Difaqane: A migration that turned violent

By Thekiso Japhta Tlhapi

The Bantu people started migrating southward from the great Lakes in Central Africa in 900 AD.The Bantu people were comprised of the Nguni speaking people and the Sotho speaking people. When the two groups reached South Africa the Nguni chose the route to Natal which is a small province crammed between the Indian Ocean and the Drakensberg Mountains. The climate in Natal was healthy and disease-free and as a result population explosion happened. The Nguni people did not have the technology to produce enough food for the rapidly increasing population and conflict started as a result of the scarcity of resources. The Sotho group on the other hand had trekked to the interior of South Africa which is larger than Natal but they also ultimately started experiencing the scarcity of resources and started fighting among themselves. That situation led to the Difaqane uprising. After the Difaqane uprising large Chiefdoms of indigenous people emerged. Those Chiefdoms were later on joined by the Boers from the Cape but the opportunity for nation-building was missed because of too much focus on racial identity.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 6202530790
• ISBN13: 9786202530798
• Release Date: May 2020
• Publisher: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing
• Length: 72 Pages
• Weight: 0.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"