Dear Members, Stakeholders, and Partners,

We are proud to officially announce that the Akani Reunion Foundation is now legally registered with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) of South Africa.

This is a major milestone in our journey, marking the beginning of a new and structured chapter where we can confidently engage with donors, sponsors, and partners. Our registration reinforces our commitment to integrity, compliance, and sustainable development.

 What This Means:

●We are now operating as a fully recognized legal entity.

●We are currently aligning with South African tax laws and will soon apply for Section 18A status, enabling donors to receive tax-deductible certificates.

●This official status gives us the green light to start formally approaching donors and sponsors, backed by the necessary legal and administrative framework.

 What’s Next:

We will begin submitting proposals to private and public sector partners aligned with our mission.

Our upcoming initiatives will now be supported by a solid compliance foundation to ensure full transparency and accountability.

With your support, we aim to expand our impact and reach more learners and communities in need.

We sincerely thank all our founding members, supporters, and community partners who have stood by us during the early stages. We look forward to working with you as we scale up our mission.

If you require our registration documents or any official paperwork for collaboration, funding, or partnership purposes, please reach out to us using the contact details below.

Warm regards,

Calvin Chabalala

Founder & Secretary General

Akani Reunion Foundation

 Email: akanireunion2024@gmail.com

 Website: www.akanireunionfoundation.co.za

 Contact: 083 462 4341

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Dear Members of the Akani Reunion Foundation,

We are thrilled to announce a major milestone in the growth of our organization!

The Akani Reunion Foundation has officially received confirmation of successful registration for:

 SARS Tax Exemption under Section 18A, and

 Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) status

This achievement marks a significant turning point in our mission to support students—especially those in underserved and remote areas—by allowing us to:

Issue Section 18A tax-deductible certificates to all donors and sponsors.

Access broader and more sustainable funding opportunities through formal partnerships and sponsorships.

 What’s Next?

In accordance with SARS guidelines, we are required to wait 21 calendar days from the date of this confirmation before officially requesting financial assistance from donors and corporate sponsors.

 This waiting period allows SARS to finalize internal updates to our registration and ensures full compliance moving forward.

 Why It Matters:

This development strengthens our credibility and opens doors to real, long-term impact. Once the 21 days have passed, we will begin approaching donors and sponsors with confidence, transparency, and compliance.

Thank you to everyone who played a role in reaching this important milestone. Your continued dedication to our shared mission is what makes this foundation a beacon of hope and change.

Let us continue to work together, uplift each other, and remain committed to empowering the next generation through education.

Warm regards,

Calvin Chabalala

Secretary General

Akani Reunion Foundation

 akanireunion2024@gmail.com

 083 462 4341

The first comprehensive Xitsonga dictionary, Tihlungu ta Rixaka, was launched during the Polokwane Literary Fair a fortnight ago.

The dictionary was compiled by MM Marhanele and Vonani Bila, and it is published by Timbila Publishing and Bila Publishers and Communications and comprises a robust 920 pages.

“Tihlungu ta Rixaka is a user-friendly, monolingual Xitsonga dictionary and the first of its kind,” Bila said. “Unlike earlier dictionaries and reference works written by missionaries and sometimes second-language speakers to serve very narrow interests, Tihlungu ta Rixaka is written and developed by speakers, cultural practitioners and reputable scholars of the Xitsonga language with the ultimate purpose of cultural restoration, nation building and social transformation.”

According to generic national statistics, Xitsonga is spoken by over two million people in South Africa's Limpopo province as well as Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West and parts of northern KwaZulu-Natal. There are over 15 million people in Mozambique, Swaziland, Malawi and Zimbabwe whose first language is Xitsonga (Xichangani).

“The concentration of Vatsonga/Machangani in different parts of southern Africa poses a challenge of language standardisation,” Bila stated. “In the making up of Tihlungu ta Rixaka, we’ve tried to follow recent discussions on language and take stock of what is currently being published in Xitsonga. We’ve also been listening carefully to variants of the language as manifested in Xitsonga, Xitshwa, Xirhonga, Xibila, Xinkuna, Xinhlanganu, Xigwamba, Xin’walungu, Xidzonga, Xihlave/Xihlengwe, and related languages such as Xindawu.”

He added that, for purposes of a uniform style, orthography and approach, "the authors were biased towards the latest South African Xitsonga orthography as set out by the Pan South African Language Board. We are aware that language building and standardisation is a large scope that requires more passion, resources and energy,” Bila said. “In the long term, we see the impact of this dictionary extending to a Xitsonga language practice in Africa, thus stimulating scholarly work based on the dynamism of Xitsonga and all its sociological determinants.”

Tihlungu ta Rixaka stresses the intrinsic social value of culture and use of language. With the advancement of Xitsonga in the form of a dictionary and accompanying linguistic resources, Timbila Publishing and Bila Publishers believe that Xitsonga will one day be recognised as one of the powerful official and functional languages in South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Swaziland. “This only means that Xitsonga will be a living language of power, commerce, law, education, and more,” he said.

Some of the features of this dictionary include telling the reader how words are spelt and pronounced. It gives the different meanings of word and illustrates the examples of how the words are used within their respective contexts.

“It gives the reader the plurals of nouns and it tells whether a noun is countable or not,” he said. “It provides synonyms and antonyms of words. It gives the reader words derived from the same root or family and the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives.”

The dictionary also provides the reader with the past tense and participle forms of verbs and tells them which the syllable of a word to stress.

“It further tells you the origin of some foreign or borrowed words,” he said. “Lastly, it tells you whether a certain word is slang, taboo, a formal, informal, archaic word or a colloquial expression.”

Tihlungu ta Rixaka is available at R1000 (excluding postage or delivery). Those interested in Tihlungu ta Rixaka can email Bila at vonanibila@gmail.com.

Early Life & Background

• Born in 1947 in Barota, a rural missionary settlement, and later moved to the drought‑prone village of Holofani (Olifantshoek), experiences that profoundly influenced his worldview and literary voice thevillagevoice.co.za+5sala.org.za+5sanews.gov.za+5.
  
  

• Cultivated deep roots in Xitsonga culture, language, and education early on.
  
  

📚 Teaching & School Leadership

• Retired in 2002 after a distinguished teaching career, including 20 years as a school headmaster, actively involved in the Limpopo Principals’ Association sala.org.za.
  
  

• Served as principal at Akani High School in Tiyani, where he was widely respected for his discipline, high academic standards, and influence on Xitsonga literature and history education sala.org.za.
  
  

✍️ Literary Achievements

• A celebrated poet in the Mutsonga tradition with over 25 published works, Marhanele is especially renowned for perfecting the Xitsonga sonnet sala.org.za+1saha.org.za+1.
  
  

• Authored the influential grammar book "Xingulana xa Ririmi" in the 1980s and co-authored the Xitsonga monolingual encyclopedia "Tihlungu ta Xixaka", covering language, history, and culture sala.org.za.
  
  

• Active in the Xitsonga Writers’ Association, facilitating creative writing workshops and mentoring emerging authors sala.org.za.
  
  

🏆 Honors & Recognition

• Awarded the Lifetime Achievement Literary Award by the South African Literary Awards in 2007, recognizing his enormous impact on Xitsonga language and literature sala.org.za.
  
  

📖 Continuing Work & Personal Life

• Published “The Essential”, a curated collection of his best poems, in tribute to his late son, lawyer Curtis Marhanele sala.org.za+1saha.org.za+1.
  
  

• His work spans poetry, short stories, drama, folklore, and even songwriting for Mutsonga music groups such as Elias Baloyi and Mamba Queens sala.org.za.
  
  

• Lives in Nkowankowa township with his wife, Meriam (also a school headmistress), and family schooldirect.org+4sala.org.za+4reddit.com+4.
  
  

In summary, MM Marhanele is a distinguished educator and literary titan within the Xitsonga community—dedicated to language promotion, cultural education, and school leadership. His role as principal of Akani High School in Tiyani cemented his legacy both in academia and literature.

📚 Literary Works & Contributions

1. Poetry & Sonnets

• 25+ published poetry collections, including notable works:
  
  

  • Vumunhu bya Phatiwa
    
    

  • Swifaniso swa Vutomi
    
    

  • Marhambu ya Nhloko
    
    

  • Vutomi
    
    

  • Rihojahoja
    These anthologies span traditional and contemporary themes grafiati.com+8sala.org.za+8grafiati.com+8.
    
    

• Mastery of the Xitsonga Sonnet: Often called the “Shakespeare of the Vatsonga”, Marhanele perfected this form, introducing structured rhyme and moral depth to Xitsonga poetry grafiati.com+8sala.org.za+8w2.unisa.ac.za+8.
  
  

• Selected Anthology – “The Essential”: A 2000s compilation of his best, dedicated to his late son Curtis. It includes both classic and previously unpublished works .
  
  

2. Short Stories & Drama

• Short‑story Collection – Mbombhela: Xitsonga Short Stories (2011): Explores rich cultural slices of Vatsonga/Machangana life. ‹Mbombhela’ has “multiple layers of meaning embedded in Vatsonga/Machangana idioms…” w2.unisa.ac.za+3wizebooks.co.za+3sala.org.za+3
  
  

• Playwright: Authored the Tsonga play Byokota madlayisani (1980) grafiati.com+2esat.sun.ac.za+2grafiati.com+2.
  
  

3. Folklore & Lyrics

• Folklore Volume – Swhundla swa Makwangala: Awarded the Xitsonga folklore prize at Limpopo Literary Awards (around 2006) sala.org.za.
  
  

• Songwriter: Composed lyrics for prominent Mutsonga music acts like Elias Baloyi and Mamba Queens, bridging education, culture, and popular music sala.org.za.
  
  

4. Linguistic Scholarship

• Grammar Primer – Xingulana xa Ririmi: First published in 1987 and updated later (2004, 2017), this grammar guide has been pivotal in Xitsonga education literator.org.za+1sala.org.za+1.
  
  

• Monolingual Encyclopedia – Tihlungu ta Xixaka (also Tihlungu ta Rixaka):
  
  

  • Started c. 1999 with fellow scholars Vonani Bila and S. J. Ntimbani
    
    

  • A 920‑page reference on language, proverbs, political history, biographies, and culture sjkhosamusic.co.za+5sala.org.za+5zoutnet.co.za+5zoutnet.co.za.
    
    

🔍 Themes & Impact

• Cultural Revival: Through dictionary, poetry, drama, and education, Marhanele worked tirelessly to reinforce Xitsonga identity and pride.
  
  

• Moral Education: His poems often carry ethical lessons—straightforward yet delivered with humor and irony grafiati.com+7sala.org.za+7zoutnet.co.za+7.
  
  

• Language Standardization: His grammar and dictionary aligned with the Pan South African Language Board standards, reinforcing Xitsonga’s academic and official relevance zoutnet.co.za.
  
  

AKANI REUNION FOUNDATION 

 Attention All Members of the Akani Reunion Foundation

As part of our continued commitment to encourage and support academic excellence, we are pleased to announce that during our upcoming Term 2 Academic Excellence Awards Ceremony in August, we will be handing out branded ball pens  and key holders to our Top 25 Best Performing Students at Akani High School.

These items, proudly branded with our organization’s name, serve as tokens of motivation to recognize the learners' hard work and inspire others to aim high.

 Special thanks to our generous donor for making this possible—your support is helping us make a difference in the lives of our future leaders.

 The exact date of the ceremony will be confirmed and communicated after our Executive Committee meeting scheduled to decide on the most suitable date in August.

Let us continue to work together in shaping a brighter academic future for our youth.

Yours in service,

AKANI REUNION FOUNDATION 

📢 ANNOUNCEMENT TO ALL MEMBERS

Akani Reunion Foundation – Academic Excellence Support Update

We are pleased to inform you that the branded ball pens 🖊 and key holders bearing our organization's name have successfully arrived! 🎉

These thoughtful gifts will be handed out to our Top 25 best-performing students at Akani High School during our upcoming Term 2 Academic Excellence Awards Ceremony in August 2025 (exact date to be confirmed after our next Executive Committee meeting).

This initiative is part of our ongoing efforts to motivate and inspire learners to take their education seriously and aim higher in their academic journey. We sincerely thank our generous donor who made this possible.

Let’s continue working together to uplift and support our future leaders. 💫

#AkaniReunionFoundation

#AcademicExcellenceAwards

#MotivatingTheFuture

AKANI REUNION FOUNDATION 

Subject: Awards Date: Term 2 Academic Excellence Awards Ceremony Discussion 📢

Dear Executive Committee Members,

Warm greetings to you all.

This serves as an official reminder of our upcoming virtual meeting scheduled as follows:

📅 Date: Friday, 18th July 2025

🕖 Time: 19h00

📍 Venue: Virtual Platform (Via Our WhatsApp group)

Agenda:

Main Focus: To discuss and decide on the most suitable date for our Term 2 Academic Excellence Awards Ceremony, taking place in August 2025.

As the entrusted leadership of the Akani Reunion Foundation, it is important that we collectively make this decision. This will reflect unity, fairness, and transparency in the way we operate, as we have been chosen by the people to lead and make key organizational decisions.

Your full attendance and participation are kindly requested. Please confirm your availability at your earliest convenience.

Together, we serve better.

Yours in service,

Calvin Chabalala

Secretary General

Akani Reunion Foundation

ANNOUNCEMENT: TERM 2 ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARDS CEREMONY 

We are excited to officially announce the date for our Term 2 Academic Excellence Awards Ceremony after a successful meeting with our Top 11 Executive Members. 

 Date: Friday, 08th August 2025

 Venue: Akani High School

 Time: 10h00 AM

On this special day, we will be awarding the Top 25 Best Performing Students from Grade 8 to Grade 12 for their hard work and academic achievements in Term 2! 

 Position 1 in Each Grade will receive:

 Trophy 

 Certificate

 Medal 

 Positions 2 to 5 will each receive:

 Certificate

 Medal 

 Special Gifts for All Top 25 Students

All top achievers will also receive Branded Ball Pens  and Key Holders to encourage and motivate them further!

Let’s continue to celebrate excellence and inspire our learners to reach even greater heights. 

#AkaniReunionFoundation #AcademicExcellence #MotivatingSuccess #Term2Awards #FutureLeaders