Independent publisher Batis Books is set to launch in early 2026 in Edinburgh, aiming to showcase literary talent from Southern Africa, book news company The Bookseller revealed on Tuesday.

Founded by South African writer and publisher Nick Mulgrew, Batis Books will publish a minimum of six titles annually, spanning fiction, memoir, poetry and essays.

The 2026 list includes Dayspring (February), a posthumous memoir by poet and anti-apartheid activist CJ Driver, edited by JM Coetzee and previously named a 2024 New Statesman Book of the Year, and Blood's Inner Rhyme (summer), an autofiction work by acclaimed Afrikaans author Antjie Krog.

Mulgrew previously led South African poetry press uHlanga, which published over 40 titles in multiple languages. A past fellow of the Gothenburg and Frankfurt book fairs, he is also an award-winning author and 2023 BBC National Short Story Competition finalist.

Distribution for Batis Books in the UK and Ireland will be managed by Combined Book Services, with trade representation by Compass IPS. Select titles will also be available in Southern Africa, subject to rights.