When Missionaries first met the Africans,
language was the major problem. Missionaries were speaking
European languages while Africans spoke African languages. A. T.
Bryant who had had his mission station at Ebuhleni - place of peace,
'unlike many missionaries was interested in Zulu people and their ways
of living."12
He was determined to learn Zulu language and Zulu culture. He
collected Zulu basic vocabulary and made a dictionary. He was helped by
the Zulu language speakers who could understand English due to their
contacts with the Whites in the industries. Bryant was the first
to produce Zulu -English dictionary. The dictionary was used in
the Mission to resolve language problems between the natives and the
missionaries. There were some professionals who had received education
from the other Missions such as the Anglican Mission. " Benjamin
Makhaba who was baSotho man could understand English."13
He came to Mariannhill Mission and was given a job to educate boys from
the Amatuli tribe. Benjamin founded the newspaper 'Izwi labantu'-the
voice of the people which today is widely known as UmAfrica. There were
other Missionaries who were also interested in Zulu like father
Willibald Wanger who translated the Bible into Zulu and published
UmAfrica in 1929 to be read by all South Africans not only the community
near Mariannhill. Educated Natives were able to read the Bible for
themselves and others who could not read and preach the gospel to the
people.
