Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Shaka Zulu revisited

During Shaka Zulu’s reign, Mzilikazi fled north to escape Shaka Zulu’s violent rule. Mzilikazi, chief of the Ndwandwe tribe that was acquired and taken under the Zulu wings, decided to set up his own kingdom. With his remaining regiment and families he settled down in Matabeleland in todays Zimbabwe, where he became the King of the Matabele. Although out of reach for Shaka Zulu, they had to face other battles. The most recent one gave them reason to flee once again, away from their own country’s leader Robert Mugabe and back to South Africa.

The ironic part is that although not a major part, some of them came all the way back to the Zulu kingdom – KwaZulu Natal! Yet again, they are hunted by Zulu’s. Over the last couple of weeks, 50-60 people have been killed and thousands chased from their homes in the black townships throughout South Africa. It’s a small minority of the Zulu’s that are behind it, but people are talking about political motives. The Inkatha Freedom Party has been mentioned as the possible instigator. Perpetrators are singing “Umshini Vami” the ANC (African National Congress) freedom song (Meaning: “Give me my machine gun”) that was one of Jacob Zuma’s trademarks during the recent election. Whether it is Mangosutho Buthelezi (Inkatha) or Jacob Zuma (ANC), as well as Robert Mugabe… They are no better than Shaka Zulu for the Zimbabweans in South African exile! They run for their lives today like they did 200 years ago to escape the Zulu Impis. But where will you run now people of Matabeleland and Zimbabwe?!

2 comments:

beaverboosh said...

It is difficult, at times, for a foreginer to understand South Africa. We though it would blow up in the 80s... how wrong!

Slavedude275 said...

Beaver! It is difficult to understand most of the time for me being here! At the end of the Apartheid era, it seemed to me that you had at least a few people like Mandela and Steven Biko with the right intentions. Intentions on behalf of a people and not personal interests...

I fail to see any new icons taking over after Mandela..? I think South Africa desperately needs one, or a dozen - quickly!!

I'm fairly comfortable in my home here, still knowing about the xenophobic violence a few kilometers away... I did however scrap a blogpost recently in order not to attract any xenophobic violence to my doorstep :-)