Xolisa Guzula

Dr Xolisa Guzula is a lecturer in Applied Language and Literacy Studies with a focus on multilingual and multiliteracies education at the University of Cape Town. She specialises in multilingual education, especially in teaching children to read and write in two or more languages. She is one of the founders of a network of reading clubs growing across the country starting from the Vulindlela Reading Clubs to Nal’ibali Reading Clubs. She has written seven children’s books including the recent series of Imbokodo: Women who shape us, and has translated many children’s books from English to isiXhosa. She is a member of Bua-lit Language and Literacy Collective (www.bua-lit.org.za), working on social justice in language and literacy education. She has won Exclusive Books/IBBY award for her stellar translation of Maryanne and Shayle Bester’s book, ‘The Elders at the door’ to ‘Iinkonde eMnyango’. She has recently been nominated for Pansalb awards under the language and literature category. Her translation of Wendy Hardie’s book, ‘The Singing Stone’, ‘Ilitye eliculayo made it to the International Board on Books for Young Children’s Honour list of 100 recommended books internationally in 2020. Her first book, Father Snail/ uTat’u Nyekevu has recently been recommended for the United Nations’s Sustainable Development Goals Book Club (UN SDG Book Club) – African Chapter, as one of the books dealing with issues of gender justice. She has translated Stephen and Lucy Hawking’s book, Georges Secret Key to the Universe, a combined science fiction and non-fiction into isiXhosa, teaching children about stars and the solar system. She has also recently translated the famous Swedish children’s literature laureate, Astrid Lindgren’s book, ‘Brothers Lion Heart’ into isiXhosa, under the title, ‘Abantakwe bakwaKhalipha-Ngonyama’.