The Ndebele are a Nguni people, they originate from Nguniland which was an area South East of Afrika which stretched from encompassed parts of Present day KZN, Swaziland and Eastern Transvaal. They first travelled with Abakwa Zelemu (AmaBhaca) to Ubombo Mountains and later broke away and entered the Transvaal. Their first known chief was Mafana. They proceeded to present day Mohlakeng (Mhlangeni) near Randfontein and continued to a place called Kwa-Mnyamana near Pretoria under the leadership of King Musi. After the death of Musi they split into two tribes Ndzundza and Manala due to succession dispute. Ndzundza and Manala were the sons of Musi Mhlanga.
Masombuka settled with the Ndzundza group while Mthombeni and Sibasa headed north with their followers. Sibasa later joined the be-Venda. Mrhwaduba joined the Pedi near Turfloop in Limpopo.
Dlomu went back to KZN, Mphafudi and Litjha ended with the South Sotho in Lesotho and Free State.
All the above were sons of Musi of Mhlanga.
The Ndzundza group moved past Middleburg and settled at Roosenekal (Kwasimkhulu) The Manala group returned to Kwamnyamana after the truce they made with the Ndzundza group near Loskop Dam Middleburg at a place called Konoqolo/Koqoli.
When Ndzundza died his son Mrhetja took over, and when Manal died his son Silamba took over kingship.
Later regents ruled the Ndzundza, those were Siboko, Somdeyi and Mabhoko.
Mabhoko died in 1865 and Masilela took over followed by Soqaleni who ruled until 1873, followed by Xobongo up to 1879, who was succeeded by Nyabela.
In the 1980’s the Musi Ndebele were given the land in the north-east of Pretoria near Groblersdal and Marblehall (Siyabuswa) as their semi-independent homeland. The youth and the Ndzundza royal house resisted apartheid independence. That place was called Kwandebele and is now under Mpumalanga province of the Republic of South Africa.
The language that these Ndebele spoke was a mixture of Nguni, Pedi and Afrikaans. In the 1980’s efforts were made to preserve a purer form of Ndebele and it has been very successful becaus now they speak pure undiluted Ndebela language which is also taught at schools. Previously they were taugth in Pedi and Zulu languages.
Piet
inanazelo zakwa Mahlangu Bhorholo
Ntuthuko Zwane
The Zulus are not Ndebele argument does not hold water. Firstly, Ntombela and Nzuza are the same people. The Zulu come directly from the Ntombela within Malandela. In Biblical times Ntombela was called Tobias or Tobin or Mthombeni. Interestingly, this is what Africa was called before white people came: Topia.
Secondly, the names of previous Kings of KwaZulu are more than just names their parents gave them. In fact all Kings/Chiefs normally get new names when they take up office. The names they get are the names of the seat of power they occupy and are names of the people that, that King/chief rules over. For instance, the Zulu King’s surname is not actually Zulu but are Zulu by virtue of him ruling the Zulus. the correct surname for Zulu kings are Ngwane or Zwane or Matiwane or Mntwane/Mntwana or Zwana.
Senzangakhona is broken into 2 parts.
The first part is called Senzanga or Sesaca or Sesac, son of Baria.Vhalea or Maoela, or Zizwane or Nzuzwane or Ntuthwane or Ntuzwane or Tholane or Ntwane or Thwane or Tshwane or simply KaNzuza or KaThola or Kamukani or Kamukela = Samukela or Samukelo or Samuhel or Samuel/Semei. Other names are Zethan or Nsindane or Nsindeni or Zindela or Assidea/Assideans or Sebentwane or Sibindane.
There are 6 sons of Nzuza/Thola/Ntombela who make up 1 half of Senzangakhona – these are AmaZalankosi or Israel (that is literally what the name Israel means, father of Kings/Rulers of the world). AmaKhosi amaNgwe so Zalankosi = Zalangwe = Zawane = Zwane:
Sons of Nzuza or Nzuzwane or Tholane or AbaNtwane baka Nzuza:
1. Ozi/Hosi/Kgosi/Nkosi/Lozi/Omulozi/Woti/Mawoti, surname: Gabela/Ntombela/Ntombane/Dubane/Gabane/Bacbacar/Becbecia or Cibane or kaCirha or KaMageba or Kange or Ngwane or Zwane or Ncwane or KaMatiwane;
2. Raphaia or Wabane or Habana or Havana , Surname: KaDube/KaNdaba/Tabane/Mthombeni or Dubeni;
3. Jeriel or Nzhelele or Njelele or Nyelele or Nyerera or Manyelela or Jeria or Jiyane or Myeni or Mayeni or Mbekane or Mthethwa or Myeki or Eliel or Melech;
4. Jemai = Semai = Semali = Zimali or Zili or Zingi or MZili or Jeli or Joel or Jere or Jele or Msweli or Semei or kaSeme or Nsele or Osee or Hosea or Joshua or Mlotshwa or Yeshua or kaMahlangu or KaMasango = Nzimande;
5. Jebsem = Lebese = Sibisi = Sibindi or Sibili = Sepedi = Bisi/Bese = Mbhense = Phesse, son of Esthon/Sothoni/Sothole/Lesotho/Sithole, = Vezi = ZaMbezi = Pedi = Obed = Mbethe = Luza = Hoza = Mawusa = Ngoza = Mgwaba = Qaba = Gcaba;
6. Samuel = Samule = Samulani = Malambule or Khambule or Khayi or Mngayi or Caleb or Asael = Sahel = Maseka = Hlengwa = Singamu = Masinga = Masai = AmaHala or Amasa = Mabasa = Mabaso = Mambazo = Phahla = Samai = KaNzama = Lisama = Saminga = Sanga = Ntshanga = Mhlanga = Sana = Samukelo or Kamugelo = Kamohelo = Zwana = Ntwane = Zwane = Mzimela = Sibiya.
Inzalo Ka Nzuza/Ntombela ka Isaka noma KaMhlanga. UMhlanga is the 8th son of Israel/AmaZalankosi. Listed above are the Chief House of the sons of Nzuza.
Ntuthuko Zwane
Lezi zizwe ezingaphezulu zakwa Nzuza izo ezigcwele iKZN yonkana ezibuswa inkosi yakwaZulu through the dynasty of Isaka or Ishaka or Shaka Zulu or Mhlanga Zulu.
The second part of SenzangaKHONA is the KHONA:
1. KHONA = GONA = BAGONA = BORANA = KHOKHA = NGWENA = NGWENYA = NGWENYAMA = NGONYAMA = DUMA = TAU = MADUNA = MNTUNGWA = Tonga/Tsonga/Ronga/Moroka = Khalo = Ngalo = Nkawu = Kawu = Kau = Nkuna = Makhunga = Ngcuka = Gcau = Makhunga = Langa.
2. In the Bible, Issachar is called Men/Man of Hire which translates to Khokha in IsiZulu or Gona/Khona.
These are tribes that exist in every province and call themselves Xhosa, Venda, Dlamini/Swati etc. They all come from the same Zulus and we are them and they are us. Swaziland is just over 50 years old. Who were they before they sold us out to Apartheid government?
Mkhuze Mahlangu
Thank for taking courage and updating us about the origin of the Ndebeles. You knowledge of History is not different from what I know, therefore there is nothing we can argue about except the following statement:
“The Ndzundza group moved past Middleburg and settled at Roosenekal (Kwasimkhulu)….”
There is a vast difference between Roossenekal and KwaSimkhulu – I know this practically. KwaSimkhulu is situated along the N4 Freeway between Wonderfontein and Belfast where the R33 (Carolina Road) joins N4 next to the train station Senburry.
Whereas, Roossenekal lies on North-West of KwaSimkhulu separated by some 50km. It lies some 15 to 20min drive from Burgerforth/Steelpoort on the corner of R555 Middleburg/Steelpoort road and R577 Roossenekal/Lydenburg road.
Yes you are very correct – Nzunza first settled at KwaSimkhulu and he died there hence his grave is there as well. Later on the Nzunza headquarters was shifted West of KwaSimkhulu over to the place called KwaMaza. KwaMaza lies a stone throw away from the present day Blinkwater Millstone – where Super B is manufactured. On the 16 of June 2018 I attended the funeral of Mr. Msiza, father to the playwright Mkhuzelwa Msiza. I got a chance to ask the inhabitants as to where KwaMaza is. Refreshingly I got to know the meaning of the word “Maza” too. Maza is the plural word of “iliza” thus 1 iliza = 2 amaza. According to them, “iliza” is a type of antelopes popular for running fast which inhibit predominantly on the slops of Bothas Mountain Pass toward Tubatse River and KwaMadlayi. This is why the place around Blankwater is called KwaMaza. Very interesting, isn’t it?
KwaMaza was the second headquarters of Nzunza where King Magodongo was killed by Mzilikazi. If you look at KwaMaza, it is a flat plane prone for enemies to ambush the headquarters from all sides. Owing to the security concerns – when King Mabhoko took over the reins – he purchased the present day eRholweni from King Thulare, King Sekwati’s father but King Sekhukhune and Mampuru’s (common) grandfather. Reading the history in Afrikaans, it is said that a transaction of some 200 cattle was exchanged between Thulare and Mabhoko to procure the caves of eRholweni. Therefore, the Nzunzas went to Roossenekal long after King Nzunza had died. The Nzunza’s went to eRholweni under the leadership of King Mabhoko around 1700s. The below websites tend to agree very much with what I have here above.
1. https://kwekudee-tripdownmemorylane.blogspot.com/2013/12/ndebele-manala-ndebele-and-ndzundza.html
2. Ndebele History https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/ndebele
3. This article gives a clear light of the movement of the Nzunzas from KwaSimkhulu to eRholweni under the leadership of King Mabhoko 1. : http://www.justice.gov.za/lcc/jdgm/2002/3-00.pdf
This is all the news that matters when it matters
Cheers
Jabulile mahlangu
Good day everyone. Can I please have isithakazelo sakwa Mahlangu (Gembe)..
Sandile J Tshabalala
Lothjani.
Can someone please help with:
(1) popular Ndebele paintwork patterns (e.g. razor/ithjefana) and their meaning,
(2) popular paint colours (e.g. red, blue, green…) and their meaning.
uZim anithlogomele!!!