Prince Leema first came into contact with FunDza via Mxit when he was still at school. He says that he wanted to write for us, but was focusing on his school work. He is a determined young man with a philosophy of being himself and finding out what works for him. Nothing demonstrates this better than the fact that he started writing even before reading a book.
This is made more impressive by the fact that he writes in English whilst his home language is isiZulu. In fact, it is even more complicated than this:
“I don’t really speak isiZulu. I live in Katlehong township in Gauteng and here we speak Tsotsi Taal. So we would call sunflower oil, fish oil, which I later learnt was something else completely.”
During our chat we actually had a misunderstanding because he was telling me he wants to book his lessons for the traffic. It took a few questions and some laughter on both ends of the line for me to understand that he would like to go for his driver’s licence. He says that on the streets of Katlehong you’ll not hear that term. Licence only.
“Ja, I am fluent in my home tongue and have to translate in my head as I go.”
His writing style is one where the story is lived in his head before he starts penning it. At the moment he is not writing a story but says that by next week he’ll have figured out a whole story and it will flow onto paper very quickly. He loves writing sci-fi, though he also writes in other genres too, such as horror, human drama. So, why sci-fi, I ask?
“I like sci-fi because it allows me to be imaginative and to be more creative. It expands my world. I like new things.”
In his story Evolution animals are given voices. Literally. It is evident that the creations in his head are allowed to be anything they want to be. I also understand why he doesn’t like reading books, preferring news stories and newspapers instead – it is all about the pace. He likes it fast.
Read Prince’s selection of stories on FunDza
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Four Quick Questions to the Author:
Why do you like writing?
“I don’t know if I like it as such. It is more something that I can’t avoid doing. It is something that is born inside of me.”
Do you feed your writer’s hunger by hanging out with other writers?
“Where I come from parents often pushed us to become professionals. Not really writers or film makers. So as a result there are not many people in my community to connect with.”
What is it like receiving comments from readers?
“The most important comments are my own. I read the readers comments for fun. I don’t take it personally.”
What’s your message for young people?
“Don’t be afraid to be different. Be yourself, so that the outcome for you can be different.”