Page 107 - Heritage Streets of KwaMashu 2025

HERITAGE STREETS OF KWA-MASHU 103
(payment) in the form of cattle after the delivery of the weapons, which saw Gcugcwa without any authority going and collecting some of the royal cattle from herders driving them to his kraal. That act was arrogantly interpreted as “theft” by Shaka to justify Gcugcwa’s punishment. What is referred to by some Zulu modern writers as Gcugcwa’s disrespect, in oral tradition is referred to as defiance and bravery of unimaginable levels of the times (as in a business setup Gcugcwa was owed what was due to him). [Earlier, near Mhlathuze around the Mkhwakhwini area, the Zungu clan was known as “abenzi bensimbi” (iron carvers) including 3-legged Zulu pots and spears]. These facts of iron carving by African people, in general, reduces the claim by Westerns to babyhood, as later comers when it comes to the “iron revolution”, new to them but was long discovered and existed in Africa.
This matter of “izikhali zamaNtungwa” is very important in Kwa-Zulu history as they were used throughout the Zulu royal direction – used by King Shaka, and used by Prince Cetshwayo at Indondakusuku when he fought and conquered his brother Prince Mbuyazi and later when King Cetshwayo was on the throne these weapons were used to conquer the British Army at Isandlwana War in January 1879. White people realized from there the danger of these “izikhali zamaNtungwa” and decreed the prohibition of their making, categorized as dangerous traditional weapons, sending them to museums, only permitting the making of shields and traditional sticks (also except for amawisa (the bone-crushing knobs/clubs – equally used together with spears at Isandlwana).
Though he had nothing on his feet, the Zulu youth of old, whenever he walked abroad, be it a-courting, to dances, or merely on friendly calls, always had something useful in his hand; for at any moment he might be attacked by snake, by dog, or by aggressive man. What he therefore always carried was a couple of stout cudgels (umZaca or umshiza, induku), roughly cut from some exceptionally hard-wooded tree, each stick being about 3 feet long by an inch in thickness. These were always in pairs (unless a protective shield was being carried, in which case one would suffice) so that one could be used for striking (always at the opponent’s head), the other for parrying: at both of which exercises the Zulu men were extremely expert. A similar, but shorter stick (isiKhwili), was used, along with the smaller shield (iHawu), when dancing. Occasionally, the umZaca cudgels were pointed at one end (iMpiselo); others were pared to a chisel-shape (iNhlabela), both being used for stabbing. A finely polished, but much more wicked, type of stick, called by us a ‘knobkerry ‘, by him an iWisa (or feller), about two feet long with a heavy spherical knob at the end, was sometimes carried in place of an umZaca, as a weapon of offence. The knobs were of different shapes and sizes, one sort being as large as two fists together (iNsulungu). Some were further fortified with brass nails or studs inserted all over the knob. A particularly heavy- headed, but shorter-handled, kind (isiMonqo) was employed for throwing at an enemy out of reach. For ordinary bird hunting, a rough knobbed stick (isaGila), as cut from the tree, was used.
Famous residents of L-Section include the first-ever female Kwa-Zulu Natal Premier, Mrs. Nomusa Dube-Ncube, Mlungisi Ndlela, among others.
Here are some examples of street names found at Section L:
a) Mcibisholo – means an arrow, a projectile with a straight thin shaft and an arrowhead on one end and stabilizing vanes on the other; intended to be shot from a bow. Mainly used for hunting and popular both among the Nguni hunters and San hunters (AbaThwa).