麻豆社

The winner of the biggest African literary Award, The Caine Prize for African Writing, will be announced next week.

The 拢10,000 prize - which is more than $15,000 - is for the best original short story by an African writer, published in the English language.

Throughout this week, we have been reading you extracts from the five stories shortlisted for this year's award.

Today's offering is by South African Lidudumalingani and his story is entitled "Memories We Lost."

It is a is a dark, affecting tale about a community's attempt to help a family deal with mental illness against a background of superstition and ignorance.

It is written from one of the sister's points of view as she looks on helpless in the face of her siblings decent into schizophrenia.

(Photo: Tseliso Monaheng)