HISTORY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

Who were the people of Southern Africa?

The people of Southern Africa

The bushmen also known as the SAN. The SAN were the first set of people to inhabit the region of
Southern Africa, starting from around 500BC, some SAN groups acquired livestock from the further
North. The SAN lived entirely on fruits and games (Hunting). As gatherers, they were constantly on the
move. They lived in small hunting territory with a band of minimum of five and maximum of fifty to
seventy families. They stayed in a temporary shelter or caves which they adorned with paintings and
drawings of animals, heroes and heroines and their hunting experiences.

Gradually, hunting and gathering gave way to adding as an economic activity. The arrival of livestock
introduced the concept of personal wealth and property ownership into SAN society. Because of their
closeness to nature, they possesed powerful magical powers and were familiar with medicinal plants
and herbs.

The SAN were very peaceful, but would resist any intrusion into their hunting grounds and barns, as they
attacked their enemies directly with their poisonous arrows and raiding of their enemies' camp.

The political Organization of The San

The San political organization was not properly developed as there were no serious political setup or
organizations. At the top of the hierarchy of the SAN were the elders who were respected for their age.
They took vital decisions after several consultations with other members of the society.

Subsequently, community structures expanded and solidified, and chieftancies developed. In this wise,
the first band member to light up a fire in a new camp automatically becomes the custodian or the head
of the camp. Gradually, the office became hereditary and passes from father to son. The head of the
band was only vested with power over water, vegetable and food, but had no power to pass judgement
over matters relating to theft and adultery, among others. In such cases, the accused and aggrieved
person are meant to fight until one of both surrender or dies. Some bands usually show concern on
reconciliation of parties in order to prevent the use of poisonous weapons and communal crisis.

The Khoikhoi people (Men of men)

The Khoikhoi people were referred to as the Hottentots (Men of men) by the first set of migrant Dutch
in Southern Africa. The Khoikhoi people developed from the inferior hunter gathererer SAN. Over the
time, the Khoikhoi people established themselves along the coast, while some small groups of San
continued to inhabit the interior. Like the bushmen, they were also on the move and lived in fragile and
light shelters which were often carried along whenever they moved. When the Portuguese and Dutch
explorers and missionaries arrived in the region in 16th and 17th century, they found the Khoikhoi
herders occupying the fertile land of the Cape of good hope as well as the Eastern coastal strip of the
southern Africa. They were not as widely spread and scattered as the SAN/bushmen people.
Sociopolitical structure of the Khoikhoi people

They were structured and settled in tribes and each tribe was made up of a number of related clans,
their own camps were bigger than that of the SAN. Their camps were built in circuit of huts, surrounded
by a barricade/fence with which their cattle and belongings were kept and enclosed.

As coastal people and the first to come in contact with white men, they probably acquired some cattle
and other valuables from the early white settlers and advanced the distinctive Hottentious culture.
Cattle played a crucial role among the people as it was regarded as a private property and wealth
thereby making some people richer than the other. Cattle ownership served as the requirement for
satisfying social life.

In politics, the head of the senior clan was the overall chief of the settlement. However, he only had little
power as decisions were made only after due consultations with other clan heads. Crises and disputes
were settled by all men of the clan under the leadership of the senior kinsman. Crisis between different
clan were settled by the heads of the clans involved with the supervision of the chief of the horde as the
overall head of the Khoikhoi settlement.

A horde was made up of many clans that amalgamated to form an independent political sovereignty.
Subsequently, the chief of the horde has the power to pass any judgment including death sentence. As a
result of that, (missing word)

Bantu People

The first set of Bantu people in the Southern Africa migrated from the central and eastern Africa in
300AD, in the 4th century. They settled in Kwazulu Natal province, Limpopo province and several other
coastal, fertile and strategic areas of Southern Africa. Historians believed that their expansion and
migration was born out of the development in agriculture, the making of ceramics and the use of iron,
which necessitated the need for exploitation of a new ecological zone.

In the 16th and 17th century, most likely about the time of European migration to the region, more
Bantuls migrated and colonized most Southern African territories with the exception of Western and
Northern areas of the Cape. Two main groups of Bantu developed. They are the Nguni (Xhosa, Zulu,
Swazi) who occupied the Eastern place, and the second group known as Sotho tswana who lived on the
interior plateau. When they came, they chased the reigning Hottentous westward to the cape while
some bushmen sought refuge in less profitable districts, and few others stood their ground in the
Eastern Cape and many other coastal areas of Southern Africa.

The Bantu people practised and excelled through extensive agriculture, they practised mixed farming
which enabled them to keep and maintain a large population density and to develop a more complex
social, economic and political institutions than the Hottentous and the bushmen. The increased trade
volume among African communities and with the Europeans and Arab traders on the coast and in the
interior enabled the Monomatapa kings to build the famous great Zimbabwe and the Swahili empire,
the great Zulu kingdom, the Moshoeshoe empire among others
The socio-political setup of the Bantu people

The Bantu people consisted of a number of closely related people, they lived near one another in
farming huts, isolated hamlets or family compound within the large settlements.

An important socio practice was the system of initiation into manhood. It was nationally organized, and
formed the basis of a system of military enrolment.

On political scene, the Bantu had the most formidable and coercive political organization among the
three indigenous group. This structure was built around the clan with very strong leadership. In day to
day activities of the government, the chief of the Bantu was assisted by an inner council of official
advisers. Among the Sotho, the highest political hierarchy was a General Assembly otherwise known as
Pitso. The chief was assisted in the administration by advisers known as Induna. In the General
Assembly, the Indunas were allowed to say their mind and even criticise the chief. The Bantus had a
hereditary kingship political system. The Bantu people were subjected to the process of fissiparous
multiplication that is as the population of both men and cattle increases, competition for pastoral land
and water bodies grew more intense.

Colonization of Southern Africa

The Portuguese were the first set of European colonial migrant and explorer in the Southern Africa.
Bartholomew Dias was the first Portuguese sea farer to sail around the southern port of Africa in 1486.
He named it the CAPE OF GOOD HOPE because it was hoped that it would clear the way to India, which
would simplify trade with the East. Eleven years after, Pasco Dagama another country man sailed right
around the cape on 25th of December, 1497, and named it Natal meaning Christmas in Portuguese. As
from then, the merchants brought highly valued commodities of the East and Southern Africa to Lisbon
where traders from other countries purchased them and Portugal grew rich from the sale of Eastern
spices, carpets, perfumes and precious stones. The coastal areas fierce or harsh weather and rocky
shoreline post a great threat to the Portuguese ships that were known as Caravan, and many of their
attempts to trade with the local Khoisans ended in conflict.

The Portuguese witnessed little competition in the Mozambican coast until the late 16th century, when
the Dutch and English began to challenge them along their trade routes. The second set of colonial
migrants were the Dutch.

The Dutch colonization in Southern Africa

In 1647, a Dutch vessel known as Haarlem got wrecked in Nerbu bay at cape town. The crew of the
wrecked ship built a small fort and stayed for a year until they were rescued. During their stay, they
grew vegetable and bartered with the local Khoikhoi people for meat. To this settlers, the Southern
Africa region has a favourable climate and fertile land and was just suitsbelnfor settlement,
encroachment and colonization.

Shortly thereafter, in 1652, Dutch man Jan van Ridbeck under the Dutch east Indian company known as
Vereenigde Oostindische companie (VOC) built a fort, a famine estate and hospitals. Their relationship
with the local people was initially peaceful and cordial, but later a mutual hostility and hatred developed
over issues such as cattle thefts, encroachment and the growing suspicion on the part of the local people
that the VOC was becoming a threat and umpire. By 1662, the Dutch men and the local inhabitants of
the cape colony were living in what was beginning to look like a developing colony.

Subsequently, the relationship between the Dutch settlers and the local peolengot worsened, and
authorities on both sides made deliberate attempts to restrict contacts and access. As a result of this,
the VOC found themselves faced with labour and population shortage. To solve this problem, they
released a small number of Dutch merchants from this contracts and permitted them to establish their
own independent agricultural exports. In addition to solving this problem, the VOC began to import
large number of slaves from Madagascar, Indonesia and indebted labourers from India.

The British migrant settlers and colonizers in Southern Africa

In 1580, Sir Francis Drake sailed past the cape. He was on a voyage around the world, commissioned by
queen Elizabeth 1 of England. After this discovery, British expedition became frequent along the coastal
areas of Southern Africa to the East in 1600, the English east Indian company which was an
amalgamation of several companies was founded. As the 18th century drew to a close, the Dutch
colonial powers began to fade and the British moved to fill the vacuum. As a result of development in
Europe, the British took over the control of the cape from the Dutch in 1795. They seized the cape from
falling into the hands of the French and it's ally.

(The Dutch aligned with the French (Napoleon) and when the British defeated France,
they were able to seize the Cape from the Dutch in 1806. It was recaptured back in
1806. It was recaptured because of the alliance between Poland and Napoleon
Bonaparte of France. British sovereignty of the area was reorganized at the congress of
Vienna in 1815.
As one of their first task, they tried to resolve troublesome border disputes between the
Boers and the Khoisans on the Colony’s Eastern Frontiers. In 1820, the British authorities
persuaded some 5,000 middle class British migrants to leave England and settle on the
tract of land between the feuding booths (groups) with the aim of providing a Buffer
zone.
EMPIRE BUILDING IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
SHAKA and the ZULU kingdom
Shaka was the first son of the chieftain SENZANGAKHONA and NANDI (mother)
who was conceived out of wedlock at around 1781 and 1787. Shaka spent his childhood
in his mother’s settlement MTHETHWA to whom the Zulus where then paying tributes.
At early years, he was initiated and inducted into the IBUTHO LEMPI unit and served as a
warrior under the sway of Local chieftain DINGISWAYO of MTHETWA clan. Shaka served
as a Mthetwa warrior for ten years and distinguished himself with his courage and
bravery. Shaka gained enormous military strength through the Ibutho Lempi regiment,
through their several response to slaving pressures from Southern Mozambique,
Warfare, Seasonal raiding and political persuasion (the Zulu had their empire as a result
of several crisis and the invading foreign migrants and local people and their activities of
Southern Africa who persuaded others to join them or raid the territories of others,
usurping their powers, taking captives their cattle and other possessions through the
use of force, raiding other territories in order to acquire more wealth through their
Ibutho Lempi unit, recruiting young ones and training them from tender age of 6 years
in the art of warfare in order to make themselves more prosperous than other people,
training them in art of defending their clan and attacking others in order to acquire their
wealth).
On the death of SENZANGAKHONA, Dinginswayo aided Shaka to defeat his
contenders and assume leadership of a small Zulu clan in 1816. Shaka began to further
refine the Ibutho Lempi and with Mthetwa support, he forged alliances with his smaller
neighbourhood to counter the growing threat from NWANDWE raiding from the North
(whose leader was Zwide). The Southern Africans had studied the Europeans in their
territory, how they organized their political entity and stance and discovered that living
in small settlements made them vulnerable and the best way to combat this crisis was
to come together and also to be able to acquire more wealth, they needed to subjugate
the fertile lands, steal cutlasses and other valuable belongings in order to gain wealth
and purchase sophisticated weapons in order to become a powerful (political entity). As
Shaka became more respected by the people, he was able to spread his ideas with ease.
Because of his background as a soldier, Shaka taught the Zulus that the most effective
way of becoming powerful and successful was by conquering and controlling some
other tribes. Shaka was able to form alliances with some other clans to suppress the
pressure of Zwide of Ndwande, the most aggressive clan in the sub-region. He was also
able to establish himself among the QWABE, and other powerful clans like MABHUOU,
DLAMIN and MHIZE. e.t.c.
Shaka also supplemented forceful subjugation with a mixture of diplomacy and
patronage in incorporating friendly chieftains including JOBE of SITHOLE, MATHUBANE
of THULI, NDEBELE of KHUMALO.e.t.c. Furthermore, many of his generals were also sent
out on raiding expeditions. For instance, SOSHANGANE was sent to move Northward to
what is now referred to as MOZAMBIQUE to expand and inflict further damage on less
resistant folks and take advantage of slaving opportunities and forcing the Portuguese
traders to pay the tribute to the emperor. (We also have NZILIKALI, who was Shaka’s
general who also did a lot of things to extend the tentacles of his power to several other
places.
MZLIKALI, a Shaka’s general was also sent out and fled his employ to conquer and
settle NDEBELE (a.k.a. Matabele) people in Southern Zimbabwe and drove the SONA
people (original inhabitants) to the North. MMAMTITISE, another general that
conquered the Sotho people.

FACTORS THAT AIDED SHAKA’S EMPIRE

Weapon Transformation
Shaka was dissatisfied with the long throwing spear called ASSEGAI and credited
with introducing weapon called IKLWA, a short stabbing spear with a long sword like
spear head. His warriors trained with the weapon which gave them a terrifying
advantage over opponents who held on to the traditional practice of throwing their
spears and avoiding hand to hand combat. The throwing spear was not abandoned but
used as an initial missile weapon before close contact with the enemy; when the short
spear was used in hand to hand combat.
Shaka also introduced a larger, heavier shield made of cow hides and taught each
warrior how to use the shield’s left side to hook the enemies shield to the right side,
exposing his ribs to a fatal spear stab.
Introduction of Apprentice War System
Young boys of age 6 and above were recruited into Shaka’s force as apprentice
warriors called UDIBI and served as carriers of rations, supplies like cooking pots and
sleeping mats as well as extra weapons until they join the main ranks. The system was
also to assist forces designed to extract tributes in cattle, women or men from the
neighbouring groups. They were easily adaptable to large or small expenditure.
Age-Grade Regimental System
Generally, age grades were responsible for varieties of activities ranging from the
camp to cattle herding to certain rituals and ceremonies. Shaka added more value to the
age grade system by organizing various grades into regiments and quartered in a special
military base also known as
KRAAL, with regiments having their own distinctive identity and insignia
otherwise known as official symbol.
Organization and Strategy of the Zulu forces
Leadership in Zulu army under Shaka was strictly by merit and not by hereditary
rites. Warriors that performed brilliantly in several outings gradually ascended to the
top hierarchies in the state military formation. By this, many people were encouraged to
join the army and as such, the population of the warriors that was formerly 50,000 rose
to 250,000 at the time of Shaka’s death.

THE MOSHOESHOE EMPIRE IN LESOTHO

(The name was realized from the sound of Sharp objects like swords, spears,
arrows.e.t.c.).
King Moshoeshoe was born within 1786 and 1793 at MENKHOANENG in the
Northern part of the present day Lesotho. He was the first son of MOKHACHANE, a
minor chief of the BAMOKOTELI lineage, which is a branch of the KOENA (a.k.a.
Crocodile) clan and Sotho tribe. He was initiated at a very young age, after his initiation,
he became very brave and organized cattle raids against other tribes, most especially
RAMONEHENG, and captured several herds of cattle. He also used his strength in
helping his father to win over several other smaller clans and communities.
After ascending to his father’s throne in 1822, Moshoeshoe and his followers,
Bakoena Bamokoteli, Bafokeng from his mother’s side and other relations as well as
some class including the Amazizi; established his settlement at BUTHA-BUTHE. His reign
coincided with the growth in power of the well known Zulu king Shaka and the time of
troubles known as Mfecane.
In the 19th century, Shaka raided many villages and smaller tribal settlement
along the eastern coast of Southern Africa, incorporating part of them into his steadily
growing Zulu kingdom. Various clans were forced to join forces with the Zulu chief and
an era of Great Wars of calamity ensued (This era of Great War is known as Mfecane.
The era of Great War was marked as aggression against the Sotho people by the
invading Nguni clans. The attack also forced Moshoeshoe to move his settlement to
QILOANE Plateau and impassable stronghold against enemies. He provided land and
protection to various people and this strengthened the growing Basotho Nation.
(In an attempt to expand his new settlement, Moshoeshoe made some Europeans his
advisors most especially the Europeans who traded in sophisticated weapons which
enhanced the Moshoeshoe’s growth; some were also missionaries, many of these
Europeans Eugene Casilas, Constant Gosselin, and Thomas Arbousset.e.t.c. Many factors
that aided the growth of the Moshoeshoe Empire was by forcefully conscripting several
other clans into his empire as well as alliances with the Europeans who aided the
growth of his empire by providing sophisticated weapons and involving them in the
trade.