Story by Thubelihle Mhodi
SOUTH AFRICAN-based Zimbabwean artist and poet Zenzele Nkomo, widely known in artistic circles as MMM, has defied the odds by establishing himself not only as a celebrated poet but also as a publisher through his imprint, Mhlaba Mkhulu Publishers.
“I started writing in 1996, it was a big journey, I wrote poems. In 2014 I joined” abalobi bakithi” comprising forty Ndebele writers, the book that was a huge success. I later on established my own publishing house “Mhlaba Mkhulu Publishers”, meaning it caters for everyone of diverse languages and cultures. My books are for all age groups. One of my books “Ibhodo lezinkondlo” was in last year’s school’s curriculum,” he said.
Nkomo has written a number of works, with one becoming a set book for the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council.
Through his writings, Nkomo hopes to preserve the local Ndebele language.
With a publishing house in South Africa, Nkomo has published over 50 books, including “Mhlaba Mkhulu,” which aims to preserve Ndebele culture.
