J.J. Ncongwane

Jabulane Johan Ncongwane, better known by his pen name J. J. Ncongwane (born 30 September 1961), is a South African novelist, short-story author, poet and educator who writes in Siswati. He was born at KaMagwamazi farm in Chief Albert Luthuli's Carolina area.

Ncongwane is regarded as one of the central figures in South Africa's Siswati literature. He is currently employed in the Parliament of South Africa as a Language Practitioner. He has written many Siswati books, including educational manuals, novels, short-stories, poems, and drama-plays and has co-authored several others since 1985. His work is taught at South Africa's high and tertiary schools.

Early life

Jabulane Johan Ncongwane was raised at KaMagwamazi farm in Eastern Transvaal province (now Mpumalanga) in what was then Carolina District (now called Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality). His father, Enoch Ncongwane, was a bus-driver, and his mother, Sarah Zwane, worked as a domestic worker for the owner of the farm where they stayed. Enoch couldn't read and write but encouraged his children to read and brought home Afrikaans, English, and Zulu storybooks for them. JJ Ncongwane loved Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens, CT Msimang, DBZ Ntuli, Maqhawe Mkhize, JJ Gwayi, and WP Steenkamp.

Education and career Ncongwane received a Teacher's Diploma from Mgwenya College and taught Siswati, Biology, and General Science at Nhlazatshe's Hlabangamehlo High School and Chief Jerry Nkosi High School between 1986 and 2007. He holds a Secondary Teacher's Diploma from Mgwenya College of Education (1985), a Degree in Arts from the University of South Africa (1996), and a Honours Degree in Arts from the University of Pretoria (1997).

He also worked at the Tshwane University of Technology as the first Editor-in-Chief for the university's Siswati Lexicography Unit that compiles Siswati dictionaries.

He has worked as a Siswati translator in South Africa's Parliament since May 2010.

His first published work was a collection of Siswati poems he co-wrote with his younger brother S.J. Ncongwane, titled Kuyophela Situnge (Beyond Boredom) in 1986.

He has translated many books into Siswati, including Lebogang Masango's children's books What Does Mpumi Eat? to Udlani Mpumi, What Does Mpumi Wear? to Ugcokeni Mpumi, and Gcina Mhlophe's Nozincwadi – Mother of Books.

Works Ncongwane, JJ; Ncongwane, SJ (1986): Kuyophela Situnge, South Africa: Shuter & Shooter (Pty) Ltd. Ncongwane, JJ; Sithebe, Z (1987): Emahemuhemu South Africa: Shuter & Shooter (Pty) Ltd. Ncongwane, JJ (1989): Tikhatsi Letimatima. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik. Ncongwane, JJ (1990): Mncwi! Ngitake Ngibone. South Africa: Educum Publishers. Ncongwane, JJ; Mokoena, ZD; Mbuyane, MS (1990): Emagalelo . South Africa: Shuter & Shooter (Pty) Ltd. Ncongwane, JJ (1991): Emantjontjo. South Africa: Reach Out Publishers. Ncongwane, JJ (1991): Imihlanga Yeluhlanga. South Africa: Juta & Co. Ncongwane, JJ; Ncongwane, MJ; Ncongwane, SJ (1991): Imphilo Yimfumbe . South Africa: Educum Publishers. Ncongwane, JJ (1992): Linyeva Ngelinyeva South Africa: BARD Publishers. Ncongwane, JJ (1992): Ematekelo Ayitolo. South Africa. Shuter & Shooter Publishers. Ncongwane, JJ (1993): Lapha Nalapho. South Africa: Palm Publishers. Shongwe, JP et al (1996): Siswati Sasegcumeni 9. Shongwe, JP et al (1996): Siswati Sasegcumeni 10. Ncongwane, JJ. (1996): Tikhatsi Tiyagucuka. Oxford. Ncongwane, SJ (1996): Sigiya Ngenkondlo. South Africa: Shuter & Shooter (Pty) Ltd. Ncongwane, JJ; Ncongwane, SJ. Nyoni. South Africa: Educum Publishers. Ncongwane, JJ (1999): Letingayubuna (2003). South Africa: Acacia Books in 2003 Ncongwane, JJ (1999): Loyishayile Sewuyosile. South Africa: Heinemann. Ncongwane, SJ (2005): Umshiyangculu. South Africa: Cambridge University Press. Ncongwane, JJ (2006): Ematfunti Etikhatsi. South Africa: Lutz Publishers. Translated work, Tindzaba Letikhulumako (2007). . Ncongwane, JJ (2010): Tinyembeti Tendvodza. South Africa: New Voices Publishing. Ncongwane, JJ. Lily waseLilydale. South Africa: Cambridge University Press. Msibi, T; Magagula, HDT (2014) Sabalala Misebe. South Africa: Imisebe Publishers. Ncongwane, JJ (2020): Kuyawusala Tibongo. South Africa: Blessed Seed Publishers (Pty) Ltd. Ncongwane, JJ Telutsandvo Atipheli (School Edition). Shutter and Shooters Publishers. Ncongwane, JJ; (2017): Ngenca Yakho. South Africa: Shutter and Shooter. Dlamini, LZ; Msibi, T; Vilakati, NJ; (2016):Lukhalo Lwamanyovu: Naletinye TindzatjanaTeSiswati.ESwatini: Macmillan Education. Ncongwane, JJ (2019): Kutawusho Sikhatsi. Elukwatini: Blessed Seed Publishers. Translated work Mpumi Udlani (2022): South Africa: New Africa Books. Translated work Mpumi Ugcokani (2022): South Africa: New Africa Books. Translated work Ngingumoya (2022): South Africa: New Africa Books. Translated work Ngingumlilo (2022): South Africa: New Africa Books. Translated work Nozincwadi (2022): South Africa: New Africa Books. Ncongwane, JJ (2020) Live Litawutsini 2nd edition. Elukwatini: Blessed Seed Publishers. Ncongwane, JJ (2022): Kuyawush' Imifula. Elukwatini: Blessed Seed Publishers. Ncongwane, JJ; (2014): Ngingamane Ngicabuze Inja. JBC Luphoko, et al: Emanoni. Bhila, SS; Ngobe, AP (2022): Emakhono Elusha. Ncongwane, JJ (2023): Lifa Letilima. Elukwatini: Blessed Seed Publishers. Malangwane, BB; Ncongwane, JJ (2022): Letingeke Tiphuphe. Elukwatini: Blessed Seed Publisher.

Awards His first award was a R10 he received from Mgwenya College in 1985 for writing the short story Lunjalo-ke Lutsandvo (That is Love). This story appeared in the Mgwenya College magazine in that year and was then published in the collection of short stories called Tikhatsi Letimatima (Tough Times) in 1989.

Other awards include:

Educum Drama Competition Award 1989 for the drama book Mncwi! Ngitake Ngibone (That Won't Happen!) Skotaville Publishers Bertrams VO Award for African Literature in 1990 for the novel Tikhatsi Tiyagucuka (Times Change) Maskew Miller Longman African Heritage Awards in 1993 for his collection of Siswati One-Act plays titled Intsatsakusa (Wee Hours) M-Net Book Prize in Nguni Languages in 2000 for his novel Loyishayile Sewuyosile (The One That Brings It Down Eats It) Nadine Gordimer Short Story Award in African Languages (SA) in 2009 for his volume of short stories book called Tikhatsi Letimatima (Tough Times) Mpumalanga Department of Culture, Sports & Recreations in 2023 for the category Siswati literature development The Book Behind Award (best novel) in 2023 for the work Live Litawutsini (What Will People Say) PanSALB Multilingualism Award for Siswati Literature in 2024 Siswati Academic Book of the Year Award by Mbokodo Publishers for Ematekelo Ayitolo (Tales From Yesterday) in 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award by Mbokodo Publishers in 2024 Best Novel Award by the South African Literature Award for Lifa Letilima in 2024