Central News Agency Literary Award

{{Short description|South African annual award}}

The Central News Agency Literary Award (CNA Literary Award, CNA Prize) was a major annual literary award in South Africa.Described as the 'then principal literary award', in 1977, by nobelprize.org.[http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/2003/coetzee-bio.html] It was named for the CNA chain of bookstores. Founded by Phillip Stein,{{Cite web |url= http://book.co.za/blog/2010/07/06/rip-the-founder-of-the-cna-literary-award-philip-stein/ |title=RIP the Founder of the CNA Literary Award, Philip Stein {{!}} Books LIVE |access-date=2010-08-09 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101213211953/http://book.co.za/blog/2010/07/06/rip-the-founder-of-the-cna-literary-award-philip-stein/ |archive-date= 2010-12-13 |url-status=dead }} it recognised works in prose and poetry, and in both the English language and Afrikaans.There was no restriction by language within South Africa's indigenous languages (Callil and Tóibín, The Modern Library (1999) p.223); authors must be South African by birth or permanent residence.

The last award was presented in 1996,{{cite web |url= http://mg.co.za/print/1997-03-14-farewell-to-cna-award |title= Farewell to CNA award |publisher= Mail and Guardian |date=14 March 1997 |accessdate=12 August 2015 |author= Reporter, Staff}} although CNA later launched a "Book of the Year" award for popular bestsellers of any genre.[https://archive.today/20120707073022/http://book.co.za/blog/2009/07/21/zapiro-and-wilbur-smith-make-the-cna-book-of-the-year-shortlist/ Zapiro and Wilbur Smith Make the CNA "Book of the Year" Shortlist {{!}} Books LIVE]