Page 61 - Heritage Streets of KwaMashu 2025

• Ifafa (ifa-fa – die permanently, found in uGu District)
• uMlalazi (ulala azi (you sleep knowing), also itshe lokulola libizwa ngomlalazi (knife and spear sharpening stone). It is found in King Cetshwayo District and uMlalazi Municipality
is also named after this river.
• Amatigulu (amati (amanzi) – gulu (kuhlonishwa the
woman’s vagina) (It is said some women used to cross the river to attend to their fields across this river, and when they return in the late afternoon the river’s water was then reaching the private parts of women – which forced them to take their skits up as water had entered that respected place. The women then referred to the river as “Amatigulu”). The river is found along N2North just after uThukela river before reaching Gingindlovu turn-off to Eshowe, part of the iNkosi Mathaba area.
• uMhlathuze – this is a great clan name of the Mhlongo/ Langeni people. They even swear by this river, uMhlathuze (umfula ogcwala uze uhlathuze, usudle izindwani – getting full beyond its limit. Their fields were all along the Mhlathuze river, near the Langeni place (not Langwe) where the main eNgugeni royal kraal was located. Examples of clan praising include Mgabhi waseNgugeni, Dlomo waseMhlathuze! Langeni omkhulu! Nina belanga! UMhlathuze travels straight to the sea on the other side of Richardsbay town.
• uThukela (lomfula uthukela usugcwele – the river just gets overflowing even if there is no rain. Next to the river there is an “ultimatum” tree (fig tree (umkhiwane), some said it was umdlebe) which set the terms for the start of Isandlwana war in 1879. On the 11 December 1878 the British Government in South Africa presented an ultimatum to King Cetshwayo’s izinduna (senior representatives). The conditions of the Ultimatum included amongst others the disbandment of the Zulu Army and Cetshwayo having to swear allegiance to Queen Victoria – conditions were unacceptable to the Zulus – and war broke out one month later.)
• uMzinto (umuzi-wezinto – the home of things).
• uMkhomazi (umkhoma-wemazi/wenkomazi – a female whale. It is said the female whale was seen following its calf which had wandered from the ocean to this river. Locals saw that mother whale following its calf and calling it back to safe sea – and shouted “Oh kusho ukuthi umkhoma wenkomazi lowaya”. From then the river was referred to as uMkhomazi).
(Section of photos of rivers relating to streets of Section C)
HERITAGE STREETS OF KWA-MASHU 57