Mukondleteri Dumela

Nominee's Province:
Limpopo

Age:
31

Project Name/Description:
Xitsonga.org

More info:
https://www.facebook.com/Xitsonga.org

A few years ago, while still a student at the University of Pretoria, Mukondleteri Dumela, 31, struggled to find translations for Xitsonga names on Google for a small research project he was working on. Rather than despair, he became motivated to build digital tools that could elevate his home language as well as other African languages. In 2012, Dumela founded the Xitsonga.org website, together with Hlulani Baloyi (product manager), Hlawuleka Maswanganyi (lead developer), Ntshuxeko Ndhlovu (editor in chief), Akani Maluleke (social media manager) and Irvin Maceke (intern developer). In 2015, they created a Xitsonga Dictionary app that translates thousands of words translated from Xitsonga to English. The pioneering app won the 2020 Fundi Best Educational award. “We target South Africans who want to learn the Xitsonga language,” says Dumela, a software developer who grew up in Nyavani village, outside Malamulele in Limpopo. “I was inspired to start digitising Xitsonga due to its lack representation in both digital and media platforms. Google only added Xitsonga to Google translate on May 202.” “South Africa is a young democracy and we the youth have a unique responsibility to modernise and industrialise our country,” he says.