Sobukhazi is more than a name, it is our heritage

ESTABLISHED in 1970 as one of the few F2 schools that catered for students who would mostly use their hands, Sobukhazi High School is a familiar name, but unfortunately meaningless to many hence often wrongly pronounced as “Sobukazi”.

The name was given to the school as an honour to one of Mzilikazi’s inyangas who was very important in the building and expansion of the Ndebele State. Mzilikazi KaMatshobana Khumalo, founder of the Ndebele State migrated from Zululand with his group and on their way defeated many states and absorbed them into the Ndebele State.

Those that were raided, defeated and captured were cleansed by an inyanga called Sobukhazi Masuku, KaPhanyane OkaNqamakazi.

After cleansing they were clean (bakhazimula) and they became part of the state. The name Sobukhazi is quite symbolic as the place where the school stands on was once a dumpsite and is very close to Mzilikazi High School just as Sobukhazi Masuku made people clean and was close to King Mzilikazi.