KWAZULU NATAL, JANUARY 14, 2015 (CISA) – South Africa’s Fr Sibusio Mhlango of St. Patrick Catholic Church ( Kwazulu Natal ) has said the new Zulu Bible translation will help “enrich Christianity in the Zulu community.”
Fr Mhlango said: “The 1953 version contains considerable isiXhosa references which many Zulu speakers struggle to understand.”
The Jacob Zuma Foundation announced on January 6 that it would partner with the Catholic Diocese of Mariannhill, in KwaZulu Natal, to improve the existing translation of the Bible into the isiZulu language.
The Bible Society’s Head of Communications, Mims Turley, said the society did not have a problem with the Catholic Church undertaking the translation: “The more translations, the better the Word of God will spread.”
Last week, President Jacob Zuma, on behalf of his foundation handed over a donation of R500 000 ($40, 000) to Bishop Pius Dlungwane at the St Joseph’s Cathedral in Mariannhill, KwaZulu Natal. The funds will go towards the new translation.
The Bible Society has been working on their own isiZulu translation of the Bible since 2008 and it is expected to be complete by 2019 therefore the new version will be expected to be ready by 2024 and it will be closer to the original manuscript.
