Online Reporter
Langalakhe Mabena, [email protected]
WITH the nation preparing to gather for this year’s King Mzilikazi Commemorations on September 4 and 5 at the monarch’s grave in Entumbane, Matobo, celebrated playwright Thabani Hillary Moyo has underscored the importance of reviving and retelling the story of King Mzilikazi as a means of preserving his dignity, history and enduring legacy.
Moyo is part of the team behind the much-anticipated musical theatre production, Mzilikazi: The General Who Defied Shaka Zulu, for which he serves as scriptwriter.
The production is led by Albert Nyathi as executive producer, with Matesu Dube serving as assistant artistic director. Beauty Ndlovu is overseeing logistics and administration, while Ezra Tshisa Sibanda is responsible for media and publicity. Lenox Mhlanga is handling stakeholder relations.
The musical will showcase authentic cultural expressions, including indlamu, isitshikitsha and amabhiza dances, as well as traditional spear-and-shield choreography inspired by the era in which Mzilikazi lived.
Audiences will be taken through defining chapters of the king’s life, including his migration across the Limpopo River, his encounters with Scottish missionary Robert Moffat and the formidable challenges he faced in establishing the Ndebele State.
Moyo said the production seeks to highlight Mzilikazi’s role as a nation-builder who united diverse communities, including the Khumalo, Kalanga, Nzuza, Sotho-Tswana, Venda, Tonga and Nambya, under one kingdom.
For Moyo, who has spent three decades in theatre as a teacher, playwright and custodian of stories, taking on the task of writing the script is both an honour and a profound responsibility.
The theatre veteran has reimagined several works by William Shakespeare, including Romeo and Juliet, Othello and King Lear, and said he views the opportunity to tell Mzilikazi’s story as a defining moment in his career.
“For three decades, I have dedicated my life to theatre, as a teacher, a playwright, and a custodian of stories. I have watched our young people memorise Shakespeare while knowing little of the epic tales that unfolded on the very soil beneath their feet.
“That is why, when the opportunity arose to lead the scriptwriting for Mzilikazi: The General Who Defied Shaka Zulu, I knew this was not just another project. It was a calling,” said Moyo.
He said one of the questions the creative team is frequently asked is why the story of Mzilikazi is being told now.
According to Moyo, the answer lies in the need to reclaim and preserve a historical narrative that belongs to the people.
“Firstly, this story belongs to our people. For too long, King Mzilikazi kaMashobane has been remembered, particularly in certain historical narratives, as merely a violent warrior. The musical challenges this myth.
It presents him as he truly was — a visionary nation-builder, a unifier, and a leader who forged a kingdom from diverse communities including the Khumalo, Nzuza, Sotho-Tswana, Kalanga, Venda, Tonga, and Nambya,” he said.
Moyo said there was also growing demand for African stories to be told from African perspectives.
“The success of productions like Shaka iLembe has shown that audiences are eager to see African history dramatised with authenticity and pride. Yet, attempts to bring Mzilikazi’s story to the stage have been discussed for years, even during the time of the late Cont Mhlanga and Mbongeni Ngema.
“The sheer scale of the narrative, from his orphaned exile under Zwide, his meteoric rise under Shaka, the audacious act of defiance that triggered an epic migration, to the founding of a new kingdom north of the Limpopo, is a monumental challenge. It requires substantial resources, top-tier talent, and above all, a deep reverence for the subject matter,” said Moyo.
He said the team was deliberately taking time to research and refine the production rather than rushing it to the stage.
The premiere is scheduled for September 2027 to coincide with next year’s King Mzilikazi Day commemorations, giving the creative team a year to undertake extensive research and development.
Moyo said the team was engaging historians, cultural custodians and community leaders to ensure the script strikes a balance between historical accuracy and the dramatic depth required for a stage production.
“This production is not just about looking back. It is a preservation of the ‘heartbeat of our ancestors’. It is about ensuring that younger generations inherit a story that is balanced, honest, and empowering. To the people of Bulawayo, of Zimbabwe, and the wider world, this is your story.
The kraal is being built, the warriors are gathering, and the drums are beginning to beat. We invite you to be part of this journey,” said Moyo.
