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1951 in Kezi, Matobo district in Matabeleland South region.
He went through primary, secondary and tertiary education institutions that include Sankonjana Primary school in Matobo district from 1958 to 1962, Tuli where he did standard 4 in 1963, Mazowe High school in Mashonaland Central from 1967 to 1970 where he did his secondary education. In 1976 he did his A levels majoring in Geography and Biology through distance education. He sat for the A Level exams at Mzilikazi High School. He later trained as a secondary school teacher at Gweru Teachers’ College majoring in science from 1971 and obtained a certificate in education in 1973.
In 1978 he enrolled with University of South Africa (UNISA) majoring in Geography and Development Administration.
In 1982 he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree and in 1985 a BA (Hon) from the same university. He has taught at a number of schools and a college in the country which includes Loreto, Usher, Howard, David Livingstone, St Columba’s, Sobukhazi, Gweru Teachers’ College, Gloag High, Nketa High.
He has also worked in various capacities which such as Education Officer (Non-Formal) Matabeleland North (1996-2002), Deputy Provincial Education Director Matabeleland North (2002-2004), Public Relations Officer with the Bulawayo City Council (2004-2008), Resource Person  Culture Fund of Zimbabwe (2008-2009), Consultant in the Ministry of Water Resources, (January 2010-2010-July).
Pathisa Nyathi’s undying passion for Zimbabwean arts and culture could also be seen in the social responsibilities which he undertook in arts and other organisations.
Chief among these was being the Secretary General, Zimbabwe Writers Union (1989-19990, Chairman, National Association of Secondary School Heads (Nash) Matabeleland North 1990-1995, Deputy Director, Mthwakazi Actors and Writers Association (MAWA) Chairman, Zimbabwe Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association (ZANA), Bulawayo Branch, Chairman, Zimbabwe Writers Union, Bulawayo Branch, Chairman, Mpopoma High School Development Association, Committee Member, Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee of Zimbabwe (2009). Pathisa Nyathi’s board membership also evidences his imernse contribution to the arts industry in Zimbabwe. Some of the institutions’ boards he sat are Zimbabwe International Book Fair (ZIBF 1989-1998); Zimbabwe Book Development Council (ZBDC), Mambo Press Editorial Advisory Board; Organization of Rural Associations for Progress (ORAP), Chairman, Community Foundation for the Western Region of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings (ZBH); Transmedia, 2002-2009, Intwasa Arts Festival KoBulawayo; United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), 2010.
He is also a columnist for The Sunday News (Cultural heritage), The Sunday Mirror (View from Bulawayo) and The Daily Mirror (Giya Mthwakazi).
As a traditional or cultural preservationist, Nyathi, has published Traditional Ceremonies of AmaNdebele and Material Culture of AmaNdebele. Most of his publications are in Ndebele. His argument in writing in Ndebele is that it enables constant development of the language to achieve a rich cultural heritage for future generations. As both a writer and a historian he has a lot of his books to his name.
Published Books
l Ngilecala (a short story published by the Literature Bureau, 1988)
l Kunzima Malokazana (a play published by Longman, 1990)
l Vulingqondo 1 (a ZJC Ndebele revision book, 1990)
l Igugu Lika Mthwakazi (a history of the Ndebele from 1820 -1893 in the SiNdebele language), 1994
l Madoda Lolani Incukuthu, 1999 (a sequel to Igugu LikaMthwakazi covering the 1896 Ndebele resistance to colonialism)
l Uchuku Olungelandiswe, 1996, (a sequel to Madoda Lolani Incukuthu, dealing with Ndebele history during the colonial period.)
l In Search of Freedom: Masotsha Ndlovu, 1998 (a biography of one of the national heroes) Longman
l Material Culture of the AmaNdebele (2000), Reach Out Publishers
l Alvord Mabena: The Man and His Roots (2000) Priority Projects Inyathelo 6 Longman 2001(Ndebele text book for Grade 6)
l Traditional Ceremonies of the AmaNdebele (2003) Mambo Press
l Cultural Heritage of Zimbabwe (2004)
l amaBooks (Ziyajuluka, 2001 translation of Czech stories) (Inkondlo 2005, translation of Czech poems) (Okwenza iqhude Likhonye, Sapes  Trust, 1999, translation of Shona children’s book by Tendai Makura)
l Changing Material Culture of AmaNdebele (2009)
l Amagugu Arts Kolobeja: Folktales from a Ndebele Past 2009, Embassy of the Czech Republic, Zimbabwe
l Tumbale: A History of the Bhebhe People of Zimbabwe 2010, Amagugu Arts
l Lozikeyi Dlodlo: Queen of the Ndebele, in conjunction with Marieke Clarke, 2010, Amagugu Publishing
l ISikhekhekhe Sabokhekhe, 2010 TEPP Marketing Publishers and Distributors
l UFikile Nyathi, Ezomdabu 1996 (children’s book) Zimawele Longman 2006
l Source — National Arts Council of Zimbabwe.