CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 2
2.3 THE SOCIO-CULTURAL FAMILY AND THE CLAN
2.3.4 NORMS OF BEHAVIOUR
2.3.5.3 The Military Organisation
b) Ukhandampevu Regiment was another great warrIOr regiment whose members fought in the war between the English and Cetshwayo during Queen Victoria's reign. They fought many wars within and without K waShangase, mainly to protect the Shangase Royalty and acquiring more land, hence the presence of "Beacons" installed in 1936 between the Shangase and Wosiyana tribes.
c) Inyonemhlophe fought several local skirmishes, but were renowned for fighting like "tigers" as their war song describes their winning touch,
"lnyon' emhlophe eyanqob' aMakhosi." (The White bird that conquered the Kings). This was iNkosi Zikhulu's warrior regiment.
d) INkasi is iNkosi Simangenduku's own wamor regiment. This was a respected and a well-controlled regiment as iNkosi Simangenduku was a very peaceful prone. When iNkasa regiment is together at the Royal Homestead they repeat this slogan or war-cry, "INkasa, INkasa, umubi uyiNkasa." (The INkasa, Inkasa, you are bad, you are iNkasa).
e) Vukani is the present regiment which has never seen any war fighting as the old regiments did. The political divide has affected the strict Shangase regimentation.
t) Amanqe is also the present regiment which never fought any war. The regiment was called "Amanqe" because of the way in which they ate meat.
When the meat is brought to them, they could not sit down, cut the meat in small pieces, but would just tear the meat and eat it standing like vultures, hence the regiment name. "Amanqe" (vultures).
There are two main wars in which the Shangase warrior regiments participated so strongly. These are:
a) Impi yakoNkwenkwezi (The Nkwenkezi War)
This war ensued during a wedding ceremony between the Sb~gase and Qadi warriors. Reports on the fighting given by the elders of both Shangase and Qadi describe the engagement of these two tribes as being very furious at that time. On numerical strengths, the amaQadi outnumbered the amaShangase. It is reported that during the early stages of the fight they gained confidence from the numbers they fielded on the war scene. Those who were not yet in contact with the enemy, unanimously shouted a war cry of the amaQadi which goes thus: Waminza!
Waminza! (You drowned! You drowned!), as they bit their shields.
In line with their true fighting process, the Shangase warrIOrs so matched the amaQadi's superior numbers that silence and the rata - dam sound of the spears and shields was head. The two parties were then engaged in real fight with no one seeming to accept defeat. Noone person stopped the fight, but perhaps the telepathic failing took command and many warriors from both sides lay sprawled on the field of battle. The new regiment who arrived after the break and who were still eager to continue the fight were discouraged by both sides.
When the offence was tried at Ndwedwe Magistrates" Court, a man called
"Magcekeni Ngcobo" was given an indeterminate sentence. The court magistrate at
Ndwedwe declared that there should never be more fights between the two tribes as they were related tracing their descent from the same known ancestral parent
"VUMIZITHA. "
b) 1906 Bhambatha Rebellion
The informant L.K. Shangase who was told by his Great-grandfather (ukhokho) Msombuluko, son of Fahla (Sozimuka), ofNkasa, ofNzukela, of Mvula tells me that the Shangase having heard that the Nyuswas under iNkosi Mqedi are involved in the
rebellion, took to arms to assist the Nyuswas since the Shangases and the Nyuswas are closely related. Therefore, the Shangase warriors joined the Nyuswa warriors to make a big army to fight against the British Colonial Government who wrongfully imposed the poll-tax over the Zulus in 1906.
INkosi Bhambatha Zondi ofNgoma at Mdlovana led the resistance against the British Colonial Government who undemocratically imposed poll-tax over the Zulu' in 1906.
Due to improper communication a serious misunderstanding ensued between the Zulus and the Natal British Colonial Government. This led to the famous battle known as the 1906 Bhambatha Rebellion. A careful analysis of the situation indicates that this was not a rebellion as recorded, but infact, a resistance against defamation of Zulu culture. There were many other laws that were imposed on the Zulus undermining their essential way of life. Confirmation of this fact was obtained from reliable sources as well as generations of the people who lived this history.
Following this misunderstanding, iNkosi Bhambatha visited the Zulu Royal House to consult on the issue. When he came back, he vigorously refeated the British forces at Mpanza and after that sought refuge to the iNkandla forest near the grave of King Cetshwayo. This is where the best and the last of Bhambatha KaMancinza were seen by the British forces.
Still propounding on the 1906 Bhambatha Rebellion, the Shangase regiments were summoned by the amaQadi to please take to arms together and proceed to K waNyuswa in order to salvage the Nyuswas from the British soldiers stationed at Nsuze. The iNkosi of the Nyuswa tribe at that time was Mqadi. However, that action did not take place in spite of the Shangase warriors having strangled the black bull to be used for strengthening the Shangase, Nyuswa and Qadi Anny. This tumult or ruction was called off on the arrival of Marshall Campbell. The 1906 Bhambatha Rebellion took place during the times of the Zulu king - Dinuzulu, Nyuswa iNkosi - Mqadi, Qadi iNkosi - Mandlakayise, and Shangase iNkosi - Zikhulu.