Sipho Mangindi Burns-Ncamashe ''Aa! Zilimbola!'' (1920–1996) was a South African poet, short story writer and Xhosa ''imbongi'' (praise poet). He was also the chief of the AmaGwali Xhosa sub-group in Alice. He was also the leader of the Ciskei National Unionist Party from 1972–1978, the only member from his party to get a seat in the Republic of Ciskei National Assembly, until 1978 when he joined the Ciskei opposition party, the Ciskei National Party led by Chief Justice Mabandla. In 1979, Ciskei officially became a

one-party state A one-party state, single-party state, one-party system, or single-party system is a type of sovereign state in which only one political party has the right to form the government, usually based on the existing constitution. All other parties ...

under the rule of

Lennox Sebe Lennox Leslie Wongama Sebe (26 July 1926 – 23 July 1994) was chief minister of the Xhosa bantustan of Ciskei after its self-rule in 1972, and the nominally independent country's first president from 1983. Early life Born in Belstone, near K ...

and Burns-Ncamashe remained as one of the members of the Ciskei National Assembly. Sipho Burns-Ncamashe was the praise singer for

Rharhabe The Rharhabe House is the second senior house (Right Hand House) of the Xhosa Kingdom. The Rharhabe house was founded by Xhosa warrior Rharhabe, who was the older brother of Gcaleka ka Phalo. History of the Rharhabe The Xhosa royal blood line st ...

Paramaount Chief, Velile Sandile, grandfather to the Rharhabe Xhosa king

King Maxhob'ayakhawuleza Sandile King (iKumkani) Maxhob'ayakhawuleza Sandile (21 May 1956 – 11 July 2011) was the son of the late King Mxolisi Sandile ''Aa! Bazindlovu'', who was the son of King Archie Velile Sandile, and Queen Nolizwe , the daughter of Amampondo King Victor ...

''Aa! Zanesizwe!''. Burns-Ncamashe's son Chief Sisanda Sipuxolo Burns-Ncamashe succeeded him after his death. His youngest son

Zolile Burns-Ncamashe Prince Zolile Burns-Ncamashe ''Aa! Zweliyajika!'' (born 1965 or 1966) is the son of Chief Sipho Burns-Ncamashe ''Aa! Zilimbola!'', a South African politician and a member of the South African National Assembly for the African National Congress. ...

is a spokesperson to the AmaRharhabe royal family.

List of works by author

*Masibaliselane (1961) – a collection of short stories and poems *Izibongo zakwaSesile (1979) – collection of poems

References

*Galloway, Francis (1983). ''SA Literature'' University of Virginia

External links

*Some aspects of imagery in the poetry of S.M. Burns-Ncamashe.(Critical Essa

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burns-Ncamashe, Sipho People from the Eastern Cape Xhosa people Xhosa-language poets 1920 births 1996 deaths South African male short story writers South African short story writers 20th-century South African poets 20th-century short story writers 20th-century South African male writers