Chaka by Thomas Mofolo Centenary Edition (Sesotho)

2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the publication of Thomas Mofolo’s Chaka, a novelized retelling of the king's life. The novel has been widely available in English, Afrikaans and other European languages, but not in Sesotho, the language it was originally written in. This centenary edition of the original novel in Sesotho captures South African storytelling largely hidden for more than a century.

Thomas Mofolo was born in Ha Khojane, a village in the Mafeteng District of the British colony of Basutoland. Along with his home language of Sesotho, Mofolo also spoke isiXhosa, English and Dutch. He worked for Morija Sesuto Book Depot, and was a founding member of the Lekhotla la Tsoelo-pele (Basutoland Progressives Association). The publication of Chaka was delayed for 15 years by missionaries at the Sesuto Book Depot who were disturbed by Mofolo’s failure to condemn pagan tribal customs.

Hoketekwa makgolo (100) a dilemo ho phatlaladitswe pale ya Monghadi Thomas Mofolo’s Chaka.

Pale ya nnete ya Sesotho hotloha 1925. 

Mofolo o phatlalatsa ka tsa bophelo ba Chaka hotloha bonyaneng ba hae bo tletseng moferefere hoya ho phahamisong ya hae e le moetapele. Pale ena e ne e phatlaladitswe ho bontsha lenyatso le lehloyo, empa hona jwale e itshupile jwalo ka tseding tsa dibuka tsa bohlokwa tse ileng tsa ngolwa Afrika. Phatlalatso ena ya mokete etsa bongodi ba nnete ba pale ena bo fumanehe kgetlo la pele ka puo ya Sesotho ka mora nako e telele.