Source: KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
Title: Thusi: Celebrating life of Inkosi Sigananda Shezi
Speech by the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Ms Weziwe Thusi, during the celebration of the life of Inkosi Sigananda Shezi
Good morning ladies and gentlemen and thank you for coming. We have gathered here to celebrate a real South African giant an icon whose heroic deeds will reverberate across the corridors of history, namely Sigananda kaZokufa Shezi.
Sigananda Shezi’s heroism does not only start with the Bhambatha Uprising but dates back to as early as the reign of King Shaka.
His father Zokufa and Shaka were cousins. Nandi, King Shaka's mother, had a sister who got married Mvakela Zokufa's father. Zokufa was one of King Cetshwayo's advisors and an induna at Mlambongwenya kraal and was skilled in iron smelting and the manufacture of hoes, axes, knives and assegais. Born in the early 19th century, Sigananda was a member of King Dingaan's iNkulutshane regiment in his youth and had witnessed the killing of Piet Retief and his party at Mgungundlovu. Inkosi Sigananda was extremely loyal to King Cetshwayo and fought for him at the famous Battle of Ndondakusuka.
Inkosi Sigananda’s relationship with Bhambatha went beyond military activities. Sigananda himself had once been cared for by Mancinza (Bhambatha’s father) and was a policeman at the magistrate's office in Grey Town about 1871. After more than a decade of absence from Zululand he was invited by King Cetshwayo to return as the Inkosi of amaChube. Sigananda also participated in the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 and during the war of 1883 had provided Cetshwayo with refuge at his kraal, Enhlweni, on the edge of the Nkandla Forest. Sigananda also fought with the Usuthu at the battle of Thukela on 2 December 1856. In 1884 Sigananda also participated at the Battle of Khothongweni at the side of Usuthu.
When the Bhambatha uprising started, Sigananda and his subjects refused to pay the notorious poll tax and this led them to stage an open defiance on 17 April 1906.
Sigananda never sold his people and when the colonialists wanted him to betray Bhambatha, he instead offered the latter refuge and joined him in the uprising. He further refused to give evidence against Bhambatha during the trial and for this he was detained for 38 days. It is reported that he was already 92 years and very healthy but because of prison treatment together with other unexplained incidents he began to fall sick and eventually died under mysterious circumstances. Sigananda will always be remembered for his selflessness and loyalty to the Kings (Shaka, Cetshwayo and Dinuzulu) and the African people.
The formation of the South African National Native Congress in 1912 therefore was largely influenced and encouraged by the heroism of people like Sigananda. Sigananda can be rightly credited with being one of the first people to participate in what has been referred to as the pioneering guerrilla warfare in the world, namely the Bhambatha uprising of 1906.
As the people of KwaZulu-Natal, we are proud to be associated with such a great hero who shared greatness with the likes of Patrice Lumumba, Mao Tse Tung, Hoh Chih Minh, Ernesto Ch
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