Famous Venda People

Here is the catalogue of Famous Venda People. There is nothing gratifying than seeing previously disadvantaged group (especially Black people) doing well in life and being recognized for the job they do. This serves as an inspiration to others who at this juncture fighting their way to the top. Not all these people were born with silver spoon in their mouth.


Adv Alwei Mushavhanamadi
Adv Given Ramatsekisa
Adv Lufuno Nevondwe
Adv Maele Mushasha
Albert Tshivheaho Mathivha "Seremane"
Alfred lusunzi
Alfred Taringo Lukoto (Judge)
Alex Netshapasha (News reader)
Alpheous Ramavhea
Aluwani Dzhivhuho
Andrew Khalushi (Music Compiler Phala Phala)
Annah Magwaba (Magwaba bus Service)
Asivhanzhi Mathaba (SA Multitalented director. Directed Big Brother, Latitude, zola7, walala wasala e.tc. Has own company: Asi-B Films
Azwi Malaka (Pfuluwani at Muvhango)
Berea Madzonga
Belafonte Rudzani Mawela
Beverley Maphangwa(MetroFM Producer)
Bricks Mudau
Charity Mukondeleli (Boxer)
Chester Makana(journalist Sowetan)
Chester Ramulifho (Director Friends like these, Live at SABC1)
Chillboy Rathando aka "CC" (Small interprenuer)
Col (Ret) George Ramaremisa
Colbert Mukwevho (Vendareggae Legend)
Cyril Ramaphosa
Dan Tshanda
David Lufuno Mabilu aka "Mabix"
David Matamela (Choreographer)
David Thidiela
Diniel Mambushu Mudau
Dj MacG Mukwevho
DJ Nipro
Domina Munzhelele (Phala phala FM drama Producer)
Donald Khanari (Radio Presenter)
Dr Eric Ralinala (Safa National Team doctor u/20. Physiotherapist)
Dr Ephraim Nematshwereni (Former doctor of Amaglug-glug,Moroka Swallows,
olimpic team)
Dr Fhulufhelo Netswera
Dr J.G Tshifularo (Vhembe FET CEO)
Dr Ndivhuwo Lukhwareni
Dr Neluvhola (Traditional healer)
Dr Ntavhanyedzeni Phaswana
Dr Ramasuvha Tsephen Vhulahani
Dr Victor Ramathesele
Dr Tshiwela Neluheni
Dr Rudzani Muloiwa aka 'Rudz'
Elelwani Mathivha
Elijah Mushiana (Journalist)
Eric Ramavhale
Emmanuel Kwinda
Emmanuel Makungo (SABC News Journalist)
Fhatuwani Calvin Munyangane (Radio News Reader)
Fhatuwani Patricia Mugivhi
Frederik Tshamano Phaswana (Chairman of Standar Bank Group)
Florence Masevhe
Fredy Sadiki (Phala Phala Station Manager)
Gabriel Temudzaniaka Chief Azwinndini
George Muthundine Phadagi
George Negota
Given Mulaudzi "Master G"
Gladys Lukhwareni (Athlet)
Gladwin Khangale
Glen Lewis Tshinavhe aka
Glen Lewis
Hulisani Cecilia Ravele aka CC
Hulisani Muloiwa
Humbelani Nengovhela
Humbulani Netshandama (Motivational Speaker)
Humbulani Ramagwedzha (reggae artist)
Hyson Musandiwa
Ice p (Lusunzi)
Ike Mboneni Muila (Poet&Writer)
Innocent Mashamba "Radio News Reader"
Ipfi Maumela
Irene Mawela
Isaac Mbedzi (Sports commentator)
Isaac Murwa wa Murwa Muila (SABC Radio News)
Isaac Mushiana aka Vhakoma in Mathathai
Itani Madima (musician)
Jedi Mulovhedzi (Tsiko Production)
Jenipher Muthige (Radio Presenter)
Jimmy Netshilulu- "da scratcher"
Joe Mafela aka Mbungula, Sdumo
Joel Netshitenzhe
Joe Latani Sekhwama
Joel Tangulani aka “Mujuwi”, “dwathwa”
Jones Netshipise-"Tshigalane"
Joseph Masimbane
Joyce Mabudafhasi
Joyce Mashamba
Jude Tshisevhe
Junior Singo (actor)
Kedibone Mulaudzi (Comedian)
Khakhathi Tshisikule (Khakhathi and Friends)
Khathu Mamaila (City Press)
Khume Ramulifho
Kirsten Nematandani (SAFA President
Lindelani Mukwevho (Construction)
Lovemore Ndou (Boxer)
Lucky Tharaga
Lucky Tshilimandila
Lufuno Dagada (gospel artist)
Lufuno Lefty maphala
Lufuno Munonde
Lufuno Nemungadi (Rhythm City E-TV Line producer)
Lufuno Tshivhase
Lukhwareni
Lusani MafunzwainiRe.
Lutendo Brenda Mukwevho (Director at Muvhango)
Lutendo Tshisikule
Luvhengo Mungomeni (Footballer)
Maduvha Madima
Magwedzha Mphaphuli
Malakiya Ndou
Marther Makhela
Mbulaheni Charles Mphephu
Mmbara Hulisani Kevin
Makhadzi Mpilo (musician, News reader)
Mashudu Elphas Tshivhase
Mashudu Elphas Tshivhase
Mashudu Mabatha
Mashudu Mabidi (Poet)
Mashudu Mabushe (Ndevhetsini)
Mashudu Madzhie
Mashudu Mphafudi
Mashudu Ramano
Mashau Silas Ramaite
Mathoho Eric Mulomowandau (Footballer)
Mbavhalelo Elvis Nemukula (senior Sub-Editor Sowetan)
Mbodi Khalushi
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi
Mickson Tshinyane (Sports Commentator)
Millicent Tshiwela Makhado aka Agnes at Muvhango
Mike Mutshinya (Sports SABC)
Moses Netshitangani
Mufamadi Thabadiawa
Mukoni Ratshitanga
Muleya Shonisani(Ashifashabba)
Muleya Tshimangadzo
Mulondolo Ramulongo (musician)
Mpho Nefale- "Linoni"
Mpho Rathando
Mpho Tsedu
Marcus Mundalamo
Maswigiri Mulaudzi
Masana Mulaudzi (SAWIP)
Masala Ndou
Masimbe
Mathatha Tsedu (SA Veteran Journalist)
Maumela Mahuwa aka Suzan
Maumela TN (Tshivenda writer)
Muditambi Ravele (National Co-ordinator, Wonen&Sport)
Mulondo Sekwivhilu
Mbulungeni Masenya Mphaphuli (Radio News Reader)
Mike Manena
(Sports Analyst)
Mudini Maivha
Mulalo Ramarumo "Duka"
Mutondi Neshehe aka Ndalamo
Mutsitsielwa Mureri
Munonde (Gizara Cleaning company)
Munyadziwa Nemutudi
Muronga (Editor SABC News Limpopo Combo)
Ndanganeni Mudau
Ndavheleseni Ramakuwela
Ndivhuwo Given Khuba
Ndivhuyafhi Mathode
Ndivhuwo Khangale
Ndivhuwo Musetha (Journalist)
Ndivhuwo Mutsila aka Albert at Muvhango
Ndou Adam
Ndwambi AG (Enos Bus Service)
Nkhangweni Rambau
Net Ramabulana
(Blessing in Askies)
Ntakadzeni Ronald Munyai
Ntshavheni Wa Luruli
Ntambudzeni Rasendedza aka Mr Bundu
Ntsieni Ramabulana ‘Big Daddy”
Ofhani Owen Muebi (Ndevhetsini)
Ofhani Munyai (Capricon FM Producer)
Pastor Tshifhiwa Irene
Pastor Isaac Dagada
Pat Raphunga
Phathutshedzo Muthambi aka 'Tshibulebule'
Phathutshedzo Ratshilumela aka Phash (MD, Mio)
Percy Mukwevho
Phillip Ndou "Time bomb"
Paul Mafela aka Mushasha
Pfarelo Maduguma
Phumudzo Manenzhe "The Bold"
Precious Maiwashe (Sports Presenter)
Prof NM Musehane
Professor Hery Nengwekhulu
Professor Maano Ramutsindela
Prof Mashudu Tshifularo
Professor Tshilidzi Marwala
Professor Mulalo Doyoyo
Professor Mpfari Budeli
Professor NR Madadzhe
Professor N.A Milubi
Professor Ntshengedzeni Alfred Nevhutanda
(Chairman SA Lottery)
Ragimana Praise (Tsalena Media)
Ramarumo Tshililo
Ratshitanga Samson Ndou
Reckson Phadziri
Rendani Rathando
Rendani Sikhwivhilu
Robson Rambuwani (Likhuwa)
Rofhiwa Bologo "Tholi B"
Rofhiwa Manyaga (gospel)
Rofhiwa Nethengwe (Radio Presenter)
Rofhiwa Rampfumedzi (music Compiler Phala Phala)
Rotenda Mphephu
Rotenda "Purple Rose" Maiwashe
Roxley Masevhe
Rudzani Dzuguda (Dzuguda Production)
Rudzani Ramudzuli
Rudzani Khalushi "1020"
Rudzani Tshivhase (SABC Radio News Journalist)
Salome Mutshinya
Saulo Nephawe (musician)
Shandukani Madima
Sharon Ravele (Radio Presenter)
Shumani Mugeri Manenzhe (Climatologist)
Stephen Mbedzi
Strike Mulaudzi
Sydney Kharivhe
Sydney Mashige (sports comentator)
Sydney Fholisani Mufamadi
Stanley Liphadzi
Takalani Joseph Raulinga
Takalani Madima
Takalani Mudau (musician)
Takalani Musekwa
Takalani Ndou (gospel)
Takalani Raulinga
Takalani Vincent Ratshibvumo (Magistrate)
Thambatshira Ndadza (Ndevhetsini)
Thanyani Philip Ramawa
Thembuluwo Mamphodo aka Mbungu
Thomani Makwarela
Thomas Muleya (Capricorn FET)
Thovhele VhoKennedy Tshivhase (self-proclaimed King of Venda)
Thinawanga Conrad
Thilivhali Muavha aka "Big T"
Thilivhali Mulaudzi (Traffic)
Thilivhali Ralutanda aka "Tosh Gill" (Capricorn FM Producer)
Thivhilaeli Simon Nedohe
Thivhudziswi Lukoto
Thikolelwi Liphadzi
T Man Garvin
TN Makuya (Tshivenda writer)
Tryphosa Ramano
Tshamano Makhadi
Tshamano Nepfumbada (Phala phala FM Programmes Manager)
Tshamano Sebe
aka Biza in stockvel
Tshianeo Elizabeth Phathela (phala phala fm)
Tshidino Ndou aka Chidino (Dzhatsha Film)
Tshinetise Solomon Mathase
Tshifhiwa Cassius Lukoto
Tshifhiwa Doyoyo
Tshifhiwa Pat Nephawe
Tshifhiwa Munyai "Atomic Spider"
Tshifhiwa Thidiela
Tshililo Nelufule "Tshiraiza"
Tshiphiri lucas Nemutanzhela (Political analyst)
Vusani Netshimbupfe (Limpopo Traditional Affairs Chairperson)
Vhutshilo Nelwamondo
Vasco Manavhela aka "VM, Mujix"s
Victor Ravhuanzwo
Wanani Nevhutalu (Director Generation)
Watson Tshivhase (Political Analyst)
WMRD PhophiSS Madima
William Mukwevho (die hard kaizer chiefs fan)
"Zwo" Nevhutalu
Zwikhodo Netshituni (Journalist)

Heita (8ta) mobile network will benefit consumers

Increased competition benefits consumers a great deal. I disagree with those who say it’s too little too late for Telkom to own a mobile network. According to other reports Telkom had a stake at Vodacom mobile network and some heavily criticise Telkom by selling its Vodacom shares.

I might not be a good economist but one thing for sure, following profound competition and technological convergence Telkom is in its own right and reasonable in bringing up a mobile network of its own. If we can check Telkom used to capitalise much on the provision of internet connection and land line phoning. Things have changed, some companies use mobile connections for internet and other business related matters. Today as I’m writing all mobile networks are capitalising on this, they use USB connection modern for internet connection. Most people I know have migrated to a new technology because it is convenient. So Telkom finds itself in the muddle, the reality is they are still competing with mobile networks’ like it or not. So what should they do? They are obliged to create their mobile network so that they can be back on the game. It’s a great idea Telkom has ever made.

It is a good news to consumers because they are still going to experience more mahala calls (free minutes) and low charges.

I must commend ICASA for opening up a market for increased competition. One would like the same to apply in the postal services. Eish! The prices of the fast mail that unemployed graduates buy everyday it’s beyond ones comprehension. Some people are unable to apply for jobs because of these unbearable prices, then how do you expect the unemployment rate to drop?

The introduction of 8ta is also a wakeup call for Cell C, Its good thing that they have revamped their logo. They must work hard to stay in the game. I am a happily South African with variety of mobile services choice to choose from.

Thanx a lot


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The death of the famous Paul Octopus

The Octopus that shot fame by correctly predicting 2010 Fifa World Cup results in South Africa has died. He predicted all games involving Germany and also picked Spain to win the World Cup final over the Netherlands. "The aquarium has already been grooming a successor, to be named Paul like his mentor" the Sunday Times reported.

One wonders if his successor would also be popular in the next 2014 World Cup in Brazil or is it the end of animals pridiction in foot ball. It is a briliant idea that the aquarium has decided to give Octopus Paul a special burial plot. I wouldn't be surprised if Fifa President Blatter grace the function, that creature made the World Cup to be a blast. Everyone watched every game that Octopus Paul predicted with such keen interest, wanting to attest if the Octopus got it right. It is advisable for the aquarium to name itself after Octopus Paul, which would be a great honor.

It is also a learson to orther endowed people out there who have something to show to the world. Do not keep talents to your self, there are other events in your neighborhoods other than Fifa World Cup where you can show case. Who knows? There are many ways to make a living.

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Mapungubwe

Many people take black people in Africa for granted; they think a black person can not do a thing without a white person on his side. But I completely disagree with such stereotypes. A black man can do everything he wants without a white man intervention also a white man can do everything he wants without Blackman’s intervention.

The history fully concur with me that Africa was and is not a “dark” continent after all. There are people who still think that people in Africa live on trees and eat like animals.while others still think that Africa wouldn’t have developed and transformed the way it is today if it was not because of colonisers. I beg to differ with such assertions. The history proves that Africans have been in mining ages before my great grand parents were born. They have been trading with gold for goodness sake, Mapungubwe is a perfect example.

The truth is, whether you are black, white, Indian, or coloured, God made us all and gave us equal opportunities. We, ourselves we then take for granted of what we are capable of. Other people are suffering not because they lack money, but because they do not think. They are still oppressed with the mentality that “behind every Blackman success, there is a white man”. The reality is that if you keep on thinking like that, you won’t make it in every aspect of life.

As God’s creatures, White, Indian, Black we need to work together to achieve greater things. Colour is nothing; it’s about potential and mental strength.

Below is the brief History, background of Mapungubwe Kingdom, gen up

THE CULTURAL LANDSCAPE:
settlement and cultural sequence in the Limpopo River Valley

Hunter-gatherers of the Stone Age roamed the river flood plains and cave sandstone hills of the Limpopo valley from time to time and left their stone tools there. Paintings in rock shelters and a few rock engravings are evidence of San hunter-gatherer communities in the Stone Age landscape. The first communities who made iron tool and clay pots arrived in the central Limpopo valley during the early Iron Age, possibly by AD 500. These people were the forerunners of larger farming communities of the Iron Age who settled in the Limpopo River valley between AD 800 and AD 1400.
The Iron Age sites at K2 and Mapungubwe were inhabited between AD 1000 and Ad 1300. Archaeologists believe that both sites were once capitals of African kings. Unfortunately the inhabitants identity remains a mystery since this part of history goes back before the written record and no known oral traditions can be recorded over a period of a thousand years, therefore the inhabitants are merely known as the ‘Mapungubweans’.

THE SETTLEMENTS
Mapungubwe is the site of three royal graves and was the center of a terraced settlement. Stonewalls buttressed the slopes and homesteads were scattered about. The king and his soldiers lived near the top of the hill and were supported by the people on the lower levels. The neighbouring village of K2 indicates that the inhabitants were subsistence farmers, raising both stock and crops. A valuable feature of K2 is the large central refuse site, from which archaeologists have been able to glean a store of information. Human remains from various graves indicate that these communities enjoyed a healthy, varied diet. People were prosperous and kept domesticated cattle, sheep, goats and dogs. The charred remains of storage huts have also been found, showing that millet, sorghum and cotton were cultivated.

TECHNOLOGY AND TRADE
Findings on Greefswald are typical of the Iron Age. Smiths created objects of iron, copper and gold for practical and decorative purposes – both for local use and for trade. Pottery, wood, ivory, bone, ostrich eggshells and the shells of snails and freshwater mussels indicate that many other materials were used and traded with cultures as far away as East Africa, Persia, Egypt, India and China.
It seems foreign trade was an important part of life in the area and large quantities of glass beads were obtained in exchange for gold and animal skins. At K2, numerous garden roller beads were made from imported glass beads.



NATIONAL & WORLD HERITAGE STATUS
The two main sites, Mapungubwe and K2, were proclaimed National Monuments in the early 1980’s. Boundaries are being set for the creation of a cross-border peace Park, named Mapungubwe National Park, this is also now a World Heritage Site.

AFRICAN FARMING COMMUNITIES and KINGDOMS:
traditions, subsistence, technology and trade
The traditions of African farming communities were central to their social life, settlement patterns, animal husbandry, agriculture, technology and trade. Many of these cultural aspects are reflected in the remains from K2 and Mapungubwe. A traditional African village is organized around family relationships, and creates household activity areas and places for special social occasions such as initiation schools and religious ceremonies. The close relationship of the villagers with their cattle is often symbolized by the position of the cattle kraal in the village. The domestic animals kept by African Iron Age people included cattle, sheep, goats and dogs. These people cultivated plants such as varieties of sorghum, millet and beans. The Iron Age people were skilled miners and metal workers. Some evidence of their skills are the numerous gold mines in Zimbabwe and some tin and copper mines in South Africa.

K2 – AN IRON AGE SITE: at the foot of Bambandyanalo Hill
K2 is I km southwest of Mapungubwe Hill in a small valley surrounded by cliffs. G A Gardner, who excavated there during the 1930’s, named K2. Between about AD 1030 and AD 1220, for nearly 200 years, many generations of farming people lived at K2. The main site of about 5 hectares includes the remains of a central homestead area, a central cattle kraal and a central midden, surrounded by smaller homesteads.
EVIDENCE OF DAILY LIFE AT K2: the village of a successful farming and trading community
K2 is a particularly large Iron Age site with vast deposits containing a wealth of artifacts such as glass beads and pottery, often found in the numerous graves of the villagers. Huge quantities of bone fragments from slaughtered domestic animals and burnt seeds of domesticated plants such as sorghum and bullrush millet indicate that the K2 people were successful farmers. They were generally healthy people due to their nutritious diet. They were skilled craftsmen who produced characteristic pottery, large glass beads, tools and body ornaments of iron, copper bangles and figurines of humans and domesticated animals. They hunted elephants and traded the ivory for glass beads imported via the African East Coast by traders such as the Swahili.

MAPUNGUBWE: stratigraphic pages of African history
Mapungubwe Hill is a sandstone hill with vertical cliffs and a flat top approximately 30m high and 300, long. A substantial deposit with layers of soil covers it; remains of floors, burnt houses and household refuse. The Southern Terrace below was inhabited from around AD 1030 to 1290 (about 260 years). The hilltop was inhabited for about 70 years from AD 1220 to Ad 1290.

GOLD SYMBOLS
The gold objects from the Mapungubwe graves, such as the rhinoceros, sceptre and bowl, were originally gold sheet or foil covering wooden carvings. The gold sheet was folded around the wooden core and held in place with tacks. In some cases, the gold cover was decorated with punched indentations or incised lines.
Some of these objects, such as the sceptre and rhinoceros, were possibly symbols associated with a person of special significance or high status, such as a king. The person was eventually buried with these objects in accordance with traditional customs and social or religious beliefs. Numerous beads and bangles from graves on Mapungubwe Hill indicate that some members of the community adorned themselves with different types of golden jewellery. These ornaments probably belonged to senior members of the royal family at Mapungubwe.
CLAY ARTEFACTS

Many objects were made of fired clay, or pottery. They were used for various purposes, some still unknown. Human figurines, usually with an elongated body and stumps for heads, arms and legs, were common at K2. They are often decorated with incisions or rows of dots. Some are highly simplified, like the conical figurine found at Mapungubwe.
Animal figurines, mostly from K2, include cattle, sheep and goats. At Mapungubwe, a giraffe figurine was also found. The conical figurines often found at Mapungubwe may have had symbolic significance. Some everyday practical items include spoons, whistles, a funnel and spindle whorls used in the production of cotton cloth. Large pottery beads and mould were used to manufacture large cylindrical glass beads, known as garden roller beads.

ARTEFACTS OF ANIMAL ORIGIN
The Iron Age villagers adorned themselves with numerous beads made of ostrich eggshell, large land snails, bone and ivory.
They wore bracelets made of ivory, decorated their clothes and hair with pins made of bone and ivory, and wore perforated cowrie shells imported from the East Coast.
Some of the last inhabitants of Mapungubwe made and used polished bone arrowheads and arrow link shafts, similar to the arrows used by the San or Bushmen.
Some bone arrowheads from Mapungubwe have flattened front ends into which iron tips were fitted. The people used awls and flat needles made of bone, probably to manufacture clothes from animal skins.

GLASS BEADS: TRADITIONS AND TRADE
Thousands of glass beads have been found in the middens and graves at K2 and Mapungubwe. Burial customs show that children and adults wore strings of beads in a traditional African way. Large quantities of these beads were traded through Swahili ports on the East coast of Africa. Trade beads were imported from foreign countries such as Egypt or India in exchange for ivory and gold from Africa.

The K2 people manufactured large beads, known as garden roller beads. Whole and broken trade glass beads were melted and the molten glass was wound into a prefabricated clay mould to set. The clay mould was then broken to remove the new garden roller glass bead. These are the oldest glass objects made in Southern Africa.


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Dis-Graced Mugabe

Mugabe’s late sister Sabina is reported to have told Mugabe before she died that Grace and Gideon Gono, the powerful head of Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and Mugabe’s confidant, were secret lovers. Grace 41 has taken lover before “One lover, Peter Pamire, died in a mysterious car accident. James Makamba. One of Zimbabwean richest businessman and a top rainking Zanu-PF official, enjoyed her favour but their affair ended in tears, too, when a furious and sexually jealous Mugabe ran him out of town in fear of his life” the Zimbabwen Mail reported.

I opted not to write about the death threats and the people that Mugabe is alleged to have killed because I wanted to centre on the main issues here which are the root of the problem (Cheating and Forgiveness). The issue that also raised my eyebrow is about Mugabe’s junior wife, I keep asking myself questions if she truly loves the man she is married with. We have these breed of women all over the world “Gold Digers”. Robert Mugabe might be seen as a tyrant and a human rights abuser to many but we should not encourage adultery in any way, the reality is that he has been cheated; he is still a human being.

On the above quotation, it has been highlighted that Grace has had affairs with two different men before Gono. Perhaps sometimes forgiveness can lead you to more trouble. I don’t know what Mugabe was thinking when giving his cheating wife a second and third chance at the first place. In our culture (Venda Culture) cheating by a woman is taken as serious offence. There is NO SECOND CHANCE for cheating women (hupfi otswa nga Tshivenda). This is what you get when you forgive a cheat, more EMBARRASSMENT.

Perhaps God has the way of punishing people; what ever wrongs that Mugabe has done this might be the rightful punishment God had to give him. Such things happened in the bible when Absalom had sexual intercourse with his father’s concubines (David) in sight of every one. It was a punishment to David by God. It is an embarrassment for a leader who can stand still against the world without budging but yet surprisingly he can not sort his personal issues. Or should I call it a “domestic affairs” he keeps bragging about.

I do not encourage divorce but the decent thing that Mugabe can do is to divorce his “prostitute” and stop eliminating everyone who fall on Grace’s trap (if the allegations are true). I mean even two warnings are enough for someone to loose a job. The problem is a woman. It goes back to the article I wrote few moths back about Mswati’s wife having an affair with his closest friend, actually it’s a replica. The so called “Close Friends” they are green snakes on the green grass. I’m inclined to agree with those who say “there is no permanent friendship in politics”.

Ndaa!


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Tsonga or Shangaan People

There are many things that you do not know about Tsonga or Shangaan people, here is their history. I saw it fitting to also publish the history of Tsonga people in order to also help in promoting our history and diverse culture as South Africans.

Introduction

The Tsonga are a diverse people, generally including the Shangaan, Thonga, Tonga, and several smaller ethnic groups. Together they numbered about 1.5 million people in South Africa in the mid-1990s, with some 4.5 million individuals in southern Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Historical Background
The first Tsonga-speakers to enter the former Transvaal probably did so during the 18th Century. They were essentially traders who followed rivers inland, where they bartered cloth and beads for ivory, copper and salt.

The Shangaan tribe came into being when King Shaka of the Zulu, sent Soshangane (Manukosi) to conquer the Tsonga people in the area of present-day southern Mozambique, during the Mfecane upheaval of the 19th Century. Soshangane found a fertile place inhabited by scattered communities of peace-loving people, and he decided to make it his home rather than return to Shaka.

The Shangaan were a mixture of Nguni (a language group which includes Swazi, Zulu and Xhosa), and Tsonga speakers (Ronga, Ndzawu, Shona, Chopi tribes), which Soshangane conquered and subjugated.
Soshangane insisted that Nguni customs be adopted, and that the Tsonga learn the Zulu language. Young Tsonga men were assigned to the army as 'mabulandlela' (those who open the road). Soshangane also imposed Shaka's military system of dominion and taught the people the Zulu ways of fighting.

Soshangane’s army overran the Portuguese settlements in Mozambique, at Delagoa Bay, Inhambane and Sena, and during the next few years, he established the Nguni kingdom of Kwa Gaza, which he named after his grandfather, Gaza.

The Gaza Kingdom comprised parts of what are now southeastern Zimbabwe, as well as extending from the Save River down to the southern part of Mozambique, covering parts of the current provinces of Sofala, Manica, Inhambane, Gaza and Maputo, and neighbouring parts of South Africa.
Another army, under the command of Dingane and Mhlangana, was sent by Shaka to deal with Soshangane, but the army suffered great hardship because of hunger and malaria, and Soshangane had no difficulty, towards the end of 1828, in driving them off.

During the whole of this turbulent period, from 1830 onwards, groups of Tsonga speakers moved southwards and defeated smaller groups living in northern Natal; others moved westwards into the Transvaal, where they settled in an arc stretching from the Soutpansberg in the north, to Nelspruit and Barberton areas in the southeast, with isolated groups reaching as far westwards as Rustenburg.

After the death of Soshangane in 1856, his sons fought over the chieftainship. Soshangane had left the throne to Mzila, but Mawewe felt that he should be chief. Mawewe attacked Mzila and his followers, causing them to leave Mozambique and flee to the Soutpansberg Mountains in the Transvaal.

Mzila stayed with João Albasini at Luonde. Albasini, who had been appointed by the Portuguese Vice-Consul to the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) in 1858, employed many of the Tsonga men as 'indhuna' (headman), and defenders of his fort-like home at the foot of the Piesangkop near the modern town of Makhado (formerly known as Louis Trichardt).

Aided by Albasini and traders at Lourenço Marques, Mzila gained the upper hand, returning and defeating Mawewe in 1862. Mawewe fled to Swaziland, where he sought the help of King Mswati I, finally settling in northern Swaziland on the border with Gazaland. Ngungunyane, who succeeded Mzila, was defeated by the Portuguese in 1895, which caused the collapse of the Gaza kingdom.
The Tsonga came to João Albasini for protection and they considered Jiwawa (the Tsonga version of his name) as their chief. Between 1864 and 1867, the Tsonga were involved in the battles between Paul Kruger's commandos and the Venda chief Makhato. For their services they were rewarded some land near the town of Schoemansdal.

This area became known as the 'Knobneusen Location', because of the habit the Tsonga had acquired of tattooing the nose. Later the Shangaan people fled to the Lowveld after the Portuguese conquered them. The descendants of both Tsonga and Shangaan lived together in the area and a great deal of interaction occurred between the two groups.

The Tsonga-Shangaan homeland, Gazankulu, was carved out of northern Transvaal Province during the 1960s and was granted self-governing status in 1973. The homeland economy depended largely on gold and on a small manufacturing sector.
Only an estimated 500,000 people - less than half the Tsonga-Shangaan population of South Africa - ever lived there. Many others joined the throngs of township residents around urban centres, especially Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Traditionally, each Tsonga family had its own "village" composed of a few houses and a kraal, surrounded by the fields and grazing areas. From 1964, the government started resettling the people in rural villages of 200 to 400 families.

These resettlements brought tremendous changes in the life of the people, some for the better (roads, schools, water, etc), some for the worse (scattering of the enlarged family, lack of privacy, problems with cattle, distance form the fields, and so forth).

Source: http://www.krugerpark.co.za/africa_pedi.html


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