Nonduduzo Ncube
Nonduduzo Ncube is a young Zimbabwean author who has published a novel Umhlaba Ungihlanekele. Her vision is to raise awareness on Gender Based Violence (GBV). She is passionate about her culture & hopes that her Ndebele literature will make a mark in preservation of IsiNdebele.
Background
She was born in Beitbridge to parents from different tribes. Her mother is Venda and her father is a mixture of Xhosa and Ndebele, but he was raised in a Sotho society. Although she identifies as Ndebele, she has always felt a sense of belonging for all these tribes. Perhaps it is her diverse genes which make her feel different hence her unique thoughts. She grew up in and around Bulawayo, the City of Kings and Queens. She is a mother of two children, a daughter and a son. Currently, a writer and an entrepreneur.
Career
Her writing journey, just like her adult life, has had its ups and downs. It is those ups and downs that have led her to have so many stories to share. At a certain youth event one lady from Bulawayo, whom she respects, shared her own very emotionally moving but inspirational story and as part of her conclusion she said to the listening crowd, “All of you in this room have a story to tell, a story that can lift someone’s life. Don’t sit on it, share your life story and who knows how many lives you might change?” That very night, Nonduduzo slept thinking how best she could share her stories.[1]
Umhlaba Ungihlanekele is her first novel, published by Amagugu Publishers. Before she started writing it, she thought about its content, how it would start and how it would end. She remembers at first she wrote the last chapter, then followed with the first chapter and finally worked her way through the book. The novel was inspired by real life events. Writing this novel has not been an easy road. She says she learnt a lot from the editor, who has been very polite and patient despite the fact that her first draft had to be reviewed a lot of many times.
