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Andile Tshuma, Chronicle Correspondent
Renowned educationist, poet, playwright, historian and biographer Mr Pathisa Nyathi has penned more than 50 books, hundreds of articles documenting historical events, eminent personalities and culture but is yet to write his own biography.

Mr Nyathi says he feels his ancestors may take him any time, and in that event, he would be happy to leave his legacy through his works that have immortalised him.

He said he is also happy that his children have followed in his footsteps.

Mr Nyathi has managed to put together nine books during the Covid-19 lockdown, which he said gave him a lot of time, but for him, it is not enough as he still has a lot to share.

With 50 books under his belt, and having consistently penned a column in the Chronicle and later in The Sunday News, for the past 27 years, he is literally a walking encyclopedia and a fountain of knowledge.

Mr Nyathi says he still has a lot to offer to the intellectual landscape in the country and hopes his ancestors will give him a bit of time to do what he loves, writing, researching and documenting.

This man who has written so much about others, has documented history and is an authority in the documentation of Ndebele culture and heritage among other points of expertise, has not documented his own story. He is infact yet to write his own biography.

Mr Nyathi says he remembers very few things about his own life describing the shortcoming as selective memory.

“I have written so much about others and I continue to research on a number of topics, but puzzling as it may be, I do not have much memory about myself. There is some selective forgetting. I remember some things, but I forget some about my own life. I have been too busy documenting our history, our heritage. I have not had time to do my own biography,” he said.

Despite losing his wife Elizabeth, who succumbed to lung cancer in 2016, Mr Nyathi has not lost his grip on the pen and continues writing.

He says he is now racing against time as the ancestors may call him any time.

“Every day I work as if tomorrow I will be gone. I do not want to and I cannot afford to waste time. There is a lot of work to be done and there is so little time left. There is still a lot more to be done. I am happy with about 50 books under my belt and having committed to writing a column and sharing knowledge for the past 27 years since the year 1993. I know that I have made my contribution to my community, but there is always a lot more work that can be done,” said Mr Nyathi.

He however, says should the time come to meet his ancestors, he is content as he has left a legacy and is happy that his children, Sikhanyisiwe, Butholezwe and Fikile seem to take after him, meaning that his legacy is in safe hands.

“Time is no longer on my side but I must consider myself a lucky man. I have three interests, which are arts, writing/ publishing and livestock, and I have three children and they naturally somehow fall into those three categories. The eldest Sikhanyisiwe Sibanda is into breeding and livestock farming is her area.

Butholezwe Nyathi my second child, is into the arts and heritage sector and has been with Amagugu (International Heritage Centre) before the National Art gallery stole him (laughs), my youngest child uFikile Nyathi is into publishing. So, I am lucky because each of my children has taken interest in the things most dear to me. So should the ancestors walk closer to me and take me with them, all is well in my household.

My legacy is safe. I just have a few things I want to accomplish myself,” said Mr Nyathi.

“During the lockdown, I have had so much time in my hands. It has actually been a blessing in disguise. I have managed to put together and write nine books. Three are already out while the other six are in different stages of production but will be all out by the end of September. Some of them are biographies and those that are done are a biography on Rebecca Mabhena nee Dlodlo, the widow of prominent nationalist and national hero Welshman Mabhena.”

“The other one is on Stanford Sithole aka Dumisani Tembo/ Dakamela, a moving account of a Zipra guerilla. The other one is on the life of Dauti Salatiel Mabusa, a captivating story of a prominent businessman and farmer who was detained and imprisoned multiple times during the liberation struggle,” said Mr Nyathi.

An owl, Mr Nyathi types away in the tranquil of the night but gets his inspiration in the early hours of the morning when he meditates and reflects on a number of subjects.

Asked about how he manages his time writing and tending to his cattle in Kezi at his plot and at his original homestead in Sankonjana, South of Maphisa, Mr Nyathi says there is never competition as he writes during the night and tends to his livestock during the day.

He is working on a book on the Matobo cultural landscape, and a long-awaited book on the fate of King Lobhengula, which touches on the Tonga where the last Ndebele King is believed to have vanished.

“There are so many untold stories that need to be told, and heard, especially from the Zipra side. So, in my Independence story series, I will continue to write until year end. In my writing, I have chosen to specialise in documentation. I could have been a jack of all trades but then I would be a master of none. I then chose an area and in writing, my areas of interest are Liberation, Heritage, African Thought and Ndebele History. This is what gives me the drive to continue working,” he said.

At the end of the interview Mr Nyathi breaks the news that he is considering slowing down on writing.

He however, said before calling it quits, he wants to complete what he describes as a crazy project about the Stonehenge, a famous monument in the United Kingdom.

“Lately, I have been reflecting on my works, I am on the eve of my 70th birthday, and I want to slow down on writing. However, I want to work on one quite crazy project on the Stonehenge in the United Kingdom, which is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England. That is what I’m focusing my eyes on now,” — @andile_tshuma.