UZwangendaba ungumuntu oqavile emlandweni wesizwe samaZulu. Wayengumholi nomsunguli wesizwe samaNgoni, iqembu elaphuma embusweni wakwaZulu ekuqaleni kwe nayintin-century ngesikhathi sokufuduka nokuhlakazeka.
UZwangendaba ekuqaleni wayengumkhuzi omkhulu webutho lenkosi yakwaZulu uShaka. Nokho, ngemva kokukhothama kwenkosi uShaka ngo-eyitin-thwenti-eyithi, uZwangendaba, kanye neqembu labalandeli abaqotho, baphuma embusweni wakwaZulu. Baqala uhambo lokufuduka, olwaziwa ngokuthi uMfecane (okusho ukuthi “ukuchoboza” noma “ukuhlakazeka” ngesiZulu), okwakuyinkathi yezinxushunxushu kanye nokufuduka kwabantu eNingizimu Afrika.
Ngalesi sikhathi sokufuduka, uZwangendaba nabalandeli bakhe bahlangana neminye imiphakathi eyahlukene, balwa, bagcina sebezinze emazweni anamuhla aseZambia, Malawi, naseTanzania. Abantu bakwaNgoni, beholwa nguZwangendaba, bahlanganisa izici ezithile zamasiko endawo abahlangabezane nazo ngesikhathi begcina ubunjalo babo obuhlukile.
Ubuholi bukaZwangendaba kanye nokusungulwa kwemiphakathi yabaNgoni kwaba neqhaza elikhulu ekulolongeni umlando kanye nesimo samasiko ezifundeni abazinze kuzo. Namuhla, abantu bakwaNgoni banamasiko, imikhuba, nezilimi zabo, okuqhakambisa imvelaphi yabo yamaZulu kodwa futhi bahlukile ngendlela yabo.