Uhlaziyonzulu Lweqoqo Lezindatshana: Inhlamvu Yelanga

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Book Abstract (English)

This book review assesses a collection of twenty isiZulu short stories that were selected for publication after a competition. The short stories were published in a book titled Inhlamvu Yelanga (Maphumulo, 2016) by the University of KwaZulu-Natal Press. The aim of this competition was to inculcate the culture of reading and writing in isiZulu. The stories have been well written and arranged, and showcase a variety of literary techniques by the writers. After the reading and reviewing process, I discovered that the majority of the short stories are catchy and employ suspense as a narrative technique. As one reads, one is made to ask oneself what the end result would be. This is a great sign in literary writing because it highlights the various levels of skills of the different authors. As expected, the writers are not at the same level of experience, but despite this, there are various lessons that are learnt in these stories which can be useful in people’s lives. Among some of the lessons that are embedded in these stories, there are contemporary issues around the abuse of women, abduction, crime, discrimination against disabled people, respect of the rule of law, the behaviour of the youth, jealousy, the dangers of secrets, unwarranted anger, etc. I can quite confidently say that these stories have served their purpose in creating awareness and educating the readership through the medium of isiZulu. This publication will have a tremendous impact on the development of an indigenous language, especially in the higher education space, which is a very unusual occurrence.