Buzani kuMkabayi

The woman who built the Zulu Nation

Princess Mkabayi kaJama, born circa 1750, was the daughter of Zulu king, Jama kaNdaba. Jama kaNdaba’s wife gave birth to twins girls.

Zulu custom required that one of the two girls be killed at birth to avoid bad luck and the wrath of the ancestors but Jama kaNdaba acted contrary to tradition and spared both Mkabayi and her sister, Mmama.

The three daughters of Jama became heads of military harems (izigodlo) and evinced aversion to matrimonial bonds, preferring to remain princesses. Mkabayi headed the ebaQulusini meaning: “where they pushed out buttocks”; Mmama ruled the Osebeni meaning “on the river bank”, while Mawa, beget by Mthaniya, reigned over Emperor Shaka ’seNtonteleni.

The continued existence of both twins kept gripping cardinal men and women of the monarchy with fear of ancestral wrath. Such fear became a reality when the queen mother died before bearing the royal house an heir. Mkabayi, with a stronger character than her twin sister, bore the brunt of the people’s disapproval and hate. She was held responsible for all misfortunes of the royal family and the Zulu people at large.

Mkabayi realizing that her people still yearned for a heir courted Mthaniya kaSibiya on his behalf. For when Jama was to find a wife to bear the heir to the Zulu throne, he looked at the nations that were north of the Zulu tribe, in what is now Mozambique. This was seen as “inappropriate” by the nation. Although Jama eventually did take the wife she was not to bear his heir as his cunning daughter had already set about to find a wife for him. She chose a maiden from the Sibiya clan, her name was Mthaniya. When he found out about the planned marriage Jama KaNdaba said to his daughter ‘Nenzengakhona’ (you have done well). uMthaniya gave birth to uSenzangakhona kaJama.

uMthaniya is seen as the mother of the Zulu nation, because through her, the nation stayed together and did not fall into the hands of a non-Nguni tribe. That’s why The Zulu Nation is today called izwe elika Mthaniya.

Senzangakhona married at least sixteen women by which he had fourteen known sons. Daughters were not counted.

Nandi kaBhebhe eLangeni (Nandi, daughter of Bhebhe, from eLangeni district), bore him his first son Sgidi, said to have been conceived during an act of ukuhlobonga, a form of coitus interruptus without penetration allowed to unmarried couples at a time known as “the fun of the roads” (ama hlay endlela), but the lovers became carried away.

Senzangakona attempted to deny paternity but he eventually acquiesced. One of the more ignored aspects of what made marriage between Nandi and Senzangakhona difficult was that Nandi was not only an unwed pregnant woman but she was also in a interclan marriage which was forbidden and considered incestuous. This was as a result of Nandi’s mother Mfunda, being the daughter of Kondlo, a Qwabe chief, with whom clan intermarriage with the Zulu was unacceptable.

Nandi’s was described as having a violent, tempestuous and passionate disposition. During her residence with Senzagakhona she frequently got into fits of outrageous violence. Nandi was also described as masculine woman with a tongue like a rasp.

Nandi and Sgidi were initially accepted into Senzangakhona’s kraal. Senzangakhona took her his third wife which made her a lesser wife. As she was not his Great Wife, Sgidi was not the heir. Senzangakhona was also unwilling to acknowledge Nandi as his chief consort, an important status symbol among the amaZulu. He did have another child with her, Sgidi’s sister Nomcoba. Mkabi, the Great Wife, did, however, treat Nandi well. Nevertheless, Nandi’s relationship with Senzangakhona eventually deteriorated to the point that she and Shaka were forced to leave the kraal.

Nandi had great ambitions for her son although he was not the heir. She is quoted having being heard to say him very often: ‘Never mind , my Um-lilwane (Little Fire), you have the got the isibindi (great courage) of a lion and one day you will be the greatest chief in the land.’

Senzangakhona’s official heir was his son Sigujana born of Bhibhi kaSompisi Ntuli one of his wives. However, Sigujana’s reign was short lived as Sgidi with the help of his ally Dingiswayo and his half brother Ngwadi aided by Mkabayi had Sigujana assassinated.

Contemporaneous accounts of the relationship between Nandi and Mkabayi paint the relationship as hostile. This is far from true. Throughout his exiled childhood, Mkabi (Senzangakhona’s great wife) and Mkabayi and his grandmother Mthaniya defied Senzangakhona and visited Sgidi, his sister and his mother quite often. Mkabayi and Nandi were close.

The assassination of Sigujane was not the first time Mkabayi had a heir to the throne assassinated. For her role in ensuring an heir to the throne, Mkabayi was able to win the favour of the Zulu people but this did not last for long. Upon the passing of Jama kaNdaba and recognizing that Senzangakhona was too young to ascend the throne, Mkabayi appointed herself regent; something that was unheard of at the time. She was not to be argued with. She made her statement of intent and fearing her wrath the royal men acquiesced to her command.

While serving as a Regent Mkabayi’s unscrupulousness shocked the Zulu people once again when she instructed her army to destroy the powerful Sojiyisa, who posed a threat to Senzangakhona’s reign. Sojiyisa was the son of a Tsonga woman who was heavily pregnant when Jama kaNdaba married her. When the royal woman told him it was possible the child was not his he is said to have said ‘Whatever comes out of the womb will be his because he has helped to thicken the mixture.’

When Senzangakhona came of age Mkabayi stepped down as regent. She however continued to serve an advisory role to the king. This is where the saying Buzani kuMkabayi comes from. During her brothers rule it was her word that was final. Additionally, as was custom, unmarried princesses served as head of military units and Mkabayi turned away many suitors to continue serving as the head of the ebaQulusini (the place where they turned out buttocks) unit. She saw marriage as a loss of her political power and influence. It was during this time when the Zulu people started referring to her as ‘Baba’ a great sign of respect. Throughout the reigns of Senzangakhona kaJama, Sgidi kaSenzangakhona and Dingaan kaSenzangakhona the power, the real power behind the throne was a woman. Mkabayi!!!

Despite Sgidi’s great success, when he was accused of abusing power, Mkabayi did not hesitate to conspire against him. She, together with her nephews, Dingane and Mhlangana, planned the assassination of the emperor on 24 September 1828. Desirous of putting Dingane on the throne, Mkabayi. later arranged for. Mhlangana to be killed.

Mkabayi kaJama survived all the Kings she installed on the throne and dispatched. She made the Zulu Nation but was in the end exiled from the glorious Nation she helped build. She died exiled, reviled, alone and bitterly regretful that she had assassinated her nephew Sgidi kaSenzangakhona.