1. Benedict Wallet Vilakazi was a renowned Zulu writer and academic born in 1906 in Groutville, South Africa. He was the first black person to earn a doctorate degree and teach at the University of the Witwatersrand.
2. Vilakazi published several influential works including the first Zulu poetry collection Inkondlo KaZulu in 1935. He also wrote novels, dictionaries, and academic texts on Zulu language and culture.
3. Vilakazi's poems and short stories explored themes of history, nature, spirituality, death, and the struggles faced by black South Africans under apartheid. His works had a significant impact on Zulu literature and identity.