Zapu through Zenzo Nkobi’s Lens

ZENZO CHRISTOPHER NKOBI *1939 – †1993

ZAPU Through Zenzo Nkobi’s Lens

This project is one of the most important archival undertakings to link visual memory and voice to the liberation struggle in Zimbabwe. It is founded on a collaboration between the Z.C. Nkobi Family and the South African History Archive (SAHA), along with Wits Historical Papers, to preserve, interpret, and share a trove of photographic and oral history materials.

Visit the SAHA Project Website

A Partnership in Preservation

a collaboration between the Z.C. Nkobi Family, the South African History Archive (SAHA), and the Wits Historical Papers Research Archive.

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About the Project

This virtual exhibition is based on a collaboration between the Z.C. Nkobi Family, the South African History Archive (SAHA), and the Wits Historical Papers Research Archive.
It draws on a remarkable photographic and oral history project that documents one of Southern Africa’s most defining eras — the liberation struggle for Zimbabwe’s independence.

Why It Matters

Many of Nkobi’s images show what archival documents cannot: the gestures, the faces, the spatial relationships, the moments in-between. In the words of scholar Patricia Hayes, his work often captures “visibility in struggle” — how identity, secrecy, and exposure played into the photographic act. 

This archive is important not just for historians, but for communities, artists, and citizens seeking to engage with the past — to understand sacrifice, solidarity, and the cost of freedom.

Origins & Scope

In 2007, the Nkobi family donated nearly 10,000 negatives taken by Zenzo Nkobi, documenting his long involvement with the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) and its armed wing, ZPRA. These photographs cover the 1970s through the early years of Zimbabwe’s independence — visual testimony to a continent in transition. 

To contextualize the images, SAHA, between 2010 and 2011, conducted 26 oral history interviews with former ZAPU operatives, community members, and others who appear in or connected with the images. These interviews aimed to identify people, events, and deeper narratives behind the snapshots.

Themes & Narratives

Over the course of the project, the interviews and images coalesced into a multilayered narrative architecture. Topics include:

  • The origins and administration of ZAPU, including its leadership structure and how it operated in exile.

  • Recruitment, military training, and the logistics of ZPRA operations in refugee camps and across borders.

  • The role of women in ZPRA, reflecting often underrepresented views of the struggle. 

  • International solidarity, regional alliances, and the relationship between Zambia and Zimbabwe in the fight against the Rhodesian regime. 

  • The refugee camp experience — not only the military side but daily life, education, and resilience. 

  • Post-independence politics: reconciliation, displacement, and how the struggle’s memory shaped modern Zimbabwe.

How to Access

You can explore the full project and download its major publication via SAHA:

SAHA Project & Virtual Exhibition
🔗 ZAPU Through Zenzo Nkobi’s Lens – SAHA

Photographic Collection at SAHA
🔗 Zenzo Nkobi Photographic Collection

Oral History Collection
🔗 Zenzo Nkobi Oral History Project

Usage Rights & Permission Requests

The photographs and interviews featured in the project ZAPU Through Zenzo Nkobi’s Lens form part of a historically significant collection documenting the liberation struggle in Southern Africa.

While the physical negatives and digital files are cared for by the South African History Archive (SAHA) and the Wits Historical Papers Research Archive, all copyright and moral rights remain with the Z.C. Nkobi Family.

Educational & Research Use

Low-resolution images and transcripts available through SAHA’s website may be downloaded and used for non-commercial educational or research purposes, provided that proper credit is given:

© Zenzo Nkobi / Courtesy of the Z.C. Nkobi Family

Publication & Exhibition Use

For any public, editorial, or commercial use — including publications, documentaries, exhibitions, or digital reproductions — prior written permission is required.
This ensures that all reproductions are handled ethically and in accordance with copyright law and family consent.

How to Request Permission

To request permission or a licence to use material from this project:

Complete the SAHA Archive Image Use Request Form using the link below.

Include the SAHA reference number or image identifier found on their website.

Once submitted, your request will be reviewed by the Z.C. Nkobi Family in coordination with SAHA.

After approval, you will receive:

  • A Licence Agreement outlining permitted use, and

  • Details regarding any applicable reproduction or licensing fees.

🔗 Request Image Use

Click below to open the online request form.
Open SAHA Archive Image Use Request Form →

Photographs carry the weight of memory.

Preserving them is an act of justice. 

Zenzo Nkobi Heritage