Lesibana Jacobus Rafapa

Lesibana Jacobus Rafapa (PhD) is former head of University of Venda English Department (South Africa), and is currently Professor and head of English Studies at the University of South Africa. He studied at the University of the North (now University of Limpopo), and Stellenbosch University in South Africa. He is a specialist on the fiction of Es'kia Mphahlele, and has published a monograph as well as peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters nationally and internationally on this subject. He has produced research publications also on the taxonomy of black South African English literature from the early 1800s up to the post-apartheid era, exploring landmark narratives such as those written by Tiyo Soga, Sol Plaatje, Can Themba, Phaswane Mpe, Sindiwe Magona and Kgebetli Moele. His research trajectory includes film studies, themes on HIV/AIDS and Youth, African identity and the dialectic interaction of indigenous knowledge systems and postmodern concepts topical today in literary criticism. Professor Rafapa has been editor in chief of two accredited journals and continues to be a member of editorial boards of a number of peer reviewed journals.