Wilhelmina Johanna (Wilma) Stockenström is born

Wilma Stockenstrom is a significant and gifted female Afrikaans writer, whose work has been translated into several other languages. Wilma studied Drama at Stellenbosch University, where she initially focused on drama and playwright before she branched into poetry and fiction. She wrote a few plays and appeared in some theatre productions, but it was only when her first book of poetry, Vir die bysiende leser, (aptly named because of the use of large font) was published in 1970 that she was taken seriously as a writer. Her poetry was praised for its originality and unconventional use of language. Wilma showcased her acting abilities in television shows such as Mannakwalanners and Die Besoeker, for which her performance earned her the Rapport-Oscar. Wilma has contributed extensively to Afrikaans writing in general, but it is mainly for her poetry that she is considered an important figure in Afrikaans literature. Originally from Napier in the Cape, she spent most of her working life in Pretoria, where she worked as a translator and eventually married her husband, Ants Kirsipuu. In 1993 Wilma moved back to Cape Town with her husband, who passed away 10 years later.