BLACK HISTORY MONTH: The Ancestry of the abaThembu Kings

The Ancestry of the abaThembu Kings

The earliest known ancestor of the abaThembu was Zwide. One his most notable descendants was
Mbulali the father of Njanye.

Mbulali, whose grandson, Thembu, led his people from the present kwaZulu-Natal area to Dedesi in the present day Eastern cape.

Eight generations later, during the 16th century Nxeko led his people from Dedesi to the Msana river (where he lies buried), a tributary of the Mbashe River in Mthatha district. At Msana, his Great Place, Nxeko accommodated, merged and assimilated various fragments from communities such as amaBomvana, amaVundle, amaMpondomise and amaMfengu to build his kingship. Although some of the communities had their own recognised traditional leaders, they acknowledged Nxeko as their principal traditional leader and shared abaThembu custom and culture. Nxeko can thus be regarded as the first king of abaThembu and the AbaThembu emerged as a fairly closely knit community from the reign of Nxeko.

Nxeko fathered amongst others, two sons, Hlanga from the Great House and Dlomo from the right hand house. Nxeko died and was buried at Msana, in the district of Mthatha. After the death of Nxeko a succession struggle ensued between Hlanga and Dlomo which led to a battle at Msana. Hlanga, the heir apparent, was defeated by Dlomo and the traditional leadership shifted to the lineage of Dlomo. Hlanga left to establish his own separate community which was subordinate to the community led by Dlomo of the abaThembu kingship.

Dlomo was the father of Hala, (fl mid 1600s) ancestor of all later Kings. Hala was succeeded by Madiba, Tato,Zondwa, Ndaba and Ngubengcuka - also known as Vusani.



Ngubengcuka ruled from 1800 to 1830. He fathered Mtirara. At his death, Mtirara, his successor, was still a minor and Joyi became regent. Ngubengcuka consolidated abaThembu kingship. He merged with abaThembu fugitives from the wars of turmoil such as amaHlubi, amaTshangase, imiZizi and amaBhele. He successfully defended the kingship against amaQwathi, amaNgwane and amaVundle. Ngubengcuka established a unified Thembuland which stretched from Mthatha to the present day Queenstown. In 1827, during the reign of Ngubengcuka , Matiwane, a Ngwane chief, invaded abaThembu. This was to have a profound impact on the unity of Abathembu, as it forced minor communities like amaTshatshu and others to trek to Queenstown. Matiwane and his followers were defeated by abaThembu with the assistance of the British and amaGcaleka.

When Mtirara came of age he took his rightful place as king of abaThembu. Mtirara fathered three sons:Ngangelizwe, from the Great House, Matanzima from the right hand house and Mfanta from a minor house.Ngangelizwe, was succeeded by Dalindyebo, Jongilizwe (Sampu), Jonguhlanga Sabata, and Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo respectively. Jonguhlanga Sabata was appointed paramount chief of abaThembu as a whole, including Emigrant Thembuland and Bomvanaland with effect from 1 July 1954.

THE DISPERSAL

AbaThembu were first affected by the Mfecane wars when they were invaded by amaBhaca and amaNgwane in the 1820s. Some of the minor houses, notably amaTshatshu, were pushed westward towards Queenstown. In 1830 the Great House under Ngubengcuka continued to experience political instability. This resulted in the abrupt departure of Nonesi, the widowed great wife of Ngubengcuka, and her sons Mtirara and Matanzima from the Mgwali Great Place; which then fell under the chieftainship of Joyi. About 1838 they settled around Rhodana in the present district of Lady Frere. Around 1840 Mtirara, the eldest son of Ngubengcuka, was installed as the king of abaThembu. His Great Place was at Rhodana. He died in 1855, leaving his minor son Ngangelizwe.

After the death of Mtirara, Nonesi again became regent of abaThembu. Around 1860, Ngangelizwe returned to Mgwali and was installed as king of abaThembu at Mgwali. Nonesi remained at Gqebenya with Raxoti Matanzima, even after Ngangelizwe had returned to Mgwali. Shortly thereafter, the land around St Marks (the present-day Cofimvaba) was vacated by amaGcaleka due to the Nongqawuse cattle-killing 18episode. In 1865, the Colonial government offered this land to the residents of Lady Frere (formely known as “Tambookie Location”). This offer was accepted by four of the chiefs, namely Matanzima of amaHala, Ndarala of amaNdungwana, Gecelo of amaGcina and Stokwe of amaVundle. Nonesi, however, refused to move from Lady Frere and was consequently banished to Libode by the Colonial Government.

Matanzima soon became recognised as the leader of the four chiefs who had settled in the former Gcaleka territory, which then became known as Emigrant Thembuland. Emigrant Thembuland consisted of the two present districts of Cofimvaba and Xhalanga. Lady Frere remained part of the Cape Colony and, when the homeland system was introduced, it became part of the Ciskei independent state in 1976 and it was then included in the Regional Authority of Western Thembuland in the 1980s.




Matanzima was succeeded by Mhlobo and Mvuzo respectively. Mvuzo died and was succeeded by his son Kaizer Daliwonga Matanzima, as chief of amaHala. With the introduction of the Black Authorities Act, 68 of 1951 Emigrant Thembuland became a regional authority. Kaizer Daliwonga Matanzima was appointed chairman of the said regional authority. The Republic of Transkei Constitution Act 15 of 1976 constituted the Republic of Transkei. Emigrant Thembuland came to be called Western Thembuland, and Kaizer Daliwonga Matanzima was officially recognised as paramount chief in 1966. He died June in 2003 and was succeeded by his grandson, Zwelenkosi Matanzima, the son of Mtheto Matanzima who had predeceased his father.
The history as narrated above is mostly common cause. However, there are conflicting versions with regard to the status of Matanzima and his successors following the Mfecane Wars.


http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~royalty/states/southafrica/thembu.html
Peires, JB: ‘The House of Phalo’. 1981, Raven Press, Johannesburg, SA

http://www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=81349
abaThembu Descent line

Possible YDNA Haplogroup E1b1a (aka E-M2)

Zwide is the earliest known leader of the abaThembu who ruled round about 1080. One his most notable descendants was
Mbulali the father of
Njanye, (fl c1307?) who fathered
Thembu (who led his people out of KwaZulu–Natal to Dedesi in the present day Eastern Cape) and who in turn fathered
Ndilo & Mvelase (who remained with his followers in the present day KwaZulu-Natal. Following the rise of Shaka to power, they became part of the greater amaZulu nation) and
Ntongakazi (Dumakazi),
Bhomoyi, (fl c1517)
Cedume,
Mnguti,
Ntoyi,
Ntande and
Nxeko (b c late 1500s) 1st abaThembu king, whose two sons fought over the succession:
Dlomo & Hlanga (defeated, & left to establish his own separate community which was subordinate to the community led by his brother)
Hala, ancestor of all later kings.
Madiba
Tato
Zondwa (d c1756) and Dlawu
Ndaba (d c1800) Ntlazi ; Xuluma ; Bawana and Bhejula
Ngubengcuka Vusani (c1790 -1830); Fadana, Regent; Jumba; Nkosiyane; Mni; Mphasa and Nene
Mtikrakra (1819 - 1839) Great House Son, King of the abaThembu; Simakade; Mandela Left Hand House Son, Chief of Mveso; Joyi, Regent; Ngonyama; Mgudlwa; Viva; Mqanqeni; Gungubele; Qhwesha; Nohuthe; Ncapayi; & Shweni
Ngangelizwe Qeya (c1846 - 1884), King of the abaThembu; Matanzima Raxoti Right Hand House Son; Mbambonduna; Sigunagathi & Mfanta
Dalindyebo Alava, (1865-1920) King of the abaThembu; Namnawe; Mrazuli; Landile; Silimela, Regent; Ndumiso, Chief at Mpeko, Umtata; Twatikhulu & Mpondlombini
Jongilizwe Sampu, (1902 - 1928) King of the abaThembu; Jongintaba David, Regent; Melingqili; Mpondombini; Melithafa & Norrie
Sabata Jonguhlanga Dalindyebo (1928 - 1986), King of the abaThembu; Melithafa; Bambilanga Albert Mtirara Dalindyebo & Nxeko
Jongisizwe, Buyelekhaya Zwelinbanzi (1964- ), King of the abaThembu, Ndileka & Baka
-Njanye and Bhomoyi's dates taken from: Sihele, E G. (Councillor of the Thembu King of Roda). ‘Who Are The Abathembu; Where Do They Come From?’ Handtyped Manuscript c1933http://www.ru.ac.za/media/rhodesuniversity/content/corylibrary/documents/MS18534.pdf

- The dispute over KIngship between the Matanzima and Dalindyebo descendants was resolved in favour of Dalindyebohttp://www.sahistory.org.za/sites/default/files/Determination%20on%20Matanzima%20And%20Dalindyebo%20Paramountcies.pdf ).