Page 104 - Heritage Streets of KwaMashu 2025

100
HERITAGE STREETS OF KWA-MASHU
•
•
Ilanda: the white egret. Ilanda is known for following the herd of cattle when they are grazing or the herd of buffalos. This benefits ilanda as it catches all the insects (locusts/ grasshoppers) that are disturbed by the herds. Also, ride on the back of the animals to pick up the ticks. Ilanda is also used by traditional healers when putting together lucky charm medicines or those that relate to luck.
uMvemve: this bird is regarded as an important bird, especially if it is always visiting the homestead as it indicates the presence of the ancestors (owners of the home) – with grey with white and black chest related to grandmothers (okhulu/ogogo/izalukazi) of the home and the brown one for great grandfathers (omkhulu). There is also a white and grey one – usually found near the rivers. Its visitation at the homestead indicates ukufika nokubakhona kwezalukazi zamanzi (mndawu) – the presence of water mothers. Interestingly, a young and recently born calf of a cow is
also referred to as umvemve – because of the way it walks like the umvemve bird (ngokuhamba intengantenga sakuvevezela).
“Amasinyora”a famous notorious gangster group that traumised the township was located in Section K and caused a lot of havoc in this section and Kwa-Mashu in general. It was also known to have been supported by the then KwaZulu Police (ZPs) and was used in the fighting against the township “comrades” and “cleaners” (of whom some “cleaners” were made up mainly of ex-MK members or led by some). “Amasinyora” were simple heartless gangsters (rapists, murderers, drug pushers, car thieves) who at some point created an enclave at Section K creating a buffer between themselves and residents by burning and destroying a line of houses. In revolution politics against the apartheid system “Amasinyora” were extreme counter- revolutionaries. Many lives were lost in Section K because of the deeds and acts of “Amasinyora” - and the advent of the
“cleaners” in early 1990s resulted in the total “elimination” of this notorious gangster group that had so much terrorized Section K community.
The Grammy award-winning singer/producer Zakes Bantwini (Zakhele Madida) hails from the K section area.
Hoping to inspire a greater interest, awareness, and protection among the African people of the avifaunal heritage of Kwa- Mashu through its street names.