Matshobana
Named after Matshobana, chief of the Khumalo and father of Mzilikazi, founder of the Ndebele kingdom.
Matshobana carries the oldest name in Bulawayo’s story. Matshobana was a chief of the Khumalo in what is now KwaZulu-Natal, and the father of Mzilikazi, who led his people north and founded the Ndebele kingdom. Several of the city’s suburb names come from the royal family: Mzilikazi, Lobengula, Nkulumane, Njube, Nguboyenja, Famona, Tshabalala and Malindela. Matshobana stands at the head of that line.
Other tellings
The Herald, in two separate articles, gives the same origin: the suburb is named after Mzilikazi’s father. Matshobana was killed when Zwide, ruler of the Ndwandwe, ordered the deaths of the Khumalo chiefs, and Mzilikazi took his place — his life is told in the history of Mzilikazi.
What we don’t know yet
If you grew up in Matshobana, we would like to hear from you: the streets, the schools, the shops, what it was like.
Sources
- Bulawayo’s suburb names, A to M
- ‘Suburbs, street names origin explained’, The Herald (Zimbabwe)
- F. Q. Mabikwa, ‘Tracing the roots: How Bulawayo’s townships reflect city’s rich Ndebele heritage’, The Herald, 2 November 2024
Do you know more about this? Corrections, photographs and your own account are all welcome, and a correction is published on the page with the date it was made. Send something in.