BULAWAYO – The life and legacy of King Mzilikazi kaMatshobane will take centre stage at this year’s commemorations at Mhlahlandlela, with organisers seeking to retell his history and preserve Ndebele culture for future generations.
The commemorations, which are expected to attract thousands of people, will be held on 4 and 5 September at Mhlahlandlela, on the outskirts of Bulawayo.
The first day will be dedicated to schoolchildren, who will be taken through the history, traditions and cultural practices associated with King Mzilikazi and other communities, while the second day will be open to the general public.
King Mzilikazi, founder and first king of the Ndebele nation, died on September 5, 1868.
Bigboy George Sibanda, a member of the Mthwakazi kaMzilikazi Cultural Association (MMCA), which is coordinating the event, said the school programme was designed to ensure that knowledge about the king and Ndebele culture was passed on to younger generations.
“For the two days that we are going to be celebrating King Mzilikazi, on the 4 September is when we are going to have school children who will come and learn about the history and culture of Mzilikazi so that they can pass it on from generation to generation,” said Sibanda.
The organisers said the commemorations would go beyond remembering King Mzilikazi by creating a platform for communities to showcase and share their histories, traditions, food and performing arts.
Sibanda said cultural groups and guests from Zimbabwe and other countries would participate in the programme, giving schoolchildren an opportunity to learn about different cultures.
“We are going to have guests from South Africa from the Ndebele tribe, the Xhosa, Khumalo and also guests from Zambia, Malawi and also Tanzania,” he said.
He said the school programme would expose pupils to different cultural practices, including traditional food, dances and customs of communities such as the Venda, Sotho, Kalanga and Tonga.
“This will be an educational day,” Sibanda said.
The organisers are also preparing the Mhlahlandlela site to accommodate the expected crowds, with ablution facilities, a borehole, kitchen and eating area being developed ahead of the commemorations.
Danisiwe Senda, a director of Mcilo Construction and one of the organisers, said the infrastructure was being put in place to ensure the event could accommodate visitors while creating a suitable setting for the cultural programme.
Among the high-profile guests expected are popular South African Maskandi musician Khuzani and actress Dawn Thandeka King, while actor Mpilo Mabotha, who portrayed King Mzilikazi in the film Shaka, is also expected to attend.
Senda said the organisers wanted the commemorations to help bring the story of King Mzilikazi back into public consciousness, particularly among young people.
He called for the production of a film or television series dedicated to the life and legacy of the Ndebele king.
“Our hope and dream in the long run is that there be a continuation of the telenovela Shaka Ilembe with a focus on the story of Mzilikazi,” said Senda.
The commemorations will also have an economic and developmental component, with part of the proceeds from the event set to be channelled towards construction of the University of Matobo campus.
The organisers said they hoped the annual commemorations would evolve into a major cultural platform for preserving King Mzilikazi’s history while promoting the diverse traditions of communities linked to his legacy.
