Nakanjani G. Sibiya has authored several volumes of short stories, novels, and dramas.
Nakanjani Sibiya (born 1967) is a multiple-award-winning South African isiZulu author and lecturer. He has written many volumes of short stories, dramas, and novels. He has also co-authored and edited many anthologies of short stories and poetry.
His first novel, Kuxolelwa Abanjani?, won the M-Net Book Prize for Nguni Languages in 2003. He has received many other awards for many of his literary works. Sibiya is notable for translating MJ Mngadi’s novel Kasikho Ndawo Bakithiinto English.
| Nakanjani sibiya | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Short Profile | |
| Full name: | Nakanjani Sibiya |
| Born: | 1967 (age 56 years old) |
| Place of birth: | Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal |
| Nationality: | South African |
| Education: | Literature and works |
| Alma mater: | University of Zululand |
| Occupation: | Author, writer, lecturer |
| Debut novel: | Kuxolelwa Abanjani? |
Background
Nakanjani Sibiya was born 1967 in Gcotsheni, Eshowe in KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.
Most times, he features his birthplace in his works. He adopts the rural settings, including the rhythms and drama of these communities.
Education
Sibiya holds a Ph.D. in Literature and works from the University of Zululand (UniZulu). He published his first collection of isiZulu shorts when he was doing matric.
Career
Nakanjani is an isiZulu lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg Campus. He is also an editor for Shuter and Shooter Publishers in Pietermaritzburg.
The author has many isiZulu books across different genres published in his name. He has made contributions to South African literature through short stories.
With over thirty years of experience, Sibiya has written, edited, and co-authored over fifty literary works. His first collection of short stories, Ikusasa Eliqhakazile, won the JL Dube Award for Prose.
Critics praised this anthology as a milestone in Zulu’s short story writing. A critic commended his ability to handle sensitive themes with exceptional dexterity as a reason behind his success.
Nakanjani received the 2003 M-Net Book Prize for his debut novel Kuxolelwa Abanjani? The work won the BW Vilakazi Prize, the most prestigious award for IsiZulu literature. in 2004.
The author received a prize from the National Department of Arts and Culture in 2005. They recognized him as the best isiZulu novel published in the first ten years of democracy in South Africa.
Sibiya was a first prize winner at the The Maskew Miller Longman Awards for his IsiZulu drama Ngikuthanda ukhona lapho in 2014. He has done many literary translations.
One of his notable works is translating MJ Mngadi’s novel, Asikho Ndawo Bakithi, into English (2017). He published The Reluctant Storyteller, his debut collection of short stories in English, in 2021.
Sibiya has contributed to isiZulu literature with these novels. His ability to write narrative prose that captivates the reader cannot be overemphasized. His work Bengithi lizokuna captivated readers with topics of homosexuality and transsexuality.