Nazoke! Russian students to learn Zulu

Updated March 13, 2025, 6:24 a.m. | By East Coast Breakfast / Skyye Ndlovu

A new language exchange between Russia and South Africa will soon see Russian students learning to speak Zulu.

Russia Zulu — From Russia with love, and a bit of Zulu / macky_ch

Imagine a Russian student casually greeting their friend with a hearty “Hamba kanjani?” or negotiating with a taxi driver in Durban like “Eish, malume!”

Well, thanks to a new language exchange programme, that could soon be a reality.

Unisa has teamed up with Patrice Lumumba Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia and Tyumen State University to give Russian students the chance to learn isiZulu, while South African students can sharpen their Russian skills.

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A memorandum of understanding was signed this month, solidifying a collaboration that goes beyond just words. It’s about culture, connection, and (of course) a bit of fun.

The agreement, backed by South Africa’s Department of Higher Education and Training and Russia’s Ministry of Education and Science, will see Unisa’s College of Human Sciences rolling out Russian language courses in Mzansi while Zulu finds a new home in lecture halls in Russia.

Elena Tumakova, director of Russia’s Department of State Policy in Higher Education, emphasised that this partnership is more than just an academic exercise, it’s a game-changer for cultural exchange and BRICS relations.

“This is not just an agreement, but a major step in strengthening our ties. I am confident it will open doors to even greater collaborations,” she said.

Mokgadi Rabothata, director of global engagements at South Africa’s higher education department, echoed this, saying, “Preserving and promoting languages is a powerful way to bridge cultures. This is a step in the right direction towards expanding cultural perspectives beyond African borders.”

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Unisa acting vice-principal, Prof Solomon Magano, summed it up perfectly: “Language is not just about words, it’s about who we are. It carries our experiences, our humour, and our history. This collaboration embraces that spirit of exchange.”

So, don’t be surprised if you hear a Russian tourist confidently ordering a Streetwise Two in Zulu or a Unisa student casually dropping some Russian phrases in conversation.

This is just the beginning of a linguistic and cultural mash-up like no other!