First Zulu language e-commerce site to be launched

South Africa's first ecommerce website in Zulu, the country's most widely spoken language, is to be launched.

gAL.co.za, a South African student website, will launch the Zulu language site today.

gAL.co.za sells academic books, and from today will allow visitors to choose to surf with a Zulu language setting.

"The digital divide is widening, and many more privileged people don't seem to be aware of it," says John Kuhn of gAL.co.za.

"Most commentators question the viability of the internet in Africa," he says, "but maybe if it were more relevant to the masses, more people would be interested, and language is a major issue."