Iqoqo lesibili likaBenedict Wallet Vilakazi elithi, Amal’ezulu, lashicilelwa okokuqala ngonyaka we-1945 ngabashicileli base-University of the Witwatersrand Press eGoli. Ngowe-1954, 1960, 1962 nowe-1970 leli qoqo laligaywa kabusha ngabashicileli abafanayo kusetshenziswa imithetho emisha yokubhalwa kolimi. Ushicilelo lwakamuva lwale ncwadi lwaphuma ngowe-1980. Leli qoqo lezinkondlo lalibaluleke kakhulu eminyakeni elishumi ngemuva kokuba efikile uVilakazi eGoli ngemuva kokushiya kwakhe isifundazwe adabuka kuso, iKwaZulu- Natali (nokwakuyiNatali ngaleso sikhathi). Isikhathi seminyaka elishumi phakathi kwencwadi Inkondlo kaZulu, okuyiqoqo likaVilakazi lokuqala elashicilelwa ngowe-1935, kanye naleli qoqo yisikhathi lapho impilo yakhe yayigcwele ukungqubuzana kwangaphakathi nokudideka. Nokho, wazuza iqhuzu eliphezulu kwezemfundo ephakeme ngenkathi eba ngumuntu ompisholo wokuqala waseNingizimu Afrika ukuthola iziqu zobuDokotela kwezeMibhalo (DLitt) emibhalweni yesiZulu ngowe-1946. Inkondlo kaZulu kanye nAmal’ezulu akumele zibhekwe njengezincwadi ezizimele ngazodwana; womabili la maqoqo adingida izindikimba ezisabalulekile nanamuhla, futhi kunokuxhumana okubalulekile phakathi kwawo.

UVilakazi wazalwa ngowe-1906 eGroutville, eStanger (manje osekuthiwa kuKwa-Dukuza), waphothula amabanga aphansi esikoleni sesonto sendawo kanti wayelusa nezinkomo zakwabo uma sekuphume isikole. KwaDukuza kuyibanga elicela kumakhilomitha angamashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu uma ubheka enyakatho usuka edolobheni iTheku, futhi kuseduze nesigodlo seSilo sakwaZulu sodumo lokubumba isizwe, uShaka kaSenzangakhona. Umlando ocebile wale ndawo, kuhlanganisa nezindawo ezigudle ulwandle, wanikeza uVilakazi umcebo wamasiko akwaZulu nezithombe-magama, ulwazi olujulile lwalokhu lwalubalulekile emibhalweni yakhe – ikakhulukazi izinkondlo zakhe – lapho ayelusebenzisa khona lolu lwazi njengamasu obunkondlo.

Kungumkhuba ojwayelekile kwabaNsundu ukuthi izingane zethiwe ngamagama akhomba izigameko ezinkulu ezenzeke ngezikhathi zokuzalwa kwazo. Nangesikhathi sokuzalwa kukaVilakazi, iNkosi uBhambatha wesizwe sakwaZondi bude buduze noMgungundlovana wahola impi eyayiphikisana nomthetho wezifika-namthwalo owawuphoqa ukuthi kukhokhelwe amakhanda (bheka i-South African History Online n.d.), nabazali bakaVilakazi, uMshini noLeah, bametha ngelikaBhambatha kaMshini ukuqopha isigameko sonyaka wokuzalwa kwakhe okwakungowempi kaBhambatha. Wabe esebhabhadiswa ngelikaBenedict Wallet ngemuva kokuthi umndeni wakhe uzibandakanye nenkonzo yamaRoma Akhatholika. Nokho ngenxa yokudaza kukanina inkani, wakwazi ukusigcina isibongo sakhe uVilakazi.

Ngesikhathi sempi kaBhambatha, amabutho athatha izikhali ephikisana nokwethulwa kwentela yokuthelela amakhanda kwabesilisa (ukhandampondo) okwakuhloswe ngayo ukukhipha amadoda emakhaya awo ukuze ayosebenza ezindweni ezikude nasemakhaya. Lolu hlelo lokuyofuna umsebenzi kude lwalungathandeki ngokudonsela amadoda ohlelweni lomnotho lwaseNtshonalanga nolusaqhubeka kuze kube nanamuhla. Lolu hlelo lugcizelela kakhulu ukuxhashazwa kwabasebenzi abaNsundu ngokubaphathisa okwezigqila, ukubakhokhela ubala, nokubasebenzisa kanye nokubahlalisa ngaphansi kwezimo ezingagwinyisi mathe. Ngenxa yokuqaliswa kwezimboni kanye nokushiya amakhaya bayosebenza kude, ikhaya ngokwesintu lavele lahlakazeka okwangempela. Nakuba le mbedumehlwana ingaphumelelanga, isibindi seNkosi uBhambhatha kaMancinza nokuzama kwakhe ukuvimba abesizwe sakhe ekusebenzeni njengezigqila ukuze bakwazi ukukhokha ukhandampondo, kwaba yimpi eyabe isiqhutshwa nguVilakazi, kodwa eseyiqhuba ngepeni esikhundleni sempi ehloma ngezikhali.