Jabulane Johan Ncongwane, better known by his pen name J.J. Ncongwane (born 30 September 1961), is a South African novelist, short-story author, poet and educator who writes in Siswati. He was born at KaMagwamazi farm in Chief Albert Luthuli's Carolina area.[2]
Ncongwane is regarded as one of the central figures in South Africa's Siswati literature. He is currently employed in the Parliament of South Africa as a Language Practitioner. He has written many Siswati books, including educational manuals, novels, short-stories, poems, and drama-plays and has co-authored several others since 1985. His work is taught at South Africa's high and tertiary schools.[3][4]
Early life
Jabulane Johan Ncongwane was raised at KaMagwamazi farm in Eastern Transvaal province (now Mpumalanga) in what was then Carolina District (now called Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality). His father, Enoch Ncongwane, was a bus-driver, and his mother, Sarah Zwane, worked as a domestic worker for the owner of the farm where they stayed. Enoch couldn't read and write but encouraged his children to read and brought home Afrikaans, English, and Zulu storybooks for them. JJ Ncongwane loved Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens, CT Msimang, DBZ Ntuli, Maqhawe Mkhize, JJ Gwayi, and WP Steenkamp.[5]
He also worked at the Tshwane University of Technology as the first Editor-in-Chief for the university's Siswati Lexicography Unit that compiles Siswati dictionaries.[7]
His first published work was a collection of Siswati poems he co-wrote with his younger brother S.J. Ncongwane, titled Kuyophela Situnge (Beyond Boredom) in 1986.[9]
He has translated many books into Siswati, including Lebogang Masango's children's books What Does Mpumi Eat? to Udlani Mpumi,[10]What Does Mpumi Wear? to Ugcokeni Mpumi,[11] and Gcina Mhlophe's Nozincwadi – Mother of Books.[12]
His first award was a R10 he received from Mgwenya College in 1985 for writing the short story Lunjalo-ke Lutsandvo (That is Love). This story appeared in the Mgwenya College magazine in that year and was then published in the collection of short stories called Tikhatsi Letimatima (Tough Times) in 1989.
Other awards include:
Educum Drama Competition Award 1989 for the drama book Mncwi! Ngitake Ngibone (That Won't Happen!)[14]
Skotaville Publishers Bertrams VO Award for African Literature in 1990 for the novel Tikhatsi Tiyagucuka (Times Change)[15]
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