In my historical biography book, Lost Inheritance, you will encounter great stories told to me by my grandmother, uMcibo. The story relates to how Mzilikazi killed his sons, uBuhlelo and uNkulumane, and several of his indunas at Ntabazinduna. I have titled the article Prince Nkulumane’s Attempted Coup. It is a historical biography of Mhabahaba Mkwananzi. He was my paternal grandmother’s great-grandfather.
Historical Biography of The Great Escape
The story begins in 1840 following the arrival of the Matabele in Gibihxegu (now Bulawayo). In October 1837, war broke out between the Matabele regiments and the Boers. The Voortrekkers were led by Potgieter and Uys. The Boers routed the Matabele who decided to flee Northwards beyond the Limpopo River. Limpopo River. A body of warriors, under the command of an induna named Gundwane Ndiweni (a.k.a. Mkalipi), escorted the non-combatants during their flight. On arriving at the third pass in the Dwarsberg, they continued northwards. They believed that, eventually, Mzilikazi would overtake them and assume command.
At the third pass, Mzilikazi and the bulk of the army veered to the left. When they enter Bechuanaland (now Botswana) they wander off.
Historical Biography of The Settlement
Meanwhile, Gundwane and his group arrived at Entabende, where they built a temporary settlement and planted their crops. After a while, Gundwane’s group built the first kraal in what would later become a western part of Southern Rhodesia. They built a new settlement which they named Gibixhegu.
As outlined in my historical biography, after two years had passed, the two sections of the Matabele remained separated. In 1839 winter gave way to spring. The Matabele custom demanded that the settlement should celebrate Nxwala. Only a king could preside over Ncwala, also known as the festival of first fruits.
At Gibixhegu, the people were growing restless, demanding that Gundwane confer with his fellow-indunas and choose a successor to Mzilikazi. Rumours were rife from wandering Bushmen and other sources that Mzilikazi had decided to abandon his subjects or had died.
Historical Biography of Treachery
Some of the indunas, including Mhabahaba, advocated to immediately crown Nkulumane as the new king of the Matabele. At their meeting, the majority of the indunas RESOLVED to appoint a search party. Its purpose was to scour the country to the west and report its findings to the Indunas. They claimed that it was not customary for the people to remain so long without a ruler.
uMcumbata and the other indunas insisted that Mzilikazi was still alive, and scoffed at the idea that he would forsake his wives, children, and subjects. Some of the indunas, including Mhabahaba, advocated to immediately crown Nkulumane as the new king of the Matabele. The meeting RESOLVED to appoint a search party to scour the country to the west and report their findings to the indunas. The search party’s terms of reference were to return with concrete evidence that, either Mzilikazi was dead, or was reluctant to resume sovereignty. The approval of the motion was not unanimous. However, Gundwane was prudent enough to postpone the meeting until the return of the search party.
Historical Biography of The Reunion
My historical biography book further recounts that, during the early months of 1840, Mzilikazi and his weary and crestfallen army were located on the fringes of the desolate part of Northern Bechuanaland, known as the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. Before this momentous meeting with Gundwane’s men, the King had heard nothing of the women and children. He was extremely delighted indeed to find that they were safe and settled in a luxuriant country. The thought of relinquishing his throne had never entered his mind. When he was told that some of the indunas were planning to install Nkulumane in his stead, he was astounded. He demanded to be conducted to his people by the shortest route.
It was at a spot, later known as Ntabazinduna, that Mzilikazi decided to establish a settlement. He then summoned Gundwane from Gibixhegu and accused him of conspiring with his fellow indunas to overthrow the old regime and also of seeking to promote Nkulumane to the chieftaincy of the Matabele. Hearing from Gundwane that the protagonists in the plot were the indunas: Nyathela Khanye, Dolo Mafu (a.k.a. Dambisamahubo), Mhabahaba Mkwananzi, Magalane Dlodlo, and himself. The five indunas were accused and convicted of treason and sentenced to death. They were arrested and tried for treason in the tribal court.
Historical Biography of the Execution
The trial was brief. The tribal court found Nyathela, Dolo, Magalane, and Gundwane guilty. Their execution took place in the vicinity of the flat-topped hill which, to this day, bears the name Ntabazinduna – Hill of Indunas. Mzilikazi ordered the four indunas thrown down a cliff.
In my historical biography book I allude to the fact that, because of Mhabahaba and Mzilikazi’s close association, which went back to the time when they both served as generals in Shaka’s Zulu army, and because he had shown repentance, Mzilikazi spared his life. Mzilikazi regarded his action in the plot to install Nkulumane as King, as an error of judgment and forgave him. Mhabahaba’s son, Dliso, succeeded him in 1896 and became the induna of the Intuta regiment. Mzilikazi banished Mhabahaba’s chieftaincy to Mberengwa for his part in the coup plot,
Then, Mzilikazi ordered two of his executioners to capture Nkulumane and kill him.
Still plagued with suspicion, Mzilikazi bade the executioners rid his subjects of two more of his sons, who stood in the direct line of succession to the Matabele throne. The first, Ubuhlelo, suffered a similar fate to Nkulumane. Queen Fulatha took preemptive action and smuggled her infant son, Lobengula, out of the kraal, and hid him. It was sometime later, when Mzilikazi’s wrath had subsided, that his mother revealed Lobengula to him. The boy became the King’s favourite, the heir-apparent, and, as history was to prove, the second and last of the Matabele despots.
Footnote
In my historical biography I recount the fact that, in the late 1950s to early 1960s, I shared a bedroom (a hut) with my grandmother until she left to live in Gokwe with her daughter, Gem, until she died in 1970.
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