Nguni versus non-Nguni wives in matters of chiefly succession

he died. His qualifying son Mzila died of malaria, ( impukane). As it turned out, Mabhikwa was to become the successor to Chief Sibuzo Khumalo whose reign was short lived.

The name Mabhikwa does seem to be Kalanga. The one area where indigenous languages survived through the naming ritual was in successful gynaecological interventions. We have in the past given names such as Nyamande, Majinkila, Hole and Sidambe as names where Nguni wives were assisted to conceive through the interventions of non-Nguni doctors. It seems there were similar circumstances in the case of the naming of Mlonyeni’s son Mabhikwa.

Not so long ago I met one Tshabalala man at a funeral who is descended from Chief Manondwane Tshabalala who was in charge of Insukamini regiment/ village. Some may recall that it was Chief Manondwane Tshabalala’s regiment that engaged Cecil John Rhodes’ invading forces at the Shangani River on 25 October 1893. According to the Tshabalala descendant that I met, Chief Manondwane Tshabalala was poisoned by a native commissioner at Gweru, ostensibly for his role in the Imfazo II of 1896. Insukamini was then stationed just outside present day town of Gweru.

However, we mention the story of Chief Manondwane Tshabalala because there once again we come across a name that is clearly not Ndebele. Chef Manondwane Tshabalala had two wives, so we gather. His first wife was not Nguni. The second wife was a Khumalo. As we have explained before, MaKhumalo, even though married later, took precedence over other wives. She became the senior wife, umdlunkulu who was to bear the succeeding chief. Bhebhedu Khumalo came from the non-Nguni house. From umdlunkulu there was son Nokwara.

For a Tshabalala family to have such a name there had to be a credible story behind it. I accordingly enquired and my informant had a ready answer. MaKhumalo conceived after the services of a Shona doctor were solicited. I knew the word nokwara to be the name of one of the four wooden diagnostic/ divination tablets, amathambo. I was more or less expecting some answer along the lines of assisted conception. The Shona doctor must have been mentioning the names of his diagnostic/divination bones as he went about his business.

The name stuck, with Ndebele naming tradition as its glue. However, the owner of the name was not amused with the name. He tried to change the name to Nokwana without much success. Later, the name was officially registered as Nongwane. The naming tradition was so strong it helped preserve medical history within some families. We also draw some chiefly succession lesson from the same family. Bhebhedu Tshabalala, though chronologically older, was superseded by Nokwara on account of being the son of a non-Nguni mother.

Nguni society regarded the Mabhenas, Mahlangus, Sibindis, Sikhosanas and the Masombukas, inter alia as Sotho people. This perception of the “Transvaal Ndebele” led to their being sidelined when it came to chiefly succession. As part of the abeNhla geographical/ethnic group they were ranked below the Nguni but above the indigenous people such as the Kalanga, Venda and Nyubi.

Chief Mabhikwa Khumalo married several wives. His first wife, a Mabhena, had no issue. The next wife was also a Mabhena, okaNyaningwe who was his first wife’s niece, umlamu wakhe. She produced girls only, referred to as amawabayi in SiNdebele. His third wife was yet another Mabhena. As far as the Imbizo men were concerned, for Chief Mabhikwa Khumalo it was as good as him not having married, at least from a succession viewpoint.

That was not the end of the story for Chief Mabhikwa Khumalo who reigned till 1983 when he was killed by the Gukurahundi. He went on to marry a Mkhwananzi woman, okaMunwe, umfokaMagobela. Nkomozempi Khumalo was Munwe Mkhwananzi’s younger brother. Given the ethnic perception and designation of the Mabhenas, it meant, in essence, MaMkhwananzi, okaMunwe was the umdlunkulu who was qualified to produce Chief Mabhikwa Khumalo’s successor. A second Nguni wife was also coming-in the form of MaDlodlo, okaMsindazi, okaSizungu.

However, all this took place in the post-colonial period when Ndebele chiefly succession rules were been being cast overboard. Nicholas Khumalo, a son by the most senior of the Mabhena wives, took over as chief and was installed on 8 September 1990 to oversee part of the areas of Lupane and Inkosikazi.

Once again, we are faced with a situation where in terms of chiefly succession rules a vacuum has been allowed to exist. The demise of the Ndebele State has not, to date, been succeeded by alterations or adjustments to the known traditional chiefly succession rules. As a result, some people think the situation that obtained in the pre-colonial period still holds. Others think there have been some changes. What is very clear though is total lack of clarity and position regarding chiefly succession rules.