TOPIC FIVE

THE NGUNI STATES OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

Objectives
By the end of the topic pupils
should be to:
 Identify Nguni states and
their leaders
 Identify factors leading to
the rise of Shaka and the
Zulu State
 Describe the formation of
the Zulu State
 Describe the organisation
of the Zulu State
 Explain the fall of the Zulu
State
 Describe the causes and
results of the Mfecane

GROUP LEADER
Mthetwa Dingiswayo
Ngwane Sobhuza
Ndwandwe Zwide
Zulu Senzangakona- Tshaka
Khumalo Mzilikazi

Introduction

 The Nguni people lived in a fertile land along the east coast which is now South
Africa.
 They were Bantu people who understood each other’s languages even though they
spoke different dialects.
 They were Xhosa, Khumalo, Zulu, Tembu, Mthethwa Mpondo, Ndwandwe, and
others.

Social system
 Members of one family lived together in a family compound of scattered
homesteads built in a half circle with the cattle kraal built in the sides of hills with
the huts facing towards the east.
 The homestead had up to 1 000 huts with the mother of the homestead living in
the centre hut.
Economic system
 Nguni people were both cultivators and pasture which means they cultivated as
well as keeping whole herds of cattle and goats. Cattle were herded by small
separate groups of people each herd organised around a royal clan
 Among their crops were sorghum, kidney beans, pumpkins, melons, gourds,
millet and other grains. Tobacco and maize were cultivated later.
 Cattle provided meat, hides and milk which were important in the Nguni diet.
 Cattle were also used to carry goods.
 Nguni women made clay pots for cooking and carrying water.
 The Nguni people were hunters, the chief wore leopard skins.
 Women wore copper and iron beads as jewellery; they also wore earrings, ivory
bracelets, shells feathers and various buttons.
 Land was property of the chiefdom and the king had the power to distribute land
and nobody could be deprived of this important means of production and could
not be so hard as there was plenty of it.

Political system
 The chief was political, military, judicial and kingdom head to help his people.
 He gave final judgement in court cases and carried out religious rituals but was
not a dictator.
 His power was a popular assembly and by a system of advisory councils which
was made up all important decisions, this system was centralised but loosely
administered.

Historical change in Nguniland

Why did the change come at the turn of the 19th century?
 The Nguni clan suddenly changed and began fighting amongst themselves.
 This fighting welded the Zulu nation into the most powerful state of its kind in
Africa.
 Some claim that the changes were caused by the coming of the Europeans and
better fighting methods.
 Others suggest that this occurred as a result of the strains caused by the
population growth and land shortage.
 This country was fertile and free from diseases
 Natural increase in population and shortage of land, this caused internal conflicts
in a pastoral society in need of grazing grounds.
 Chiefs began to improve their methods of warfare changed from a game of skill
to a serious struggle for survival.

Dingiswayo of the Mthethwa

In the late 18th century Dingiswayo removed his brother as chief and took over the leadership
of the Mthethwa clan.
Dingiswayo was an innovative man who introduced revolutionary methods of warfare to
Nguniland.

He abolished long initiation ceremonies were young men and women of the same age group
no longer had to attend circumcision schools were they were initiated into manhood and
womanhood by elders.

Instead Dingiswayo took the young man into his army in groups of the same age.

He organised them into military units called regiments so they could achieve their manhood
on the battle field.

Dingiswayo’s army spared people the defeated. By the time of his Death in 1818 he defeated
many chiefs in Nguniland.

He had created an empire united by his rule and by his army.

In this way Dingiswayo created a standing army in which his soldiers could study and
practise new methods of fighting.

Rise of Tshaka
 Tshaka was born in 1787.
 His father was Senzangakhona, a Zulu chief and his mother was Nandi.
 Senzangakhona and Nandi were never formally married therefore Tshaka grew up
with his mother among the Langani, Gwabe and finally Mthethwa.
 He was an illegitimate son of Senzangakona
 Tshaka joined the Mthethwa’s age regiment and proved to be very brave as a
regimental leader.
 He became Dingiswayo’s military advisor at a tender age.
 When Senzangakhona died in 1816, Tshaka seized the Zulu throne; he was supported
by Dingiswayo and became the Zulu chief.
 As a trusted advisor he was allowed to keep an army for himself
 When Dingiswayo died he became both the Zulu and Mthethwa chief
 He then established the Zulu kingdom which became the most powerful state north of
the Tugela river
 It was feared even by whites because of military reforms instituted by Tshaka
 Zulu means rain or heaven.

Factors leading to the rise of Shaka and the Zulu State

 Competition for fertile land
 In Nguniland there was population increase and at the same time herds also increased
people began to fight for control of land for cultivation of crops as well as grazing
animals, therefore Tshaka proved to be very powerful and defeated a lot of states
hence his rise to power.
  Competition for trade with Portuguese
 Portuguese wanted cattle, fresh meat and ivory.
 The number of cattle a state had the more it would supply meat to the Portuguese.
 The Zulu had a lot of cattle and controlled hunting grounds for ivory, therefore
Tshaka emerged as powerful.
 Military methods learnt by Tshaka from Dingiswayo.
 Tshaka’s ambitious character
 Tshaka was teased by his peers as he grew up, so he was determined to prove to them
that he could achieve something in life and became a chief.

Military reforms

 When Shaka assumed power as leader of the Zulu State, he introduced a number of
reforms in the military which made the Zulu State the most powerful and feared in
Southern Africa.
 His aim was to conquer as many states as possible for his own personal glory.
 Some of his military reforms included:

 Assegai/ Short stabbing spear

 Tshaka introduced the assegai, which encouraged hand to hand fighting; it made sure
that the enemy was killed.
 Loss of this assegai meant harsh punishment / execution.
 Any stab at the back was considered cowardice and it attracted punishment of death.

 Bare-footed
 Soldiers went to war bare-footed so as to increase speed.

 Age regiments
 Soldiers were organised in regiments according to their ages.
 Regiments were disciplined and loyal to Tshaka, they were trained to fight effectively
in battles.

 Long shields
 Long shields were developed and were made of cow hides.
 The fact that the shields were the height of a man made it possible to cover the
soldier’s body from enemies;
 The shield was also used to hook away enemies’ shields.

 Discouragement of early marriages

 Early marriages were discouraged as one could not fight well thinking of the family or
home.
  However, soldiers who displayed skill by killing a lot of enemies later got beautiful
women raided during war.
 Raided men were incorporated into the Zulu army, sometimes they fought for total
destruction by killing men, women and children.
 Therefore no soldier was allowed to marry before attaining forty years of age.

 Banning of circumcision
 Tshaka banned the system of circumcision as it prevented young boys from
participating in war.

 Tshaka used guerrilla warfare by attacking at night and at times ambush attacks.
 Tshaka used witchdoctors to treat injured soldiers.

 Tshaka employed spies

 These were sent to gather information about the enemy.
 They helped in setting a suitable regiment to attack the enemy.

 Tshaka made use of smoke signals for communication.

 Each soldier had a distinctive head-gear.

 Cow horn formation

 This proved effective as enemies were distracted.
 Young boys were used as baggage carriers
 He introduced the cow horn formation to encircle and attack the enemy by surprise
 He also used total warfare, that is denying the enemy food in order to starve them.

Economic organisation
 They cultivated near homesteads, they grew maize and millet.
 Men took care of cattle, manufactured and repaired weapons and other household
tools e.g. hoes and also constructed huts as well as repairing them.
 Some skilful women were involved in bead work; pottery making and making of
mats. Weaving was done to produce mats.
 They traded iron tools with each other.
 They cultivated and gathered to improve their diet.
 They kept cattle for meat, milk and hides.
 They paid tribute to the chief in the form of cattle, special animal skins and other iron
tools.
 They practised external trade with English traders; beads and cloth were exchanged for
ivory. Ivory hunted belonged to the king.
 They also practised hunting and hunting parties were put into regiments.

Political organisation
 The king was an absolute ruler, which means he had all authority in him.
 He was supreme administrator though he had a council of Indunas which advised him
when ruling.
 Though he got advice, his decision was final.
 Duties of the king included:
 Allocating land.
 Distributing cattle.
 Commander in chief of the army.
 Chief Judge.
 Initiated Inxwala and Inkata ceremonies.

 Chiefs were vital as they ruled their chieftaincies.

 Chiefs were loyal to the king.
 The state was divided into regimental towns and a woman was chosen to oversee each
town/ Induna.
 This was a way of controlling regiments and also gave information to Tshaka on the
Induna responsible for that town;
 This encouraged the check and the balance of the administration.
 Each regimental town encircled a huge cattle pen as each town was allocated regimental
cattle.
 Outlying tributary states paid tribute to Tshaka as a sign of respect.
 Youths were divided into military groups which could provide service to the state e.g.
working for the king; they could also raid and hunt.
 The king controlled their work leading to public order.

Social Organisation
 The Zulu believed in God whom they called Unkulunkulu.
 They believed in worldly spirits called “Amadlozi” whom people could communicate
with in times of need.
 They believed that every misfortune that people encountered was caused by sorcery
(magical practise).
 Settlements/military towns were circular and each settlement encircled a cattle pen.
 Cattle were vital as they determined one’s social status; they were used for paying
lobola.
 Polygamy was widely practised such that a Zulu family was built on a polygamous
family.
  Zulu became the national language so those incorporated into the state had to speak the
language.
 Inxwala ceremony was initiated by the king and every Zulu member had to attend.
 Inkata was a national ceremony that promoted Zulu identity.
 Dressing? Division of labour by gender?

Problems faced by Tshaka during his reign

 His most trusted Induna e.g. Mzilikazi ran away, this made the state weaker and he felt
insecure.
 He did not get support from his family and relatives.
 He got many threats from British, Ndwandwe and Boers.
 The death of his mother made him rule with anger and also reminded him of his death.
 He had unsuccessful military campaigns and was defeated by the British.


Impact of Tshaka’s rule

 Zulu became a very large state under Tshaka due to raids.A lot of people were
incorporated into the state and the State expanded from Pongola river to the north i.e.
Tugela river up to Indian ocean in the east.
 Zulu was a unified State because people who were absorbed had the same culture and
language.
 Age regiments brought young people together as they no longer stayed in homesteads,
but regimental towns.Therefore they became more loyal to Tshaka than the clan head.
 The State became dominant in Southern Africa and was known as the “fighting
machine” due to military reforms introduced by Tshaka.
 Development of pride in the Zulu State due to military success in war.
 The Zulu State became a very rich state economically; cattle raided were a lot and
people benefited through meat, milk, hides and manure etc.

Decline of Zulu State

The Zulu State declined after the death of the mighty Shaka who was killed by his relatives.

 Death of Tshaka, he was assassinated by his young brother Dingane and this weakened
the state
 Dingane lacked charisma and leadership qualities and therefore he failed to keep the
zulu state intactIneffective leaders took over.
 Death of Nandi
Tshaka felt empty without her as she was his advisor and Shaka became more ruthless with
his subjects leading to his downfall. He even killed 10 virgin girls to be buried alongside his
mother which angered many in the Zulu state.
  Mfecane.
His most trusted Indunas ran away e.g. Mzilikazi which weakened the state leading to its
downfall

 Endless military campaigns.

People were tired of endless wars by their leader that’s why even the soldiers were
happy that he was killed for they were afraid of death after their failure in their mission
 The scramble and partition of Africa.
Dingane failed to stop the European entry into the state which weakened his power. He
then signed an agreement with Boer leader Piet Retief and gave them land
 In 1838 he fought the battle of the Blood River with the Boers in which the Zulu state
was defeated due to inferior weapons marking the end of the Zulu nation
 The Madlathule drought or famine also weakened the state in 1838

REVISION EXERCISE

1. Identify any three Nguni Chiefdoms and their leaders. (6)

2. Who was the father of Shaka? (1)
3. Describe any five military reforms by Shaka. (5)