KALANGA LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
Press Release
July 19, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saul Gwakuba Ndlovu: A Moving Kalanga Encyclopedia
The Kalanga Language and Cultural Development Association (KLCDA) has learnt with shock and sadness of the death of one of its long-serving trustees, Saul Gwakuba Ndlovu, who passed on Friday last week. It is unfortunate that this great luminary of Kalanga history and culture has departed before we could extract enough from what he had to offer. It thus goes without saying that Ndlovu’s death has left a great void that will be difficult to fill amongst BaKalanga, and other nations whose history he had on his fingertips. Ndlovu’s contribution to KLCDA can be traced back from Zimbabwe’s colonial era although he did most of his work post-independence. KLCDA in its current form owes a lot to Ndlovu for his foundational role particularly through the Zimbabwe Indigenous Languages Promotion Association (ZILPA) which lobbied for the recognition of the country’s then marginalised indigenous languages. Through his work, the languages, TjiKalanga included, were
eventually included in the country’s 2013 Constitution. Ndlovu, who hails from BULILIMA, Matabeleland South, will not only be remembered as a moving Kalanga encyclopaedia, but also as a selfless non-tribal nationalist whose role in the emancipation of humanity exceeded foundational and basic political freedoms. For many Zimbabweans, he contributed to selfidentity which had been lost through several years of colonisation. For BaKalanga, his contribution to cultural and linguistics became a pedestal for Kalanga renaissance. Most
importantly, Ndlovu believed in cultural restoration without returning to primitive life and we are glad that Section 6 of the country’s Constitution honoured his ambition. Ndlovu was a sociable and accommodative listener who embraced divergent views from all and sundry. A historian par-excellence, he loved sharing his knowledge with everyone, especially the young, because he believed they had the potential of illuminating the future through factchecked knowledge and information. KLCDA, through its successive leadership will certainly consider memorializing Ndlovu’s immense knowledge through making collections of what he pencilled and compiling it into books, documentaries and other storable sources of information. We can only hope that through his legacy we will be inspired and carry on his marvellous works. He was a Trustee of KLCDA, a ceremonial role of the highest honour in our organisation. We are proud to have worked with Ndlovu until he passed on. Rest in
peace Tate Gwakuba, dula leluzibo gweBaKalanga nendudzi dzose dze Zimbabwe. We will forever remember him!!
Issued by: Kalanga Language and Cultural Development Association (KLCDA