Prince Zoza Shongwe was born in Johannesburg and he was raised in Dumbe (Paulpietersburg) in northern KwaZulu-Natal. He studied at Ekhombela Primary School and then his family moved to the area of Nondweni near Nquthu where he completed his primary education at Ithaka Primary School. Thereafter he did his high school at Langazela High School.
At the age of 14 he started to write and recite poetry while he was still at the primary school being inspired by Mzwakhe Mbuli the musician poet. In 1996 and 1997 he won trophies and certificates for poetry and performance in the Nondweni Arts & Culture competition in Nquthu, KwaZulu Natal.
In the year 2000 he shared the stage with Don Materra, Oupa Lebogo of Kutu Jazz Band and Dorothy Masuka. In 2001 he recited poetry on Rudeboy Paul’s afternoon drive show at Yfm.
In 2002 he narrated the Zulu history at Archie Bhengu’s show in UKhozi FM. Prince Zoza is passionate about history, its passion was instilled in him by his grandmother and his father. In 2003 some of his poems were published in the poetry journal called Timbila and he went to perform in Umoja Cultural Camp in Mozambique with Amajika Youth Cultural Organisation which was led by Tu Nokwe. This camp was attended by four countries: Zimbabwe, South-Africa, Norway and Mozambique.
In 2005 he went to perform in Southern African Social Forum in Zimbabwe. In 2007 he developed a portable security device called Khumbuza. In 2008 he compiled, edited and published a Zulu poetry anthology called Isivivane Sokusa.
In 2011, he did translation for Community Media Forum. In 2012, he translated a book about Zulu history authored by Shalo Mbatha, he translated it from English to Zulu. In 2013 he authored the book called Young People Unite which is the book about innovative solutions for social problems that are facing the youth such as unemployment and the lack of access to education.
This book comprise of proverbs, poems and essays. In 2013, he transcribed the Food Security record of interviews for Community Media for Development. In 2014, he conducted research for the television and film production company called Native Bird Media. He was researching on indigenous languages of South Africa as well as history and culture. On the 9th of December 2015 he had an interview with Masechaba Ndlovu of Power FM, an interview about African first fruit festivals.
In March 2016 he translated the TV drama for Ochre Media. Translating from English into Zulu language. In April 2016 he worked as the Language Advisor in Ithuba sitcom-the TV production of Moja Movies. He was advising the actor Khulu Skenjana.
On the 29th of January 2017 he offered analysis about the Battle of Sandlwana in an interview with Dj Pat Zondi of Izwi LoMzansi FM.
In the same year of 2017 he joined Pourchem (Pty) Ltd a cleaning company formed by his friend Wiseman Zwane, he joined it as director.
Prince Zoza Shongwe is a descendant of the Swazi Royal Clan, he is a descendant of King Kunene and King Mntimande the ancestors of AmaNtimande clan.
Zulu
Isethulo Esifuphi ngoMntanenkosi Zoza Shongwe. UMntanenkosi Zoza Shongwe wazalelwa eGoli wase ekhuliswa eDumbe enyakatho nekwaZulu, eNcaka kweseNkosi uMakhehlana kaLuphondo Nkosi. Wafunda eKhombela Primary School, abakubo base beyathutha baya eNondweni kweseNkosi uFisukwazi Hlatshwayo duze naseNquthu lapho aqedela khona imfundo yamabanga aphansi eThaka Primary School.
Wasuka lapho wase eyofunda eLangazela High School. Kwathi eneminyaka eyi-14 esesesikolweni samabang’aphansi waqal’ukubhala nokuhay’izinkondlo ethol’ugqozi kuMzwakhe Mbuli, imbongi nomculi. Ngo-1996 nango-1997 wahlabana ngezindebe nangezitifiketi emqhudelwaneni wokuhay’izinkondlo kuNondweni Arts & Culture Competition khona eNondweni kwelakwaZulu.
Ngonyaka ka-2000 washiyelana inkundla noDon Materra, u-Oupa Lebogo weKutu Jazz Band noDorothy Masuka. Ngo-2001 wahay’inkondlo ohlelweni lwantambama lomsakazo i-Yfm olwalusakazwa uRudeboy Paul. Ngo-2002 waxoxa umlando kaZulu ohlelweni luka-Archie Bhengu emsakazweni uKhozi FM. UMntanenkosi uZoza unogqozi ngomlando, ugqozi lwawo walufakwa ugogo noyise.
Ngo-2003 ezinye zezinkondlo zakhe zashicilelwa ebhukwini lezinkondlo elibizwa ngokuthi iTimbila futhi wahamba wayohaya kuMoja Cultural Camp eMozambique neqembu Amajika Youth Cultural Organisation elaliphethwe uTu Nokwe. Le nkambu yayihanjelwe ngamazwe amane: iZimbabwe, iNgabadi, iNorway neMozambique. Ngo-2005 wayohaya kuSouthern Social Forum eZimbabwe. Ngo-2007 wasungula umshini othile wokuqapha impahla ukuze ingalahleki ayewubiza ngokuthi iKhumbuza.
Ngo-2008 wahlanganisa, wahlela futhi washicilela iqoqo lezinkondlo zesiZulu alibiza ngokuthi Isivivane Sokusa. Ngo-2011 wahumusha imibhalo yakwaCommunity Media Development eGoli. Ngo-2012 wahumusha incwadi yomlando kaZulu ebhalwe nguShalo Mbatha eyisusa esiNgisini eyisa esiZulwini. Ngo-2013 wabhala incwadi ayibiza ngokuthi iYoung People Unite emayelana nezixazululo zezinkinga zomnotho ezikhungethe intsha njengokwesweleka kwamathuba okufunda nawemisebenzi. Le ncwadi iqukethe izaga, izinkondlo nezimvusangqondo.
Ngo-2013 waguqula izinkulumo eziqoshwe ngesiqophamazwi wazenza umbhalo kwaCommunity Media Development. Ngo-2014 wenza ucwaningo enkampanini yamafilimu nomabonakude iNative Bird Media. Ecwaninga izilimi zomdabu zeNgabadi kanjalo nangomlando namasiko. Mhla ziyi-9 kuZibandlela ka-2015 waba nengxoxo noMasechaba Ndlovu kuPower FM mayelana nemikhosi yoselwa eyahlukene kwelakwaNokusho (e-Afrika).
NgoNdasa ka-2016 wahumusha umdlalo kamabonakude wakwa-Ochre Media eyisusa esiNgisini eyisa esiZulwini. NgoMbaso ka-2016 wabanguMeluleki wezoLimi emdlalweni kamabonakude iThuba Sitcom wakwaMoja Movies. Wayeluleka umlingisi uKhulu Skenjana.
Ngezi-29 kuMasingana ka-2017 wahlaziya umlando weMpi yaseSandlwana noDj Pat Zondi emsakazweni Izwi loMzansi FM eThekwini. NgoNhlaba ka-2017 wenzela uMbuso Khoza umculi, ucwaningo ngomlando weNkosi uMshweshwe wabeSuthu. Ngayo futhi le nyanga wathula inkulumo mhla ziwu-25 nge-Africa Day eJohannesburg Central Library, inkulumo yakhe yayimayelana nokulondolozwa kwezilimi zomdabu. Mhla ziwu-28 kuNhlangula ka-2017 wethula inkulumo eHyde Park ethi: Umlando weMpucuko yabaseKhushe (ama-Afrika). Kuwo lo nyaka ka-2017 uye wazibandakanya nenkampani ekhuculula ukungcola ebizwa ngokuthi iPourchem (Pty) Ltd eyabunjwa umngani wakhe uSphamandla Zwane.
IMVELAPHI KAMNTANENKOSI UZOZA SHONGWE
UMntanenkosi uZoza Shongwe uzalwa uMdoda kaMdekeni kaNjuq’edl’amahleza kaNgangaza kaMgulube kaNtekelezi kaMabhengeza kaNgcamphalala kaMcusi kaMntimande kaKunene. OShongwe bayindabuko yobukhosi baseSwazini. Olibeni lobukhosi baseSwazini bazalwa yiziNgonyama oMntimande noKunene okuyiziNgonyama ezazibusa ngaphambi kukaNkosi I, uNgwane I noDlamini I.