Joan Hambidge (born September 11, 1956, Aliwal North, South Africa), professor in literature at the University of Cape Town (Hofmeyr Chair), reviewer, poet, and critic. Writing in Afrikaans, she has published 26 books of poetry, some of which she translated into English, 9 novels, and a number of critical works. Awarded the Eugène Marais Prize for literature for her second volume of poetry, Bitterlemoene (Bitter Oranges), in 1986, she also won the Litera Prize as well as the Poetry Institute of Africa Prize for her poetry, and the ATKV prize for Visums by Verstek. Hambidge considers her main accomplishments in haikai to be her finding the essence of life. She resides in Cape Town.