adminBongani Ndlovu Chronicle Correspondent
COMMEMORATIONS to mark the 146th anniversary of the death of the founder of the Ndebele nation, King Mzilikazi, will be held today at the Mhlahlandlela memorial site — 22 kilometres south of Bulawayo.
The place is known to have been Mzilikazi’s capital.
Transport to the venue is available at the Large City Hall Car Park as from 8AM with elderly people taken to the event at no cost while younger people will have to part with $1.
It is believed that King Mzilikazi died on September 5, 1868, and is remembered every year.
Speaking to Chronicle yesterday, Rodgers Mthethwa, spokesperson of Mthwakazi “Ka” Mzilikazi Cultural Association, the organisers of the commemorations, said the event was a reminder of a great statesman who established a nation.
“We are trying by all means to preserve our culture by celebrating the life of the great nation builder Mzilikazi. Ndebele may be under threat in present day Zimbabwe but it will not die,” he said
Mthethwa said there was a general misconception that the event was for the Khumalos and some political front of some unnamed political parties.
“It is not a Khumalo event. When Mzilikazi left Zululand in the 1820s he did not take his kinsmen only but with more than 500 people who were from different tribes and also people from Nguni stock commonly known as “Abezansi”.
“We are not a political front as some senior government officials including serving ministers have attended in their individual capacities. We have acknowledged their presence but never given them a platform to express political views. We always get assistance across all political divisions in Zimbabwe amongst other people who contribute,” he said.
Mthethwa, speaking on the debate over the deployment of non-Ndebele speaking teachers in Matabeleland said this had “polluted” the language.
“The pollution of Ndebele language was a result of deployment of non-Ndebele speaking teachers and other civil servants who insist on speaking their language regardless of the individual circumstances, they may find themselves in,” he said.
The celebrations have over the years been attended by King Zwelonke Sigcawu — the 28th King in the Xhosa dynasty and Princess Patricia Zulu — the sister of Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, both from South Africa.
Traditional beer that is donated by Ingwebu Breweries will be served to people at the gathering.
The Khumalo family plays a special role in preparing the traditional beer.
King Mzilikazi was born the son of Matshobana near Mkuze, Zululand in 1790 in South Africa. In 1823 he crossed the Limpopo River during the Umfecane after having a fall-out with Zulu King Tshaka and finally settled in Matabeleland in the 1830s, establishing his capital at Mhlahlandlela. King Mzilikazi died in 1868 and was buried in a cave at the Matopo Hills.
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