Chronicle Editor
Bruce Ndlovu
IN 2022, when presented her dissertation topic to her supervisor, she had no idea that just two years later, it would form the bedrock of an entire chapter in a prestigious international academic book on popular culture.
Back then, the 25-year-old Nothando Hadebe was a dedicated fourth-year student at Midlands State University (MSU), diligently pursuing her degree in Media and Society Studies. Like countless other young academics nearing the end of their intellectual marathons, Hadebe spent countless nights meticulously crafting a dissertation topic that would impress her supervisor, Takunda Maodza.
Growing up in Bulawayo, Hadebe was particularly struck by Chronicle’s coverage of Cont Mhlanga’s death. Mhlanga’s work had left an undeniable imprint on her childhood and early years. Chronicle’s portrayal transformed Mhlanga into a legend, his life imbued with a deeper meaning after his passing.
The newspaper extensively celebrated his life’s achievements, ultimately granting him a hero’s farewell. In glowing detail, Chronicle chronicled Mhlanga’s remarkable contributions, both before his passing and after his final goodbye in Lupane, Matabeleland North.
This, Hadebe felt, was the kind of coverage that deserved dissection through a dissertation.
“The Chronicle, as a respected news outlet, offered a comprehensive and reliable account of Cont Mhlanga’s life and work. This motivated me to focus on The Chronicle’s reporting on which Mhlanga included a different or distinctive viewpoint that captured my interest and made me want to delve deeper into the topic,” she said in an interview.
According to Hadebe, Chronicle’s laser focus on Mhlanga’s life and career had caught her eye, even though at the time she was also swamped by her academic pursuits.
“The Chronicle has a reputation for being a reliable source of news in the country. I knew that if there were any details or insights into Cont Mhlanga’s life or death that were missed by other media outlets, The Chronicle would likely have captured them. I wanted to ensure that my investigation was as thorough and well-informed as possible and focusing on The Chronicle’s reporting seemed like the best way to do that,” she said.
So impressed was Hadebe’s supervisor with her work that he encouraged her to expand on it and make it a book chapter. The chapter, titled “Contextualising Chronicle’s Construction of Cont Mhlanga’s Heroism appears in the Political Economy of Contemporary African Popular Culture,” which was edited by Kaeleboga Aiseng, Israel Fadipe, and Phillip Mpofu.
Hadebe’s chapter in the book, which was published in April, was written alongside her supervisor Maodza, and one of the book’s editors, Mpofu. Hadebe said she was honoured to be part of the book, which interrogates popular culture in African countries like South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya among others.
“My supervisor happened to like the topic and he asked me to write a chapter on that. It was written in 2022 and in April this year, it was published. The Chronicle’s comprehensive coverage of Mhlanga’s passing provided valuable insight into his life and work offering a unique perspective on the legacy he left behind. Mhlanga’s enduring impact on Zimbabwean society and culture is likely to persist through the artistes he inspired and the social issues he addressed, ensuring that his memory lives on for generations to come,” she said.
Hadebe, who runs House of Fashion, a clothing line based in Bulawayo, said Mhlanga’s life had inspired her, as someone who dabbled in the arts, hence her enthusiasm at the prospect of writing about him.
“I am a young person and Cont Mhlanga had a great influence on people of my generation. I am also a person who is in the arts industry and that is a sector that Cont had a lasting influence in. He passed away but even today we are still speaking of his name so to me it was a chance to show other young people in the arts that if we can work as hard as Cont Mhlanga did, our names will also be one day immortalised in intellectual work that goes beyond the country’s borders. I noticed that the Chronicle reported the most on Cont, so I decided to delve deeper into how the paper reported on his passing and his eventual burial,” she said.
Hadebe, who spent part of her early life in South Africa before coming back home and attending Nketa High School, said when she was younger, she did not think she could reach the academic heights she has now reached.
“I think the one lesson that I took from the life and work of Cont Mhlanga is that we should use our talent to become people who will be remembered long after they have left the earth. In a way, this book chapter for me is a testament to the fact that, like Cont, I am doing something right because even if I die, at least my name will live on in that written piece of work.
“I also never thought that I would ever make it this far but in every institution that I went to, I always made sure that I left a footprint. When I was younger, I didn’t get a chance to go to posh schools so, sometimes I thought what I would achieve in life would be limited.
“I feel privileged to have achieved what I have and I think it is also a lesson to other young people who are growing up in similar circumstances. You can achieve a lot even if you are not educated at the so-called A-schools,” she said.
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