His reign occurred during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries when the centralisation of polities east of the Drakensberg Mountains disturbed life in the region.
Forced to pledge allegiance to various powers to survive, Nomsimekwana and his followers affiliated first with the Ngwane, later the Mkhize, then the Zulu, and eventually the British. Their associations shifted as threats changed—armies, hunger, marauders, and Boer settlers. After years of displacement, Nomsimekwana finally returned home to re-establish a chiefdom from the remnants who survived the transformation of the region. His story demonstrates the persistence of amalala identities in Natal through the mid-twentieth century.
Their history reflects the complex relationships between smaller polities and the larger Zulu kingdom, with some Mdluli families now being recognised as traditional leaders in areas like Mtubatuba, though this recognition is sometimes contested by other clans who claim earlier occupation.
He led the migration from Dedesi to Msana in the Mthatha district and was responsible for assimilating various fragments from tribes such as amaBomvana, amaVundle, amaMpondomise, and amaMfengu to build his kingdom. His reign unified the Thembu people and established the royal lineage that continues to this day .
He united clans living in Thembuland into a single political entity, owing allegiance to the Thembu royal family, or “Hala Mvelase.” This unification laid the foundation for the independent Thembu Kingdom that would exist until British conquest in the 19th century .
The Thembu royal house continues to be recognized as traditional leaders in South Africa. Famous Thembus include Nelson Mandela, whose father was a reigning nobleman from a junior branch of the Madiba clan of kings, and Walter Sisulu .
