Simphiwe Mpho Zondani is an academic, multi-disciplinary writer and language practitioner born and based in Gqeberha. He has experience in the public and private higher education sectors and has worked as a lecturer and research assistant. He also worked in the digital marketing space as a strategist and creative copywriter. While working in the field, he contributed to a Feather Award-winning retail website, the first fully bilingual retail website to incorporate both English and isiXhosa chatbot copy.

His creative works have appeared in various publications – most notably, a creative non-fiction essay that was published in the Kalahari Review. Three of his poems (Hoc est Corpus, The Pacification of the South-Eastern Bantu, and Hymns in the Hereafter) have been longlisted for the Sol Plaatjie European Union Poetry Award and will appear in an upcoming annual anthology.

He holds a Master’s Degree in Media Studies from Nelson Mandela University. As one of the top students during his undergraduate studies, Simphiwe was invited to join the Golden Key Academic Honours Society. Upon joining, he was also appointed as part of the executive committee, where he served as professional development director. He has presented several research papers at local and international conferences. While completing his postgraduate studies, he was awarded a National Research Foundation scholarship under the aegis of the SARCHI Chair in Identities and Social Cohesion in Africa.

Simphiwe is passionate about storytelling and equal access to quality literature, resources, and education.