Byo council to turn Inxwala site into cultural centre
BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) says it is planning to turn the Inxwala site into a cultural centre to showcase the Ndebele culture. The site, situated close to North End suburb opposite Masotsha Ndlovu Avenue, will add to the tourism sites of the city due to its historical significance.
The city’s acting director for town planning, Wisdom Siziba said Inxwala, used for the special Ndebele cultural event, was a sacred place which needed to be preserved for future purposes.
“The Inxwala had been included in the Bulawayo Tourism Corridor and would soon be declared a historic site,” he said.
Engineering services director Simela Dube said once the cultural site was developed, it would be protected accordingly.
Latest council minutes state that council has also approved the proposed change of reservation for a piece of land known as the Bulawayo Township Lands measuring approximately 13,5 hectares from residential and ancillary to institutional (cultural centre).
The council said the change of reservation of the land would not negatively affect the balance of residential land within the city as it had adequate land set aside for residential development.
“Further changing the site to institutional (cultural village) would serve to benefit the whole country as people would be given the opportunity to experience the rich history of the site,” part of the minutes read.
The site was being used for the special Ndebele cultural event called Inxwala, hence it became known as the Inxwala site.
This was the site where Ndebele King Lobengula held the festival of the first fruits after harvest.
This festival was characterised by cultural song and dance routines which were symptomatic of the Zulu nation celebrating the fact that it was looking forward to bountiful supplies of food to the kingdom.
The festival also served as a thanksgiving to God for providing food for the nation. As the leader of his nation, the king had to accept the early harvest from God on behalf of his kingdom.