Ndebele king honoured
THE 128th ANNIVERSARY of the passing of amaNdebele King Silamba on Saturday was used by thousands who flocked to Komjekejeke Heritage Site in Wallmansthal as a celebration of their culture, history and heritage.
The annual event was graced by royal delegations from across the country and as far as the DRC and Zimbabwe.
Event spokesperson Willy Mabena said: “This is a special celebration. Over the years, our attendance has grown from 100 people to more than 20 000.”
He said the occasion was to commemorate the legacy of King Silamba, one of the AmaNdebele kings, who led his nation against apartheid and colonialism.
King Silamba ascended the throne in the 1800s and died in 1892 in Komjekejeke, where he was laid to rest. Komjekejeke was declared a national heritage site in 1999.
Mabena said: “He has fought a lot of battles and he had successes in all those battles. Today we are celebrating our culture, our history and our heritage.”
He said AmaNdebele were honoured to have visitors from other African countries.
According to him, the event was used to educate youth about their culture and encourage them to be proud of it.
The display of culture through the multi-coloured isiNdebele outfit was something to write home about.
Some women donned bright and colourful aprons decorated with white beads, while others had matching neck hoops.
The event was also characterised by the singing of traditional songs and dances.
The current King Makhosonke II Mabena, who was the key speaker, encouraged amaNdebele to take education seriously, saying his kingdom has signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Mpumalanga to enhance isiNdebele language.
He called for co-operatives in agriculture to be revamped to increase food production.
He also bemoaned the fact that the country was beset by the scourge of crime, saying communities needed to work with the police in the fight against it.