Mazisi Raymond Fakazi Mngoni Kunene was born in Durban, South Africa, on May 12, 1930.

He spent his childhood in Amahlongwa on the Kwa-Zulu Natal South Coast, where he had his early education. His father hailed from the Royal Swazi clan and his mother was a gospel singer.

His talent was recognised at aged 11, when his first collections of poetry began to appear in newspapers and magazines.

In 1956 he won the Bantu Literary Competition Award and earned a Masters degree in the Arts from the University of Natal in 1959 for a paper entitled “An Analytical Survey of Zulu Poetry, Both Traditional and Modern".

Kunene attended Kwa­Hluzingcondo High and after matriculating in Marianhill, he obtained a teaching certificate at Maphumulo Teachers' Training College.

“Mazisi Kunene was an African intellectual and writer, held in the highest esteem..”

“Kunene‘s three sons are pictured below”

Ra,Zosukuma & Rre (from left to right)