Inkosi, otherwise appearing as Nkosi, is the Zulu and

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, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa, principally spoken by the Xhosa people See als ...

for

chieftain A tribal chief, chieftain, or headman is a leader of a tribe, tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies There is no definition for "tribe". The concept of tribe is a broadly applied concept, based on tribal concepts of societies of weste ...

Southern Africa Southern Africa is the southernmost region of Africa. No definition is agreed upon, but some groupings include the United Nations geoscheme for Africa, United Nations geoscheme, the intergovernmental Southern African Development Community, and ...

. An inkosi that has authority over several subordinate inkosis is traditionally referred to as an Inkosi Enkhulu (lit. "Great Chieftain"). This version of the title is typically translated as

king King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...

in English.

People who bear or once bore the title

* Mzamo Buthelezi *

Albert Lutuli Albert John Luthuli ( – 21 July 1967) was a South African anti-apartheid activist, traditional leader, and politician who served as the President-General of the African National Congress from 1952 until his death in 1967. Luthuli was bo ...

Mandla Mandela Zwelivelile "Mandla" Mandela, National Assembly of South Africa, MP (born 21 June 1974) is the tribal chief of the Mvezo Traditional Council and the grandson of Nelson Mandela. He graduated from Rhodes University with a degree in Politics in 20 ...

George Matanzima Chief George Mzimvubu Mathanzima (26 December 1918 – 10 November 2000) was a leader of the Transkei bantustan in South Africa, a young brother of Kaiser and a nephew of Nelson Mandela. He and his brother, Kaiser co-founded and led the Trans ...

Kaiser Matanzima Chief Kaiser Daliwonga Matanzima, often misspelled as Mathanzima (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 Bhun ...

* Qaqambile Matanzima *

Falo Mgudlwa Chief Falo kaMgudlwa (Falo son-of-Mgudlwa) was a Chief of AmaJumba Clan, of the abaThembu people near Qhumanco, Ngcobo. His household was based at Lucwecwe. Family The Mgudlwa line was established by Falo's father, the Chief Mgudlwa kaJumba ...

Mangosuthu Buthelezi Prince Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi (; 27 August 1928 – 9 September 2023) was a South African politician and Zulu people, Zulu prince who served as the traditional prime minister to the Zulu royal family from 1954 until his death in 2023. He ...

* Theresa Kachindamoto

People who bear or once bore the title

See also