Opinion / Columnist
King Mzilikazi and the MaKoni (Mabvakure) people
29 Mar 2025 at 09:49hrs | Views
King Mzilikazi, in his long march North from Zululand, arrived in a territory between the Oliphants and Steelport Rivers in what became known as Transvaal. The year was 1822, exactly 2 years after a great eclipse of the sun ( 14 March 1820) that marked the death of Thulare, the legendary Pedi King. After a fratricidal power struggle, Thulare's son Phethedi took over, and his brother Mokopole crossed the Steelport river to create a new Pedi state that ruled over the Koni people.
The combined Pedi and Koni nations attacked the recent arrival, King Mzilikazi, harassing him in cattle raids. That was a fatal mistake. King Mzilikazi stormed the Koni lands, killing Makopole and absorbing the Pedi and Koni people into his new nation.
Survivors of this war fled north, joining Pethedis' domain.
During this time, Nqaba himself a fugitive of the Zwide-Tshaka war, attacked the Koni-Pedi group before being repulsed by Pethedi. Nqaba then clashed with Mzilikazi before being driven East where he joined Sotshangane in Gazaland (Gazankulu) located in the present day Mozambique and Zimbabwe's South East border. The Koni and Makopoles people, after joining Pethedi were pursued by King Mzilikazi, who defeated and killed Pethedi and the Pedi royal family, becoming King over Pediland.
But what happened to the Koni people?
The name Koni, from which Makoni (plural) is derived, means people from the North. There is a district in Zimbabwe called Makoni. Could these Makoni people be the same nation that allied with the Pedi and was attacked by King Mzilikazi around 1822?
An essay by Misheck Semanyanga published in 2019 says the Makoni people came from Mozambique and in 1830 had a Mambo called Muswati who ruled 1830-39. However, the late historian Phathisa Nyathi says the people of Makoni and Chipunza migrated from South Africa, joining the Birwa and Hurutse groups, becoming Sothorised hence some writers claim they are descendants of Makhura who migrated with Babirwa Ba ga Serumula and Ba ga Legong. It is said they crossed into Zimbabwe with Makhurane and Silalabyanyeng. Other accounts say they entered Zimbabwe with Chief Chipunza.
If it is true, then the people of Makoni and Chipunza, who settled at Chitekete Hill and were known as Mawungwe (Mabvakure) whilst others settled in Rusape's Mhanda hill, are descendants of the Koni nation of Pediland later known as Transvaal in South Africa and arrived in Zimbabwe after 1822 ahead of the Ndwandwe (Angoni) and later King Mzilikazi.
The combined Pedi and Koni nations attacked the recent arrival, King Mzilikazi, harassing him in cattle raids. That was a fatal mistake. King Mzilikazi stormed the Koni lands, killing Makopole and absorbing the Pedi and Koni people into his new nation.
Survivors of this war fled north, joining Pethedis' domain.
During this time, Nqaba himself a fugitive of the Zwide-Tshaka war, attacked the Koni-Pedi group before being repulsed by Pethedi. Nqaba then clashed with Mzilikazi before being driven East where he joined Sotshangane in Gazaland (Gazankulu) located in the present day Mozambique and Zimbabwe's South East border. The Koni and Makopoles people, after joining Pethedi were pursued by King Mzilikazi, who defeated and killed Pethedi and the Pedi royal family, becoming King over Pediland.
The name Koni, from which Makoni (plural) is derived, means people from the North. There is a district in Zimbabwe called Makoni. Could these Makoni people be the same nation that allied with the Pedi and was attacked by King Mzilikazi around 1822?
An essay by Misheck Semanyanga published in 2019 says the Makoni people came from Mozambique and in 1830 had a Mambo called Muswati who ruled 1830-39. However, the late historian Phathisa Nyathi says the people of Makoni and Chipunza migrated from South Africa, joining the Birwa and Hurutse groups, becoming Sothorised hence some writers claim they are descendants of Makhura who migrated with Babirwa Ba ga Serumula and Ba ga Legong. It is said they crossed into Zimbabwe with Makhurane and Silalabyanyeng. Other accounts say they entered Zimbabwe with Chief Chipunza.
If it is true, then the people of Makoni and Chipunza, who settled at Chitekete Hill and were known as Mawungwe (Mabvakure) whilst others settled in Rusape's Mhanda hill, are descendants of the Koni nation of Pediland later known as Transvaal in South Africa and arrived in Zimbabwe after 1822 ahead of the Ndwandwe (Angoni) and later King Mzilikazi.
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