J.S.M. Matsebula

James Shadrack Mkhulunyelwa Matsebula (1918 - 1993) was a Swazi linguist, writer and historian best known for the A History of Swaziland editions. He worked as King Sobhuza II's private secretary.

Matsebula served for many years as a close adviser, private secretary and chief counsellor to King Sobhuza II.

He was a great-grandson of Gcina Matsebula, the first headman of Embhuleni royal village.

In 1989, Matsebula donated a substantial collection of work to the library of the University of Eswatini, termed the J.S.M. Matsebula Collection, which includes Matsebula’s papers and manuscripts as well as official correspondence from the mid-19th century.

Works

Matsebula, J.S.M. (1952). Izakhiwo ZamaSwazi. Afrikaanse Pers-Boekhandel Matsebula, J.S.M. (1972). A History of Swaziland. 1st edition. Longman Penguin Southern Africa: Cape Town. Matsebula, J.S.M. (1976). A History of Swaziland. 2rd edition. Longman Penguin Southern Africa: Cape Town. Matsebula, J.S.M. (1988). A History of Swaziland. 3rd edition. Longman Penguin Southern Africa: Cape Town. J.S.M. Matsebula Collection (1989)