Structure
Political
-The Ndebele kingdom had a centralized and militarized administrative structure.
The Ndebele king was the head of the state with all power centred in his hands.
- His powers include being the chief judge who presided over all the judicial
matters, the high priest who presided over all the religious ceremonies, the
commander-in-chief who was in charge of the army, the chief administrator who was
responsible for the distribution of land, captives and women among his people.
- However his powers were not absolute because he was assisted in carrying out his
duties by a council of advisers known as the Umpakhati.
- This council was made up of the indunas and advised the king on important issues
especially those in connection with the foreigners.
- The Ndebele kingdom was highly militarized. It was divided into regimental towns
namely the Amphlope located the centre, Amakanda in the east, Amnyama in the south
and Iyabo in the west.
- Each regimental town was under the provincial chiefs, the Induna Enkulu who was
the commander of the amabutho that protected the regimental town.
- The Ndebele State was highly militarized with a well developed standing army. The
army was organized in a regimental system. Under this structure the Ndebele king
was the commander-in-chief of the Ndebele army.
- Under him were the Induna Enkulu who were in charge of the amabutho of the
regimental towns.
- Below were the indunas who commanded the ibutho. Young men were placed within the
regiments according to their ages. Upon reaching adulthood they were drafted into
the army where they were expected to distinguish themselves in battle before being
discharged and allowed to marry.
- The army was responsible for maintaining law and order as well as to raid those
Shona groups that refused to submit and pay tribute to the Ndebele.
- The army used both traditional weapons such as spears and shields and the modern
weapons such as guns and ammunition.
Economic
- The Ndebele had a mixed economy based on livestock and crop production,
manufacturing, trade and the tributary state system.
- Livestock production was the most important economic activity. There was a
national herd and an individual herd. The national herd was held by the king in
trust for the Ndebele people.
- The national herd was replenished through raids but they only raided those Shona
groups that refused to submit and pay tribute.
- The national herd was used to reward the soldiers and the indunas. They also
slaughtered cattle during the national religious ceremonies i e the inxwala
ceremonies.
- Some of the cattle were loaned to the Shona under the system of kuronzera. Under
this system the Shona were loaned Ndebele cattle over a given period using the as
draught power and as a source of milk before returning them.
- The individual herd was owned by individual house holders and cattle played an
important role among these individuals.
- Such cattle were important as a food source, trade, tribute payment, lobola
payment as well as for rituals.
- The quantity of cattle held by an individual was an indicator of one’s status in
the society.
- Traditionally it was believed that the Ndebele were predominantly cattle herders
and that agriculture was almost absent.
-Recent evidence indicates a contrary picture. It has now been established that the
Ndebele were actually agriculturalists. For example Robert Moffart reported in 1845
that the Ndebele prospered in millet, rapoko and sorghum.
- Grain was the main food consumed and the Ndebele rarely slaughtered their cattle
for food.
- Much of the Ndebele grain came from individual plots and the state fields.
- The grain was for food, trade tribute payment and the ritual ceremonies.
- The Ndebele also engaged in manufacturing. They made items such as tools, pottery
and crafts.
- In the 1880s they began the manufacture of gun powder and the repair of guns.
- The Ndebele engaged in trading activities with the whites and the Shona. The
Ndebele trade relations with the whites began way back in the 1820s and 1830s
during their journey northwards.
- Their skirmish with the Boers in 1836 made them realize the importance of guns.
- Thus through trade relations they acquired guns and ammunition.
- The members of the royal family benefited from these trade relations. They got
access to luxury goods such as cloth, spirits etc.
- The Ndebele also established trade relations with the Shona. Upon the arrival of
the Ndebele in the area south of the Zambezi in the 1840s their agriculture was not
well established thus they exchanged their cattle for the Shona grain.
- The Shona needed cattle because theirs had been depleted by the Nguni invaders.
- At the same time the Ndebele needed more people to strengthen their newly
established state thus they exchanged their cattle for young people from the Shona
who were incorporated into their society.
- The Ndebele also acquired iron for local manufacturing from the Shona whom they
gave cattle.
- The Ndebele established the tributary state system. The neighbouring Shona
grouped were raided and were forced to submit and pay an annual tribute.
- Tribute was paid in cattle, grain, iron, gold and labour. A punitive raiding
expedition was often dispatched to those Shona groups that defaulted or refused to
pay.
Social
- The Ndebele State had a stratified society comprising of three social groups
namely the Zansi, Enhla and the Amaholi
- The Zansi were at the top level of the Ndebele society. They were the original
Khumalo people. They were the most privileged and occupied key political positions.
By 1890 the Zansi comprised of 15% of the total Ndebele population.
- The Enhla occupied the middle level position in the Ndebele society. These were
those ethnic groups that were incorporated into the Ndebele society. They were the
Sotho, Tswana and the Swazi.
- They occupied the middle level political positions in the Ndebele political
structure. By 1890 the Enhla comprised of 25% of the total Ndebele population.
- At the bottom level were the Amaholi. These were the Karanga, the original
inhabitants of the south western part of Zimbabwe.
- They were conquered and incorporated into the Ndebele kingdom in 1840. By 1890
they comprised of 65% of the total population.
- Initially intermarriages among these were strictly forbidden but with time such
distinctions collapsed as the groups became fully integrated into the Ndebele
society.
- Intermarriages took place. Most Karanga people were assimilated into the Ndebele
society. They adopted the Ndebele language, names and customs such that they came
to be identified as the Ndebele people.
- The Ndebele religion was diversified. It was due to the stratification of the
Ndebele society.
- For example the Zansi worshipped the Sotho god Mlimo while the Karanga worshipped
the Mwari.
-But then all the groups took part in the national religious ceremonies such as the
inxwala that was presided over by the king. On this occasion various tributary
states brought their annual tribute as a sign of allegiance.
- By playing a leading role in these activities the Ndebele king used religion as a
form of control and a unifying factor
