REVIEW | Book clarifies myths about Mzilakazi’s flight and fights

Title: King Mzilikazi kaMashobane
Author: Nthebe Molope
Publisher: Madibana Publisher
Reviewer: Tumo Mokone

The story of a Khumalo crown prince who went on to form a kingdom for himself far from his land of birth is very much part of regional folklore in southern Africa. It is a story of many twists and turns, some of which are fantastic tales by overly enthusiastic storytellers.

There is a thin line between fantasy and reality in history, and that's what prompted Nthebe Molope to set out on his own epic journey of research, albeit by car and plane, to compile as much fact as possible about Mzilikazi.

It turned out to be a great effort as this book has gone far beyond the need to establish facts about Mzilikazi and break a litany of myths around him. This book touches on several historical events which took place in southern Africa in Mzilikazi's lifetime, including those in the years leading to his birth in Mkhuze, part of today's Zululand district in KwaZulu-Natal.

The book also touches on the political framework of the region during Mzilikazi's childhood, including how he met and befriended a young Shaka in the Mthethwa army. Interestingly, both young royals were in exile from their own lands – Shaka being kicked out of his Zulu clan led by his father Senzangakhona and Mzilikazi seeking refuge after his father Mashobane, a Khumalo chief, was assassinated by Zwide. The Ndwandwe king was also Mzilikazi's grandfather as his mother Nompethu, one of Mashobane's wives, was Zwide's daughter.

To cut the long story short, the Mthethwas helped Shaka secure the Zulu throne when Senzangakhona died in 1816. In 1820, an army led by Shaka, with Mzilikazi among his generals, finally crushed the Ndwandwe kingdom. Zwide fled the region and Mzilikazi returned to his Khumalo people to claim his crown. 

In 1823, following a personality grief by Mzilikazi against Shaka, the young Khumalo chief left his homeland with some of his people to begin what is believed to be the most intense march by a group of indigenes in southern Africa. 

Some of the immediate untruths Molope outlines about this trek is that it began smoothly without any adversity from Shaka. The book reveals that Mzilikazi, holding out in the rugged mountains in Ngenetsheni area (today part of Abaqulusi municipality), fought off a Zulu battalion sent to intercept him. His hideout was exposed by his half-brother Nzeni, but eventually, Mzilikazi was "allowed" to escape by his pursuers.

Secondly, Mzilikazi did not start his flight in a northwesterly direction towards the Transvaal but moved northeasterly towards southern Mozambique. From there, he led his people through Eswatini to finally reach Transvaal, where he lorded over Sotho-Tswana tribes for 15 tumultuous years – starting with Pedi-speaking communities.

He established three capitals, in Pretoria (Kungwini), Hartbeespoort (Dinaneni) and Magaliesberg (Hlahlandlela), from which he interacted, befriended or fought with various groups and individuals such as Christian missionaries like Robert Moffat and hustling mavericks like Englishman Henry Hartley. Mzilikazi habitually tormented Tswana tribes and despised the Griquas for being mercenaries for both Tswana chiefs and the Voortrekkers whom he mistrusted.

He had a good reason; a series of battles from 1836-1838, starting with the Battle of Vegkop (October 6 1836) in present-day Heilbron, Free State, finally pushed Mzilikazi over the Limpopo River and left Transvaal forever. His eventual conqueror was Andries Potgieter (whose forces included guns-for-fire Griquas and a sprinkling of Barolong of Chief Matlaba), a commander of Voortrekkers at Vegkop.

Three months later, in January 1837, Potgieter was on Mzilikazi's case again, destroying the settlement of Mosega and capturing thousands of cattle. The Battle of Gabeni in November 1838 was the final straw, and the following year Mzilikazi left the Marico area (as Molope points out, the name is bastardisation of Madikwe) in a northwest direction through Botswana until he settled in Zambia.

And what pushed him out of the swampy Zambezi valley into Bakalanga land, it's all in Molope's well-written book. The author outdid himself with the quality of research work he incorporated and authenticated with pictures, geolocations and extracts from contacts and existing literature on the topic.

All this served to produce work with a dual purpose: an intriguing read for literature lovers and a reference volume for students of southern African history.