Award-winning author Hichem Ben Azzouz launches new novel at the Alliance Française of Johannesburg

On 10 June 2026, the Alliance Française of Johannesburg hosted the South African launch of Sangoma, le guérisseur by Tunisian author Hichem Ben Azzouz, offering audiences an opportunity to engage with one of the most recognised works in contemporary Francophone literature this year.

The event followed the recent announcement that Sangoma, le guérisseur had been awarded the 2026 Comar d’Or, one of Tunisia’s most prestigious literary prizes. Presented during a ceremony at the Opéra de la Cité de la Culture in Tunis on 24 May, the award recognised the novel’s literary quality and its exploration of complex social and human themes.

Published by Hkeyet Éditions in 2025, Sangoma, le guérisseur draws on both fiction and lived experience to examine division, healing and resilience. Through its characters and narrative, the novel reflects on the challenges that shape individuals and communities, while exploring the capacity for care, solidarity and renewal.