Benedict Wallet Vilakazi

UDokotela **Benedict Wallet Vilakazi** (6 ngoMasingana 1906  –  26 ngoMfumfu  1947 ) wabe engumbhali ovelele wenzincwadi, izinkondlo, izichazimazwi kanye namanoveli olimi lwesiZulu. Ngonyaka we-1946 waba nguwokuqala webala elinzundu eNingizimu Afrika ukwethweswa iziqu zobuDokotela (Ph.D.). Kepha nakuba iningi limazi ngemisebenzi yakhe elotshiweyo, bambalwa abazi ngempilo yalo leli qhawe. 

## Umlando Ngempilo kaDokotela Benedict Wallet Vilakazi

Mhla ziyi-6 uMasingangana 1906 uMshini wakwaVilakazi nowakwakhe uLeah uMaHlongwange bathola indododana eyabe ungumntwana wabo wesithupha kwabayisikhombisa. Bayetha ngelikaBhambatha ngenxa yesigigaba sempi kaBhambatha kaZondi eyaliwa ngawo lonyaka. UBhambatha kaMshini wazalelwa endaweni yase Groutville Mission Station eduzane naKwaDukuza, kwelaseNatali.

## Umlando ngemfundo kaDokotela Benedict Wallet Vilakazi

UVilakazi waqala isikole ngonyaka we-1912 khona endaweni yaseGroutville, wafunda lapha waze waqeda ibanga lesi-4. Kwathi lapho eseneminyaka eyi-10 waphikelela eSt Francis College, okuyisikole sameRoma Akhatholika esisendaweni yaseMariannhill, lapha waqhubeka nezifundo zakhe waze waqeda ibanga lesi-6. Kuso lesi sikole samaKhatholika wangena enkonzweni yamaKhatholika, maqede wabhabhathiswa ngengama likaBenedict nelika Wallet, umama wakhe wagcizelela ukuba isibongo sakhe "Vilakazi" singashintshwa. Emva kokuphothula ibanga lesi-6 wafundela izifundo zobuthithishela kulo lele Kolishi lase Mariannhill, waziphothula ngonyaka we-1923.

Emva kokuphothula izifundo zakhe eSt Francis College waqala ukufundisa khona eMariannhill nase Xobho, eMngungundlovu nasOhlange. UJ.C. noMathikuletsheni wakuphasa esefunda ngasese futhi eqhubeka efundisa. Ngonyaka we-1934 okaVilakazi wazuza iziqu ze-B.A. eNyuvesi yaseNingizimu Afrika, lapho aphumelea ngamalengiso kuso IsiZulu. Ngonyaka we-1936 eNyuvesi yaseWitswatersrand  

## Imisebenzi

OkaMphephethwa uthi uzuza zonke iziqu zakhe wabe ebhala namabhuku. Ngonyaka we-1933 wakhipha inoveli yakhe yokuqala enesihloko esithi *Noma Nini* eyalanywa ngethi*UDingiswayo kaJobe*, ngonyaka we-1935 yalandelwa yiqoqo lezinkondlo elinesihloko *Inkondlo kaZulu* elaba yingqalabutho ezincwadini zezinkondlo zesiZulu. Ngonyaka we 1943 waphinde wakhipha inye incwadi eyabe ineshloko esithi *Nje Ngempela*. Ngonyaka we-1948 waphinde wakhipha enye inzwadi yezinkondlo elabe linesihloko esithi *Amal' Ezulu*, phakathi kwezinkondlo ezikulencwadi uVilakazi ubalisa ngekahlhulu ngokufa kukayise, umfowabo kanye nomkakhe wokuqala belandelana. 

*1935 -*Noma nini* (incwadi), Yacindezelwa Emshinini Wasemhlathuzane (Mariannhill, Natal).
*1939 -*UDingiswayo kaJobe* (incwadi), Sheldon Press (London).
*1935 -*Inkondlo kaZulu* (izinkondlo), Witwatersrand University Press (Johannesburg).
*1943 -*Nje nempela* (incwadi), Mariannhill Mission Press (Mariannhill, Natal).
*1945 -*Amal'eZulu* (izinkondlo), Witwatersrand University Press.
*1947 -*Zulu-English Dictionary* (esebenzisana no Solwazi C. M. Doke), Witwatersrand University Press.

## Ukudlula emhlabeni

Ngonyaka we-1947 emva kokuphothula izifundo zakhe zobuDokotela uVilakazi wahlatshwa wukugula okwamxina isikhashana okwathi mhla ziyi-26 uMfufmfu 1947 wadlula emhlabeni eneminyaka engama-41 ubudala eCoronation Hospital. OkaPhakthwayo wafilhlwa emathuneni aseMariannhill,  washiya emhlabeni abantwana abayi-5.

## Ukuhlonishwa

• Umgwaqo osendwaweni yaseSoweto owaziwa ngo**Vilakazi Street** waqanjwa ngaye okaMphephethwa ngoba kuhlonishwa igalelelo analo kuyo umisebenzi yesiZulu kanye nesiXhosa. Kuwo lomgwaqo kulapho izingqalabutho zomzabalabalaozo uNelson Mandela kanye noDesmond Tutu zombili ezake zahlala khona ngaphambilini.

• Isikole samabanga aphezulu eZola 3, eSoweto, i-Dr B.W. Vilakazi S.S siqanjwe ngaye.