Chronicle Editor
Charity Chikara, Sunday Life Reporter
A Tsholotsho author has hit the ground running after publishing five novels and gaining audiences outside the country where his work has been mostly purchased by people in the UK and South Africa.
Pascar Ncube developed an interest in writing in 2003 as a Form 3 student after he had read Gudlindlu Mntanami by Ndabezinhle S Sigogo, marking the beginning of his career as an author.
“My journey in writing started at a tender age in 2003, when I was a Form 3 student at Mavela Secondary School in Tsholotsho.
I was motivated by a book which was our O- Level set book by N. S Sigogo titled Gudlindlu Mntanami. I wished to publish a book by then, but it was very difficult as I did not have any knowledge on the procedure to follow towards publishing a book.
My dream never died, after about 12 years when I was a teacher at Mathula Secondary School in Tsholotsho I revived my writing skills.
I started writing poems which were later performed by school children at price giving ceremonies and this boosted my confidence.
I have written five Ndebele novels namely Ikhuba Lomunye Kalilandima, UGugu loZandile, Okulempondo Akufihlwa Emgodleni and Izilingo Zomhlaba. I am currently working on my fifth novel titled Imfihlo Yomndeni”, he said.
Ncube said he uses social media platforms to advertise his work and this has attracted media coverage that promoted his work.
His novel Ilifa Lezithutha Lidliwa Yizihlakaniphi was featured in a local radio station book reading program.
He highlighted that his greatest challenge was the consumption of Ndebele literary work in Zimbabwe, which is very low.
He lamented on the fact that people from the UK and South Africa purchase his books more than local people.
“My greatest challenge as an author in Zimbabwe, is finding it difficult to sell my books locally. I feel like people here don’t have a culture of supporting authors, local authors to be precise.
About 80 percent of my work has been sold in South Africa. I find the market far much better than here in Zimbabwe.
“Some of our fellow countrymen are in South Africa and the UK particularly people from Tsholotsho where I come from, I feel like authors are not given much-needed attention.
I also wish one of my books can be used as a set book in the education sector, that will make me feel honoured as an author who has been writing for almost a decade now,” he said.
Online Reporter