Donating Money in Zulu

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Billionaires donate money to worthy causes because they have a pure heart. No they don’t. They set up foundations to hide profits from the taxman they got from under-paying workers or laying them off.

Donating is nikela in Zulu.  In times of crisis like fire, floods and hurricanes, people donate boats, tents, camp beds, blankets, food and most of all, their time to help evacuees.

Donating money is common.  It is only a problem when it has strings attached, like drug lords in Latin America telling the church to tone down on anti-drug smuggling sermons, or U.S. polluting industries bribing African politicians to dump hazardous waste on the continent.

Ni-ke-la.  The first part is pronounced as in nip, the second part as in the French qu’est-ce que c’est?  And the third part as in lass.

ZULU

ENGLISH

Ngi-zo-nikela ngo 100 pesos.

I will donate 100 pesos.

Ngi-zo-nikela ngo 200 franc.

I will donate 200 franc.

Ngi-zo-nikela ngo 300 euros.

I will donate 300 euros.

Ngi-zo-nikela ngo 400 Brazilean Real.

I will donate 400 BRL.

Si-zo-nikela nge-mali.

We’ll donate money.

U-zo-nikela ngani?

What will you donate?

Ba-zo-nikela ngani?

What will they donate?

Wa-nikela nge-si-khathi sakhe.

He donated his time.

U-Jesu wa-nikela nge-gazi lakhe.

Jesus donated with his blood (Christian belief).

A-ngi-nawo um-nikelo.

I don’t have the church donation.

Wa-nikela kanye.

She donated only once.

Wa-nikela ka-ningi.

He donated many times.


By:  Nonqaba waka Msimang.

 

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