Online Reporter
Mzala Tom
The Khumalo people were a clan of the Ntungwa-Nguni whose common ancestor was Mntungwa. The clan’s name Khumalo is literally derived from the verb khuma, which means “to chew dry food”. When combined with a demonstrative pronoun lo- lokhu – (this), the clan’s name Khumalo (chew this dry food) is produced.
Prince Khumalo came from the Ntungwa clan because his grandfather was called Mntungwa. Khumalo’s father, Mbulazi, had two sons, Mabaso the eldest and Khumalo the youngest. The Nguni used the paterfamilias system, whereby the father of the homestead was the head of his family, often established from a polygamous marriage.
The households of Prince Khumalo and his elder brother Prince Mabaso grew so big such that the two decided to leave their father’s homestead to form their independent kingdoms. Prince Mabaso had his kingdom in present-day Mnambithi while Prince Khumalo built his kingdom in present-day Nquthu.
Nguni kings were succeeded by their sons, usually the eldest son of, undlunkulu. King Khumalo was succeeded by his son Mkhatshwa, and the latter was succeeded by his son Zikode. King Zikode was succeeded by his son Gasa whose brothers were Princes Magawosi and Matshobana. King Gasa was succeeded by his son King Magugu. King Magugu’s brothers were Princes Donda and Siwela.
The two princes were not happy to be ruled by their brother. They then decided to join their uncles (brothers of King Gasa) Princes Matshobana and Magawosi; and Bheje the son of Prince Magawosi. This group relocated to Ngome in the present-day northern KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa.
The three members of the royal family, who led this group decided to split and share Ngome into an alliance of three autonomous Khumalo kingdoms. Therefore, the three members of the Khumalo royal family became new kings of their kingdoms. They were King Matshobana the brother of the late King Gasa, King Bheje the son of Prince Magawozi and King Donda the brother of King Magugu.
King Donda’s place was known as Esizibeni and was located beyond the Sikhwebezi River. That is why he is known as Donda WeZiziba to date. King Bheje established his kingdom at Ngome, and it was known as Etsheni likaBheje. Prince Siwela did not relocate with the others. His son Prince Mlotshwa later established a massive homestead known as Sothulini near the Amaphondwana Hill. Prince Mlotshwa is father of the Nkosi Ntungwas, who are also known with the praise name, Ndlangamandla.
King Matshobana’s palace was at the Ndinaneni settlement, where Crown Prince Mzilikazi was born sometime between 1790 and 1795. Ndinaneni was established from between Sikhwebezi up to the area along Mkhuze River, as it meanders across Ngome heading eastward to the Indian Ocean.
The Khumalo kingdoms were also known as the Ntungwa kingdoms, since Khumalo, the ancestor of the royal family was a descendant of Mntungwa.
Nguni folklore narrates that King Matshobana was a brave warrior and heroic as he fought with and killed a leopard with one hand. The other hand had been amputated many years ago at the Ndwandwe battles. It is for this reason that the leopard is the spirit animal of the Khumalo descendants to date.
Bongani Ndlovu