have helped me tell the stories I do. It’s important for me to bring across healing, past trauma and how we can navigate that. Access to education and mental health are especially important to me.”

Describing herself as an author and advocate, Cele draws inspiration from her upbringing, shaped by love and hardship. One of four siblings, she shares a close bond with her autistic, non-verbal brother, which has fuelled her passion for mental health advocacy.

Her novel, Braids & Migraines, follows Nomandla, a township girl who wins a scholarship to an elite Durban school. There, she faces the weight of being “the face of transformation,” navigating class divides, racial tensions and psychological strain. Nomandla’s longing for braids becomes a metaphor for memory, beauty and resistance, offering her a path to reclaim her agency in a world that often denies it.

“Through my work, I hope to foster awareness and dialogue around mental health and education in South Africa,” said Cele.

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