Paramedic's IsiZulu proficiency fosters stronger community connections
|Published
With over 88k followers on TikTok, Cliffy “Zuluguy” Govender (33) has made a name for himself as an isiZulu speaking content creator.
The Pietermaritzburg native was raised in Northdale and spent parts of his life in the rural area of Creighton. Govender is married to a beautiful Zulu woman, Diann Nkanyezi MaNgubane Govender and is the father of two beautiful girls, Kylie and Riann.
The paramedic working for the KZN Department of Health, has steadily grown his platform using it to unite the Indian community with isiZulu speakers in the province.
We spoke to the famous isiZulu content creator about how speaking an indigenous language helped connect him with people from different walks of life and around the country.
What inspired you to create your TikTok page?
I was actually inspired by my wife to create a TikTok account. We started doing fun TikToks and then I was approached by colleagues at work, and they asked me to do a video of me speaking isiZulu as they saw another Indian guy from Ladysmith speaking isiZulu on social media.
The response was phenomenal. My account kept growing and I received notifications on activities, and my following grew.
How has social media and IsiZulu helped you grow your platform?
Social media has really helped me discover that my isiZulu voice has power and my love for isiZulu has helped reach so many other races across South Africa that speak the language.
I’m slowly becoming an advocate for building unity and a stronger community. People are so awesome.
They stop me on the streets, in the malls take pictures with me and videos, and often shout Zulu guy while I’m driving on the road. This community has been created through just social media.
Why did you choose to learn isiZulu?
I learnt isiZulu when I was very young. My mum hired a domestic worker to clean and look after my late brother and I.
We called her MaNdlovu and I’m still in contact. She couldn’t speak much English and only spoke isiZulu, which benefited me as well because today through her, I’m bilingual.
I was five at the time and by the time she left I was eight as my mum couldn’t afford her any longer. I continued learning isiZulu and my language skills picked up playing soccer and speaking with my Zulu friends.
My isiZulu really improved in a place called Creighton where I worked as a paramedic for 5 years as I was the only Indian in the entire community of Creighton, Bulwer and Underberg, so I spoke isiZulu on a daily basis.
I also learnt to read and write as I didn’t get that opportunity in school. The only papers that got delivered was the Ilanga and Isolezwe, so if you didn’t know how to read or write you won’t read the paper.
I was forced to learn which is so helpful today in my life as I’m more interactive with people on TikTok.
How has learning the language benefited you in your everyday life?
IsiZulu helps me communicate daily with people in the community and on TikTok. As a paramedic, some of the communities we service have people who can’t speak English; it’s so resourceful to be bilingual.
I can treat the patient faster and can ask the patient important questions in isiZulu without needing anyone to translate for me.
Also, I have my own Zulu family. I’m married to the daughter of Sipho Ngubane and Maureen Ngubane who is a teacher. I’m very fortunate that my wife also has her granny and grandfather, so isiZulu helps communicate with them and we can all talk and laugh together.
My wife doesn’t need to translate as her granny and grandfather don’t speak much English.
What are some challenges that you face as an IsiZulu content creator?
Some of the challenges I face include negative comments from people. Sometimes there’s a lot of racism and I often get associated with the hate crimes that occurred in Phoenix because of my race.
Why is it important for young people to learn and embrace other South African languages?
It’s so important for young people to learn indigenous languages because people embrace you more when you speak to people in their own language. There’s so much love and positivity.
For example, KwaZulu-Natal is home of the Zulu Kingdom so here isiZulu is very important to know and it is the language to communicate.
My goal is to aspire to be a MC. I’ve done a couple of events so far and people loved what I did. It’s really opened some doors and opportunities for me.