Dr Nkhelebeni Phaswana
Dr Nkhelebeni Edward Phaswana was born on 06 May 1960 at Shakadza (Limpopo). He is the sixth born to the late Mr Johannes Nethulwe Phaswana and the late Mrs Nyamuofhe Doris Phaswana.
He started his schooling at Shakadza Primary School, where he passed standard 5 in 1975. He matriculated in 1980 at Malilele Secondary School in the same village of Shakadza. In 1983 he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Venda. A year later he completed his University Education Diploma and soon thereafter a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree with the University of Venda.
In the year 1986 Dr Nkhelebeni Phaswana got married to Layani Jemina Singo and their marriage was blessed with a son and a daughter (Eddy Ndivhuho and Mbofholowo Lorraine Phaswana). Dr Phaswana was a member of the Charis Missionary Church. His wife and children are, to this day, members of the same church.
In 1994 he attained a Bachelor of Education Degree. He always had an intrinsic drive and passion to learn. It is this passion for learning that enabled him to attain the following three postgraduate degrees : a Master of Arts (University of Stellenbosch), a Master of Philosophy (University of Cape Town) and Master of Management (University of Witwatersrand).
From Master’s level he proceeded to doctoral studies where he acquired a PhD in English Studies from Michigan State University in the United States of America.
Dr Nkhelebeni Phaswana started off his career at Malilele Secondary School where he was employed as a teacher between 1985 and 1986. Between 1987 and 1990 he served as an assistant lecturer in the department of Tshivenda at the University of Venda. His hard work earned him an appointment to a junior lecturership at the same university. In 1993 he was permanently appointed to a lecturer position. Two years later he became a senior lecturer in the Linguistics Department of the University of Venda. From the year 2000 he was appointed head of the Linguistics Department at the same university, a position in which he served to the best of his ability until his last day on earth. He served on a number of committees at the University of Venda. These included the Senate, the School Board of Studies , the Executive Committee of the School of Human and Social Sciences as well as the Institutional Forum. Dr Phaswana played a pivotal role in getting junior academic staff to have a voice in the running of the affairs of their Schools as full members, a priviledge that originally the preserve of senior lecturers and professors. Aftercomers are of course not aware of these developments. Dr Nkhelebeni Edward Phaswana is renowned for supervising postgraduate students in various levels. He also served as an external moderator at other South African universities. As an academic, Dr Phaswana attended several national and international conferences where he presented papers. At the University of Venda and wherever he had an opportunity, he was renowned for espousing truth and justice, which are traits that he always vehemently propounded, without fear or favour.
Dr Nkhelebeni Edward Phaswana has been an author of note with the following titles under his name: Mavheevhee, Manea o vhibvaho, Matsina, Zwi a penga, Ho duba buse, Tshi do lilwa, Mutsho wa zwifhinga, Isha la mitodzi, Buluvhutsini la khabubu, Ipfi Sogani, Kha ri shele mulenzhe series grade 7 to 12, and Kha ri di tongise series grade 1 to 12.
From authorship Dr Nkhelebeni Edward Phaswana ventured into publishing in a bid to promote aspiring authors. It is in this environment that he established different publishing companies, namely Kalahari Publishers and Booksellers, Zambezi Books Enterprise and Far North Books. Of all these companies, Kalahari Productions & Booksellers has been able to make an indelible foot-print within the South African publishing sector. Apart from his academic propensity, Dr Phaswana displayed immense orientation towards business activities as well as leadership skills. From publishing Dr Phaswana diversified his business practices into other sectors such as mining, petroleum, farming, hospitality and construction.
Dr Phaswana was elected as Chairperson of the Makhado Colliery Consultative Forum (MCCCF) in June 2012. At the time, the role of the MCCCF was to engage with Coal of Africa on the role that communities would play in the development and implementation of the Makhado Project. The project has 7 beneficiary communities, and, as chairperson, Dr Phaswana’s role was at times, to engage, very robustly , with the leadership of Coal of Africa and government to drive socio-economic transformation.
Due to Doctor Phaswana’s role and that of the MCCCF, CoAL signed an MoU with the communities and the traditional leadership of our communities, which sought to drive meaningful and sustainable socio-economic transformation. This resulted in the signing of a shareholders agreement between the parties, enabling the communities to acquire a 20% stake in Baobab Mining, the owner of the Makhado Project.
The MoU and agreement states that communities will benefit, not only through ownership of the project, but also through employment and procurement.
In September 2017, CoAL launched the Makhado Centre of Learning, one of our joint projects, to ensure that all our communities are trained. The first intake took place at the beginning of October. This is to ensure that all of our communities are upskilled to access employment opportunities.
Dr Nkhelebeni Edward Phaswana was well known for his generosity emanating from his beautiful soul. He had a yearning to develop other people without expecting anything in return.. He contributed financially to many individuals and institutions as a way of empowering them. It was his beautiful soul that led most of us to exploit him as if he was captured. His beautiful spirit enabled him to rise above being captured.
During his lifetime Dr Nkhelebeni Edward Phaswana became a prominent member of the following institutions: Tshivenda National Language Body under the PAN South African language Board and Limpopo Provincial Language Committee. He became one of the founding members of the Tshivenda Writers Association where he was the Chairperson until his time of departure. He was also one of the founding members of the National Writers Guild of South Africa (NAWGSA), of which he became its first Chairman. He also served in the Exco of African Publishers Association since its inception. He was a prolific writer who won numerous awards in the following categories:
- MNET Book Prize (2001)
- Limpopo Department of Sports, Arts and Culture Literary Awards (2004)
During his academic career he received the following scholarship grants and awards:
- USAID Scholarship for PhD (1996-2001)
- HSRC Research Grant (1999)
- University of Venda Research Grant (1999)
- Education Policy Unit (Natal) Research Fellowship (1998)
- Michigan State University Graduate Grant (2000)
- PanSALB/NRF Research Grant (2001 -2002)
Dr Nkhelebeni Edward Phaswana has been a pioneer in the field of writing and African publishing.
Dr Phaswana was successful as an academic and as a business person. His generosity enabled him to assist others to succeed in life. He never forgot his roots. He assisted many in his home village and elsewhere, without always considering whether or not they were family. Dr Phaswana had a passion for justice. He always considered the impact of his actions on others. He also had a pronounced, if somewhat advanced understanding of politics. He got involved in politics and made a contribution before it became fashionable to do so. Unbeknown to many people, his contribution in the area of politics, and in fighting injustice wherever it existed, is too immense to be reduced to writing. And so is the depth of his contribution to humanity in general.
He is survived by his loving and supportive wife, Layani Jemina Phaswana, his children Mbofho and Eddy, his daughter in law Phophi, three grand children, Ondwela, Alilali and Makhadzi and his siblings, elder brother vho-Joseph and younger brother Avhapfani.