Nongoma, is named after Zwide’s homestead who was the king of the Ndwandwe tribe, and Zwide’s tree is still in the center of Nongoma town even today. This land became a territory of the Zulu nation after Zwide was defeated by king Shaka in 1818. Decades later after the Zulu kingdom was overthrown by the British Empire they still named it a Ndwandwe District, KwelakwaNdwandwe. Nongoma is now famously known as iHlalankosi (the royal city) and it prides itself for the being home of six of the seven palaces of the mighty Zulu Kingdom.

The battles that resulted in the fall of the Zulu kingdom took place here involving uSuthu, uMandlakazi, uNgenetsheni, the Boers and steered by the British Empire, leaving Nongoma with the three current Zulu Traditional Authorities, uSuthu, uMandlakazi and Matheni. The revival of this kingdom was headed from Nongoma and the beauty of its rituals still takes place here for the world the to see.

We invite you, siyakwamukela!