South Africa’s foremost literary journal has survived crises for over 50 years. We’ve reached another crisis moment, this time financial.
The magazine has always depended on subsidy – subscriptions cover less than half the cost of production. Now the devastating loss of Stephen Watson, whose presence on the Board was our main (sometimes only) channel to funding, means we have lost the complex relationships he had with funders, and our funds have all but dried up. There is not quite enough to publish the next edition (the shortfall is about R15000) and thereafter the future looks bleak. Although our subscription base has doubled under Hugh Hodge’s editorship, it is not enough to cover the production costs. Increased subscriptions will help with economies of scale.
Our catch-22 situation is this: In order to apply for State or corporate funding, we need to complete 3 years of audits. The books are up to date, but the audit needs to be signed off by a Chartered Accountant, and this seems set to cost R60 000!
I’m asking you to either
- Make a donation, [click here]
- Buy a print subscription (four issues: R350) [click here],
- Buy an e-subscription (four issues for only R100) [click here] or
- Suggest a literature-friendly chartered accountant: [click here]
Also, please send this appeal on to your friends, and help to save an important piece
of our common culture.
Yours warmly
Michael Cope
Chair, S A Literary Journal
