Sibongile Ndiweni and Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter
THE true greatness of an author can perhaps be measured by the number of writers they inspired to pick up the pen after having come across their work.
If the lofty condolence messages that filtered through the Zimbabwe’s literary scene this week are anything to go by, then Naison Tfwala was undoubtedly a great writer.
Tfwala (75) passed away on 27 May in Bulawayo. Born on 20 June 1948, Tfwala was a prolific writer who penned several books, contributed to the development of the current school curriculum and edited works by many different writers. His literay works include poems in the anthologies Umdumo wezinkondlo and Ezivusa usinga. His book, akuqaqa lazizwa ukunuka was an Advanced Level Ndebele set book until 2015, while Umfukula wenhlathu continues as a teachers’ college study set book.
His other notable works include Perspectives published by Kwadukathole online with Amazon.com in America, On the Brink of Society, Yikudla lokhu, The Sangweni Journey, Around the Fire: folktales from Zimbabwe and Fractured Tapestry of a Mosaic, which he entered into National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) 2022 in the outstanding first creative published work category.
Tfwala also contributed to the Writing without Boundaries anthology and co-edited an Amazilo book. He was also active in efforts to develop the literary sector in Zimbabwe as a member of the Zimbabwe Writers’ Union (ZIWU) and the Zimbabwean Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association (ZANA) where he was elected as the chairperson of the Bulawayo chapter for two terms in 2019 up to 2022.
In 2022 he was part of a discussion panel that held a conversation on culture in present Bulawayo.
He was one of the selectors/editors of the competition stories for the Intwasa Arts Festival and was also involved with the Curriculum Development Unit book selection team. Tfwala was also a recognisable Television actor who featured in several local dramas produced by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC TV) and Intwasa.
Speaking to Sunday Life, a playwright and critic Raisedon Baya said Tfwala played a big role in shaping literature not just in the region but across the country. He described him as a man who was acutely aware of the importance of his work.
ZBC
“He has a number of set books that were in the curriculum so we are hoping that a lot of young people will be able to access those and use them as their inspiration because all writers need to read what other writers have written, as inspiration comes from seeing what other people would have done”, said Baya.
In a statement, the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe said the country had lost a literary icon who had been instrumental in the overall development of the sector.
“The National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) has learnt with deepest sorrow of the death of veteran writer and actor Mr Naison Tfwala (75) on the 27th of May 2023 in Bulawayo.
President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa
“The literary icon’s death, sadly, almost went unnoticed as it happened at a time the nation was in the middle of the Culture Month commemorations and was overshadowed by the National launch of Culture Month by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in Binga on the same day.
“…The nation has lost a dedicated writer who was an inspiration to many upcoming and established writers with his array of published works. Tfwala also contributed to the development of the sector by assisting many writers through editing their works and as a key speaker at workshops and seminars on writing and book development,” the statement read.