Opinion / Columnist
An act of Patriotism
16 Oct 2015 at 10:30hrs | Views
The story of the descendants of King Lobengula who were banned to South Africa from the land of their birth is still a mystery to the Ndebele People. The AbaThwakazi are perplexed to the events that transpired after the heir to the throne, A.N.L.kaMzilikazi was denied a chance to be united with his tribesmen. A.N.L.kaMzilikazi after long suffering from pneumonia, died in 1910, and left behind two (2) young boys, Albert and Rhodes in the care of his mother, Queen Mpoliyane.
After their grandmother's death in 1912, they were eventually left in the mercy of Rev W.Y.Stead of the Anglican Church who was appointed by the BSAC to be their guardian during their early years of schooling. They grew up alongside Stead's son, William Henry who later became the Public Officer for the Native Commissioner in the Southern Rhodesian Native Department.
Rhodes kaNjube kaLobengula was born in 1903 and was baptized by his mother Annie Mashiqa MaDlamini (Mfengu woman) on August 27, 1908 at St Phillips, Anglican Church. He then attended High Mission School, passed standard one(1) and two (2) in 1912, and were "settling well" wrote Rev Stead to the Native Commissioner in Salisbury, affirming to the fears felt by the Administration. He then moved to St Matthews College in Keiskamma Hoek in 1919 and later to Lovedale Training College in 1922 to finish his matric.
R.N.kaLobengula went to Fort Hare University to further his career as a teacher, were he met his future wife Rosamund Nombina Kawa, with whom they had five children, four(4) girls and one(1) boy. Subsequently, of the five children only Zila Dolly Gladys Mda kaLobengula is still alive.
R.N.kaLobengula is buried in a dilapidated grave in Kwa-Ndancama, Fingo Village, and Grahamstown. It is therefore Makhumalo's wish as the last remaining daughter to see his father repatriated and be united with his forefathers at the Ndebele Royal Acre at Entumbane at the Matopo Hills, along with her grandfather A.N.L.kaMzilikazi, "Iqanda leNgwenya" as a final wish, a mutual act for the Ndebele People.
Sizwe Mda (CEO)
King Lobengula Foundation
Grahamstown
After their grandmother's death in 1912, they were eventually left in the mercy of Rev W.Y.Stead of the Anglican Church who was appointed by the BSAC to be their guardian during their early years of schooling. They grew up alongside Stead's son, William Henry who later became the Public Officer for the Native Commissioner in the Southern Rhodesian Native Department.
Rhodes kaNjube kaLobengula was born in 1903 and was baptized by his mother Annie Mashiqa MaDlamini (Mfengu woman) on August 27, 1908 at St Phillips, Anglican Church. He then attended High Mission School, passed standard one(1) and two (2) in 1912, and were "settling well" wrote Rev Stead to the Native Commissioner in Salisbury, affirming to the fears felt by the Administration. He then moved to St Matthews College in Keiskamma Hoek in 1919 and later to Lovedale Training College in 1922 to finish his matric.
R.N.kaLobengula is buried in a dilapidated grave in Kwa-Ndancama, Fingo Village, and Grahamstown. It is therefore Makhumalo's wish as the last remaining daughter to see his father repatriated and be united with his forefathers at the Ndebele Royal Acre at Entumbane at the Matopo Hills, along with her grandfather A.N.L.kaMzilikazi, "Iqanda leNgwenya" as a final wish, a mutual act for the Ndebele People.
Sizwe Mda (CEO)
King Lobengula Foundation
Grahamstown
Source - Sizwe Mda
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