FROM a district known for its rowdy and otherwise wild population with the place bearing the nickname Izhwane Ilizwe Leziqholo, meaning land of the stubborn ones, hails a more simple and reserved man who prefers to articulate his thoughts in writing as done by his childhood literary icons Barbara Makhalisa, the late Ndabezinhle Sibanda Sigogo and Bernard Dima Ndlovu.
This is none other than talented isiNdebele novelist, Pascar Ncube, hailing all the way from Mapulukuse village in Tsholotsho district under Chief Ngqoya.
He is back after a successful run with his most recent novel, Imfihlo Yomndeni, which is set to be a series and has been filmed awaiting release.
In an interview with NewsDay Life and Style, Ncube said the dream of being an author came in 2004 when he was in Form 3.
“When I was in school, there was a setbook that was written by the iconic author NS Sigogo which was titled Gudlindlu Mntanami. I think the narrative style in which the novel was written and the way our teacher would read it drew me towards wishing to write something similar. It was my inspiration,” he said.
“I took a counter book and started writing, but that dream vanished into thin air as I was still young and did not know how to do things related to publishing by then. So I can say that I lacked critical knowledge at the time. I also lacked a mentor, but I never gave up, I kept on writing.”
He added: “It was during a temporary teaching posting at Mathula Secondary School in Tsholotsho that I began to write poems in Ndebele. I would give them to schoolchildren to perform. I wrote a poem titled Umatshaya’bhuqe, which spoke about HIV.
“It was loved and on a certain prize giving day, officials from the Primary and Secondary Education ministry wanted to know who wrote the poem and the headmaster let them know that it was me who wrote it. They applauded my work.”
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Ncube did his primary education at Nembe Primary School, before moving to Mavela Secondary for his O Level and Tsholotsho High for A Level.
He then proceeding to study at St Anne’s School of Nursing in Brunapeg, Matabeleland South province and finally at the Mpilo School of Midwifery in Bulawayo in 2018.
The seasoned writer has written novels such as Ilifa Lezithutha Lidliwa Yizihlakaniphi (his first novel, published in 2018), Okulempondo Akufihlwa Emgodleni, Ikhuba Lomunye Alilandima, Izilingo Zomhlaba as well as Ugugu LoZandile The Bosom Friends.
Ncube said he wished to see his books being recognised and used in the education system and hoped the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council would adopt them as setbooks.
He said there was lack of a reading culture in Tsholotsho, adding that Ndebele writers were not taken seriously as people seem to have the belief that Ndebele books should only be read as setbooks, “which should not be the case”.
“There are some fellow artists that I admire from a publishing company that I run called Ingwalo Ezingasoze Zabuna Publishers,” he said.
“These are novelists such as Philani Gama, Patient Ncube and Phelelani Ndlovu, Liseli Nyathi and Belladonna Moyo, to name a few.”
