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D.B.Z. Ntuli

Author, translator and academic

By South African Index Editorial Desk · Published

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D.B.Z. Ntuli is a South African author, translator and academic known for a large body of isiZulu writing and for translating works including Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom. He received the Order of Ikhamanga in Gold in 2026. [1][2]

Biography

Ntuli was born in Eshowe in Zululand and completed his first degree at the University College of Zululand. He joined the University of South Africa in 1967 as a lecturer in African languages and later became Unisa’s first Black associate professor and then its first Black full professor. [1]

During a 32-year career at Unisa, Ntuli completed master’s and doctoral research on the poetry of B.W. Vilakazi and later headed the Sub-department of Zulu. Unisa records that he retired in 1999 and was subsequently appointed emeritus professor. [1]

Ntuli has written more than 60 works across novels, short stories, poetry, essays and history. He is also known as a translator, including for the isiZulu versions of Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom and Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet. [1]

In 2026 The Presidency awarded Ntuli the Order of Ikhamanga in Gold, specifically citing his contribution to language preservation and translation into isiZulu. [2]

Key contributions

Produced a substantial body of original literature in isiZulu across multiple genres and contributed to scholarship on isiZulu literature. [1]

Expanded access to major works through translation into isiZulu, including Long Walk to Freedom and The Prophet. [1][2]

Career timeline

  1. Joined Unisa as a lecturer in the Department of African Languages. [1]

  2. Received a D.Litt. from Unisa. [1]

  3. Retired after 32 years at Unisa and was later named emeritus professor. [1]

  4. Received the Order of Ikhamanga in Gold. [2]

Sources

  1. University of South Africa, D.B.Z. Ntuli. Original source. Accessed 2026-09-24. ↩
  2. The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa, The Presidency announces recipients of National Orders, 2026-05-14. Original source. Accessed 2026-09-24. ↩