Important work on the new translation of the Bible into IsiZulu will be conducted during the next few months in Louis Trichardt.

The expert team of translators moved over from Kwazulu-Natal last week and will initially concentrate on the revision of several parts of the New Testament.

Prof Koos van Rooy, the co-ordinator of the translation project, previously moved from Louis Trichardt to Kwa Zulu-Natal for the project. Van Rooy, who also supervised the new translation into TshiVenda some years ago, recently underwent a hip-replacement operation and returned home to his farm near Louis Trichardt to recuperate.

In an interview, he said the team members were quite capable of working independently, but there were specific parts of the New Testament for which it was advisable for the team members to be together. For this purpose, his two Zulu experts, Dr S Sithole and Pastor TQ Masondo, joined him in LouisTrichardt. They were introduced to the Reformed Church Congregation in town two Sundays ago, where they attended services. The congregation is supplying office space where this important project is already underway.

Van Rooy says the translation of the first books of the Old Testament progressed exceptionally well, due to the dedicated expertise and unity of the team members. It is envisaged that with the present tempo of progress, the entire translation could be completed in record time.