At the National Orders awards ceremony on 19 May 2026, Dalene Matthee was honoured posthumously with the Order of Ikhamanga in Bronze for her “excellent contribution to the field of literature that has put South African stories on the world stage.”

Hilary Matthee accepted the award from President Cyril Ramaphosa on behalf of her late mother.

National Orders are the highest awards that a country, through its president, bestows on its citizens and eminent foreign nationals.

Dalene Matthee is the author of 13 books but is best known for her four “forest books” which were inspired by the Knysna indigenous forest and its communities and histories. These novels are Circles in a Forest, Fiela’s Child, The Mulberry Forest and Dreamforest.

As a prose writer, Matthee is known for the masterful interweaving of in-depth research and captivating storytelling, through which she explores many issues that are still pertinent today. Prominent examples include: the importance of conservation considering humankind’s relentless destruction of nature, the exploitation and oppression of poor, illiterate and otherwise marginalised communities, the complex way in which factors like race, land ownership and societal expectations impact upon identity. Evident in her writing is a fierce voice against injustice and a sensitive portrayer of human relationships and the mystical power of the natural world.

Her books have been translated into fifteen languages, including English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Hebrew, Icelandic and Arabic, and over a million copies have been sold worldwide.

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