Duma Ndlovu is a poet, journalist, director, producer, and playwright. Born in Soweto, he attended the once prestigious Sekano Ntoane High School in Senaoane. After graduating, he began writing for the World Newspaper during the turbulent 1970s. In 1975 he founded the Medupe Writers Association, a national group that encouraged young black writers. He served as the organization’s president until October 1977, when the government banned the group and seventeen others that had been active in the Black Consciousness and anti-apartheid movements.

Shortly afterwards, Duma left South Africa for the United States. After completing a Master’s degree at Hunter College in New York, he embarked on a career as a theatrical producer. Duma was responsible for the upsurge of interest in South African township theatre in the United States.

In 1985, Duma founded the Woza Afrika Foundation, to raise money to support the arts in South Africa. Through the foundation he also produced theatre and music festivals that featured South African artists. During his last two years in the U.S., Duma taught African American literature and music at the State University of New York, Stony Brook.

Duma returned to South Africa in 1992, where he founded Word Of Mouth Productions, to mount music, theatre, and television productions. In South Africa he wrote Bergville Stories (1994), which had successful runs in Durban at the Playhouse, the Grahamstown National Arts Festival, and the Market Theatre. His other theatrical writing/directing credits include; BERGVILLE STORIES, THE GAME, THE RITUAL, THE JOURNEY and MEMEZA, based on the life of Brenda Fassie, which is still a work in progress.

In everything he does he always acknowledges his father and Steven Bantu Biko as major influences in his life.