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The AbaThembu (''abaThembu ababhuzu-bhuzu, abanisi bemvula ilanga libalele'') are a
Xhosa Xhosa may refer to: * Xhosa people, a nation, and ethnic group, who live in south-central and southeasterly region of South Africa * Xhosa language Xhosa (, ) also isiXhosa as an endonym, is a Nguni language and one of the official language ...
-speaking
Bantu people The Bantu peoples, or Bantu, are an ethnolinguistic grouping of approximately 400 distinct ethnic groups who speak Bantu languages. They are native to 24 countries spread over a vast area from Central Africa to Southeast Africa and into Southern A ...
who were under the Thembu Kingdom. According to Bantu oral tradition, the AbaThembu migrated along the east coast of Southern Africa before settling in KwaZulu-Natal. The earliest known AbaThembu Ancestor is King Mbulali KaNazinzaba Who lived from 1202 up until the year he died which was 1258, whose grandson , He led his people out of what was later to became the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal to Dedesi in the Now Transkei region of the Present-day Eastern cape province of South Africa. The AbaThembu emerged as a unified people during the reign of King
Ngubengcuka Ngubengcuka Aa! Ndaba!, also known as Vusani, (c. 1790 – 10 August 1830) was the king of the abaThembu, in the eastern-southern part of Xhosaland (Eastern Cape). Ngubengcuka succeeded his father, Ndaba, as king in 1810. Known as ''Inkosi Enkh ...
, who united clans living in
Thembuland Thembuland, af, Temboeland, is a natural region in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Its territory is the traditional region of the abaThembu, one of the states of the Xhosa nation. It was formerly also known as "Tamboekieland" or "Tamb ...
into a single political entity, owing allegiance to the AbaThembu royal family, or ''Hala Mvelase''. Famous AbaThembus include Prince Nelson Mandela, whose father was a reigning nobleman from a junior branch of the AmaMadiba clan of kings, and Prince Walter Sisulu.


Name

In the Bantu language, the name is ''abaThembu'', (''aba-'' is a common prefix implying "people"). The territory of the Thembu state was historically known as
Thembuland Thembuland, af, Temboeland, is a natural region in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Its territory is the traditional region of the abaThembu, one of the states of the Xhosa nation. It was formerly also known as "Tamboekieland" or "Tamb ...
. In the 19th century, Thembu were frequently known as the "Tamboekie" or "Tambookie" people. This name was originally the
Khoisan language Khoisan , or (), according to the contemporary Khoekhoegowab orthography, is a catch-all term for those indigenous peoples of Southern Africa who do not speak one of the Bantu languages, combining the (formerly "Khoikhoi") and the or ( in ...
term specifically for the followers of Chief Maphasa who moved into the area west of the
Great Kei River The Great Kei River is a river in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is formed by the confluence of the Black Kei River and White Kei River, northeast of Cathcart. It flows for and ends in the Great Kei Estuary at the Indian Ocean w ...
in the 1820s. However, Europeans used these terms as a synonym for "Thembu" for much of the 19th century.


History

Prior to the British conquest in the 19th century, the Thembu had an independent
kingdom Kingdom commonly refers to: * A monarchy ruled by a king or queen * Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy Kingdom may also refer to: Arts and media Television * ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama s ...
. The
Xhosa clan name Iziduko (pl.) in Xhosa are family names that are considered more important than surnames among Xhosa people. Many Xhosa persons can trace their family history back to a specific male ancestor or stock. Mentioning the clan name of someone is the ...
of the Thembu kings is Ntlazi aNkosiyane. Recent kings, including
Sabata Jonguhlanga Dalindyebo Sabata Jonguhlanga Dalindyebo (1928–1986) was the ruler of the Thembu Kingdom. He was the son of Jongilizwe Sampu Dalindyebo. His rule was marked by conflict with Kaiser Matanzima. This political conflict escalated until Sabata was arrested in ...
, took the surname Dalindyebo, after a 19th-century king. After conquest, the Thembu came under the government of the Cape Colony as part of
Transkei Transkei (, meaning ''the area beyond he riverKei''), officially the Republic of Transkei ( xh, iRiphabliki yeTranskei), was an unrecognised state in the southeastern region of South Africa from 1976 to 1994. It was, along with Ciskei, a Ba ...
. With the exception of a few missionaries and traders, Transkei was a
Bantustan A Bantustan (also known as Bantu homeland, black homeland, black state or simply homeland; ) was a territory that the National Party administration of South Africa set aside for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa (now ...
. The
Transkei Transkei (, meaning ''the area beyond he riverKei''), officially the Republic of Transkei ( xh, iRiphabliki yeTranskei), was an unrecognised state in the southeastern region of South Africa from 1976 to 1994. It was, along with Ciskei, a Ba ...
remained a bantustan under
apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid wa ...
, and was along with
Ciskei Ciskei (, or ) was a Bantustan for the Xhosa people-located in the southeast of South Africa. It covered an area of , almost entirely surrounded by what was then the Cape Province, and possessed a small coastline along the shore of the Indian O ...
regarded as the homeland of the Xhosa people. The great house of AbaThembu is called Eastern Thembu at Bumbane Great Palace and is situated in
Mtata Mthatha , formerly Umtata, is the main city of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa and the capital of OR Tambo District Municipality. The city has an airport, previously known as the K. D. Matan ...
, Eastern Cape. The right-hand house is called Western Thembu at Qamata Great Palace and is situated in
Cofimvaba Cofimvaba is a town in Chris Hani District Municipality in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The village is 79 km east of Queenstown on the route to Butterworth, in Thembuland. Probably named after the nearby stream which, after ...
, Eastern Cape. The Western Thembu's house enjoyed autonomy for decades and was often referred to as the right-hand house, while the Eastern Thembu's house was referred to as the great house.


The Kingdom story

King
Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo King Buyelekhaya Zwelinbanzi Dalindyebo KaSabata (born 5 April 1964), salutation name Zwelibanzi, is currently the king of abaThembu people of South Africa since the late 1980s to present day . Dalindyebo is the son of the previous king of AbaThem ...
, son of King
Sabata Jonguhlanga Dalindyebo Sabata Jonguhlanga Dalindyebo (1928–1986) was the ruler of the Thembu Kingdom. He was the son of Jongilizwe Sampu Dalindyebo. His rule was marked by conflict with Kaiser Matanzima. This political conflict escalated until Sabata was arrested in ...
, became the King of AbaThembu Nation in May 1989; his praise name is ''Aa! Zwelibanzi !''. King Sabata deposed King
Kaiser Matanzima King Kaiser Daliwonga Mathanzima, misspelled Matanzima (15 June 1915 – 15 June 2003), was the long-term leader of Transkei. In 1950, when South Africa was offered to establish the Bantu Authorities Act, Matanzima convinced the Bunga to accep ...
, whom the government had installed and who advocated against South African liberation movements. In December 2009, King Buyelekhaya was convicted of offenses including
culpable homicide Culpable homicide is a categorisation of certain offences in various jurisdictions within the Commonwealth of Nations which involves the illegal killing of a person either with or without an intention to kill depending upon how a particular ...
,
kidnapping In criminal law, kidnapping is the unlawful confinement of a person against their will, often including transportation/ asportation. The asportation and abduction element is typically but not necessarily conducted by means of force or fear: the ...
,
arson Arson is the crime of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, wat ...
and
assault An assault is the act of committing physical harm or unwanted physical contact upon a person or, in some specific legal definitions, a threat or attempt to commit such an action. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may result in crim ...
. In response, he proposed secession from South Africa, and later demanded that the government pay Dalindyebo R900 Million
South African rand's South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz ...
and the Kingdom a further R80 Billion in compensation for the humiliation caused by his criminal trial. Dalindyebo was imprisoned in December 2015. He was customarily dethroned and was expected to be administratively dethroned. Compare: Prince Azenathi Dalindyebo, King Buyelekhaya's heir and the Future King of AbaThembu Nation, he has served as
Acting King Acting is an activity in which a story is told by means of its enactment by an actor or actress who adopts a character—in theatre, television, film, radio, or any other medium that makes use of the mimetic mode. Acting involves a broad r ...
of the AbaThembu Nation since 2016 on behalf of his Father while he was away imprisoned. On 23 December 2019, following president
Cyril Ramaphosa Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (born 17 November 1952) is a South African businessman and politician who is currently serving as the fifth democratically elected president of South Africa. Formerly an anti-apartheid activist, trade union leader, and ...
's Day of reconciliation speech, the AbaThembu King was released from prison after serving one-third of his sentence.


Lineage of AbaThembu kings from its founder

. King Zwide kaMbo (Born:1080-Died:1151) Ruled:1107-1151 . King Malandela kaZwide (Born:1100-Died:1169) Ruled:1130-1169 . King Mbulali kaMalandela (Born:1134-Died:1184) Ruled:1160-1184 ● King Njanye KaMbulali (Born:1202-Died:1258) uled:1224 To 1258 ● King Thembu KaNjanye (Born:1227-Died:1293) uled:1258 To 1293 ● King Stindilo KaThembu (Born:1266-Died:1338) uled:1293 To 1338'' ● King Ntongakazi KaStindilo (Born:1315-Died:1389) uled:1338 To 1389'' ● King Dumakazi KaNtongakazi (Born:1362-Died:1417) uled:1389 To 1417'' ● King Bhomoyi KaDumakazi (Born:1383-Died:1441) uled:1417 To 1441'' ● King Cedumazi KaBhomoyi (Born:1418-Died:1469) uled:1441 To 1469'' ● King Mzimala KaCedumazi (Born:1447-Died:1479) uled:1469 To 1479'' ● King Mnguti KaCedumazi (Born:1454-Died:1495) uled:1479 To 1495'' ● King Mngxongo KaMnguti (Born:1471-Died:1527) uled:1495 To 1527'' ● King Ntsundu KaMngxongo (Born:1503-Died:1548) uled:1527 To 1548'' ● King Sebeni KaNtsundu (Born:1527-Died:1601) uled:1548 To 1601'' ● King Mposiwe KaSebeni (Born:1577-Died:1632) uled:1601 To 1632'' . King Toyi kaMnguti (Born:1581-Died:1650) Ruled 1606-1650 . King Ntande kaToyi (Born:1669-Died:1670) Ruled 1650-1670 . King Nxeko KaNtande (Born 1652-Died 1672) Ruled 1672-1697 when King Ntande KaToyi died there was a dispute over the AbaThembu Thorne Between King Nxeko KaNtande son's Prince Hlanga KaNxeko And Prince Dhlomu KaNxeko they want to war over it the result was that Prince Dhlomu KaNxeko would rule over the entire country of AbaThembu Nation while on the other hand Prince Hlanga KaNxeko who was older than his brother ended up ruling on the Eastern side of AbaThembu Kingdom this happened because Prince Hlanga KaNxeko lost the war and thus he never Ruled the whole nation but only ruling half of it. ■King Nxeko's reat house kings''■ ● King Hlanga KaNxeko ● King Mdlabi KaHlanga ● King Maleki KaMdlabi ● King Telazo KaMaleki ● King Mngxoxo KaTelazo ● King Ngcutsha KaMngxoxo ● King Bhacela KaNgcutsha ● King Mlindazwe KaBhacela ● King Zanempi KaBhacela ● King Bhotyoza KaZanempi ● King Siphendu KaBhotyoza ● King Zwelakhe KaSiphendu ● King Dilikile KaZwelakhe ● King Ngubesizwe KaDilikile ■King Nxeko's ight Hand house Kings''■ ● King Dhlomu KaNxeko (Born:1609-Died:1665) uled:1632 To 1665'' ● King Xahala KaDhlomu (Born:1645-Died:1699) uled:1665 To 1699'' ● King Madiba KaXahala (Born:1667-Died:1724) uled:1699 To 1724'' ● King Thatho KaMadiba (Born:1698-Died:1744) uled:1724 To 1744'' ● King Zintshaba KaThatho (Born:1724-Died:1756) uled:1744 To 1756'' ● Prince Mtshilibe KaThatho (Born:1720-Died:1769) eld-Power:1756 To 1767'' ● King Ntlanzi KaZintshaba (Born:1741-Died:1782) uled:1767 To 1782'' ● King Ndala KaZintshaba (Born:1748-Died:1809) uled:1782 To 1809'' ● King Ngubengcuka KaNdala (Born:1789-Died:1831) uled:1809 To 1831'' ●Prince Fadana KaNdala (Born:1779-Died:1851) eld-Power:1831 To 1839'' ● King Mthikrakra KaNgubengcuka (Born:1819-Died:1849) uled:1839 To 1849'' ● Prince Njoyi KaNgubengcuka (Born:1823-Died:1865) eld-Power:1849 To 1862'' ● King Ngangeizwe KaMthikrakra (Born:1846-Died:1884) uled:1862 To 1884'' ● King Dalindyebo KaNgangeizwe (Born:1865-Died:1920) uled:1884 To 1920'' ● Prince Silimla KaNgangeizwe (Born:1863-Died:1926) eld-Power:1920 To 1924'' ● King Jongilizwe KaDalindyebo (Born:1902-Died:1929) uled:1924 To 1929'' ● Prince Jongintaba KaDalindyebo (Born:1904-Died:1942) eld-Power:1929 To 1942'' ● Prince Dabulamanzi KaDalindyebo (Born:1906-Died:1958) eld-Power:1942 To 1954'' ● King Sabatha KaJongilizwe (Born:1928-Died:1986) uled:1954 To 1986'' ● Prince Bambilanga KaSabatha (Born:1954-Died:1987) eld-Power:1980 To 1987'' ●Prince Bovulengwa KaSabatha (Born:1950-Died:2005) eld-Power:1987 To 1989'' ● King Zwelinbanzi KaSabatha (Born:1964-Alive:Still=Aging) rom:1989 To present date''


AbaThembu Royal Kingship


See also

*
Xhosa clan names Iziduko (pl.) in Xhosa are family names that are considered more important than surnames among Xhosa people. Many Xhosa persons can trace their family history back to a specific male ancestor or stock. Mentioning the clan name of someone is the ...


References


External links


Royal lineage
at worldstatesmen.org {{authority control Ethnic groups in South Africa Nguni languages