Nkosana Sibuyi

Nkosana Sibuyi’s birth took place in a rural area affectionately known as Agincourt, Bushbuckridge. He is the son of Khozaphi Sibuyi and Qabiya Sibuyi. Being the eighth child in the family of nine, he has had to learn a lot from his brothers, sisters and parents who lived beyond the bread line.

When he was admitted at Qetswayo Primary School into what was then called Sub A (now grade 1) in 1981, there were certain values which served as his guiding light. It was tenacity, perseverance and hard work that enabled him to complete his primary school from 1981-1987 successfully without fail.

Coincidentally, it was in 1986 when he was introduced to the politics of the struggle for liberation in South Africa. Historical and material conditions exposed him to the role of the Mass Democratic Structures like the United Democratic Front and the role of Cosatu (which was formed when he was doing standard two in 1985) in advancing the struggle for national emancipation of the black people in general and Africans in particular.

In 1990, when he was doing standard 7 (grade 9), former President Nelson Mandela was released after spending 27 years in prison. This is another year that shaped his orientation and consciousness to understand the South African political economic reality.

During this decisive moment, he participated in a number of activities and he was a member of the school debating society. Upon completion of his matric in 1993, Nkosana scouted for employment opportunities. He worked as a Voting Officer during the first democratic elections in April 1994. In July 1994, he was employed as an unqualified teacher at Ximoyi Khosa Secondary School where he was also responsible for the Adult Basic Education and Training.

In 1995, Sibuyi was admitted as a student to a four-year degree in Information Studies at the University of the North. He registered for Information Studies, Political Studies, International Politics, History and English. It was here where Sibuyi was introduced to the works of renowned African writers like Sembene Ousmane, Eskia Mphahlele, Chinua Achebe, Gabriel Okara, Ben Okri, poetry of Mongane Wally Serote, Mazisi Kunene Credo Mutwa and the works of the African Diaspora as well as the Carribean. During his academic sojourn at the University, he was introduced to the philosophical works of Karl Marx, Frederick Angels, Antonio Gramsci, Lenin and other marxist-leninst writers.

In 1997 to 1999, he worked as the Presenter of the Current Affairs Show at Radio Turf, a community radio based at then University of the North. In 1998, he was elected as the Chairperson of the Information and Publicity for the SACP, Turfloop Branch.

Nkosana Sibuyi is a MPhil in South African Politics and Political Economy graduate from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in South Africa. With his passion for analysis on current affairs, international political economy, African Literature, Afro American literature and that from the Diaspora, Sibuyi provides an organic analysis of the current state of the South Africa, Africa and the world from Afrocentric perspective.

Nkosana Sibuyi is married to Tendani Sibuyi. They were blessed with a son, Nkosinathi Sibuyi, in 2005.

Interests
• Reading
• Debating and Writing
• Theatre
• Soccer
Favorite Movies
• Black Diamond
• Amandla
• Son of Man
• Catch a Fire
• Yesterday
• Mapantsula
• Hotel Rwanda
Favorite Music
• South African jazz

Favorite Books

• Chinua Achebe : Things Fall Apart
• Cass R. Sunstein: Why Societies Need Dissent
• Edward W. Said: Representations of the Intellectual
• Zakes Mda: Ways of Dying
• Will Hutton: the World we’re in
• Steve Biko: I write what I like
• Njabulo Ndebele: Rediscovery of the ordinary
• Njabulo Ndebele : Fine Lines from the box
• Bloke modisane: Blame me on history
• Ken Saro Wiwa: Sozaboy
• Ken Wiwa: In the shadow of a saint
• Ben Okri: A way of being free
• Wole Soyinka: The burden of memory, the muse of forgiveness
• Wole Soyinka: Climate of Fear
. Ngugi Wa Thiongo: Moving the Centre: The Struggle for Cultural Freedoms
. Ngugi Wa Thiongo: Writers in Politics
. Ngugi Wa Thiongo: Decolonising the Mind
. Ben Okri: the famished road
. Ben Okri: Starbook
. Ben Okri: A way of being free
. Zakes Mda: Cion
. Zakes Mda:Ways of dying
. Zakes Mda: The madonna of Excelsior
. Zakes Mda:The Whale Caller
. Lewis Nkosi: Mandela's Ego
. Lewis Nkosi:Underground People
. Sol Plaatjie: Mhudi
. Sol Plaatjie: Native life in South Africa