His first novel was published at 17 and his next publication was his first collection of verse, Nine Lives, published by Carrefour-Hippogriff in 1991. His poetry has won numerous awards and in October 1996 he travelled to France to have his poems translated into French at the invitation of La Fondation Royaumont at the Royaumont Abbey. Apart from his collections, his poems have appeared in numerous South African and international magazines and anthologies.
Tatamkhulu Afrika died on 23/12/2002 as a result of complications resulting from injuries after being knocked over by a car two weeks earlier. His novel, Bitter Eden, published by Arcadia (UK) was launched in Cape Town on 7th December 2002 to coincide with his 82nd birthday.


Poems
Dark where loneliness hides
Nothing's changed
Maqabane
Shaman
Small bird singing in a bush
The knifing

Publications
Nine Lives (1991)
Dark Rider (1993)
Maqabane (1994)
The Lemon Tree (1995)
Turning Points (1996)
Flesh and the Flame (1998)
The Angel and Other Poems (1999)
Mad Old Man Under the Morning Star (2001)

Novels
Broken Earth (1940)
The Innocents
Tightrope
Bitter Eden (2002)