Izithakazelo zakwa Mkhize Clan Names History and Origin
Mkhize clan members have yet to publicly acknowledge Islam; this should take place over the coming weekend.
Shaka established his power through military might alone; however, he also employed more subtle strategies like patronage to bring greater integration between his empire and other tribes.
Mkhize Clan Names
- Mkhize
- Zulu
- Ntuli
- Buthelezi
- Ngcobo
- Mthembu
- Ndlovu
- Khumalo
- Nkosi
- Shabalala
Mkhize Clan History
Mkhize is the clan name for chiefs of South Africa’s Ngwenya tribe in South Africa. Their name derives from Xhosa word khona, which translates to “to be kind one another”. This clan is best known for their close ties to Umkhonto we Sizwe – an anti-apartheid military force founded by Shaka kaSenzangakhona himself as their leader.
Shaka employed a combination of strategies that drew from existing heritages of statecraft to establish his empire.
Consolidating power by defeating rivals and recruiting their scattered remnants into his army, along with diplomacy and patronage tactics such as welcoming in friendly chieftains like Zihlandlo of the Mkhize, Jobe of Sithole and Mathubane of Thuli tribes as allies; also reinventing genealogies by connecting his Zulu lineage to those from Langene Ndwandwe and Swazi branches belonging to Nguni peoples;
Abduragman reports that several Mkhize clansmen have recently taken shahada (Islamic conversion). This may be attributed to close ties between Nguni people and Islam, which shares many parallels with their culture and way of life.
Mkhize was an influential member of the African National Congress (ANC) during his early career and an ally of President Jacob Zuma during Polokwane conference of 2012. Subsequently he served as minister of health under President Cyril Ramaphosa while also chairperson of KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government ANC branch.
Mkhize Clan Origin
The term mkhize refers to members of the Mkhize clan. Members share similar cultural values and traditions as well as being expected to adhere to Islam’s teachings. Recently, their ulama hosted a meeting for members to learn more about religion; many were amazed to see remarkable parallels between their culture and that of Islam!
Some historians have theorized that the name Mkhize was not applied to the Mkhize family until around the 1820s when Shaka’s Zulu kingdom began subjugating other populations across southern Africa.
Their arguments relied upon genealogical data indicating that their line was relatively weak when compared to established chiefdoms like Langene, Ndwandwe and Hlubi lines in terms of strength.
Mkhize is an extremely common surname, found by 1 out of every 41,772 South Africans and ranks 3,226th worldwide.
The surname currently refers to Lawrence Mkhize who served as Minister of Health under President Cyril Ramaphosa before resigning in 2021 amid allegations that he used his position for personal gain by brokering an R210 million deal between PIC and communications company.
Mkhize Clan Meaning
South Africans tend to identify with clans and attach the clan name to their personal names for an added sense of heritage and belonging. Clans are distinct groups with distinct languages, cultures and traditions found across Africa.
According to historians, the name Mkhize likely derives from Zulu society during Shaka’s rule. Historians speculate that Mkhize was used to distinguish the Zulu royal house from neighbouring tribes which they considered inferior in rank.
Historians also suggest it helped distinguish its lineage from more established branches such as Langeni, Ndwandwe, Swazi and Hlubi lines of descent within this region.
Mkhize was widely accused of abusing political influence as the ANC treasurer-general, according to newspaper reports, in order to secure financial benefits for his own organisation – though he denied these allegations.
Mkhize’s leadership career began as an anti-apartheid activist before transitioning into provincial politics in KwaZulu-Natal. He rose to prominence when he was elected national treasurer for the ANC in 2012; subsequently becoming chief financial officer.
Prior to its 54th National Conference in 2017, he attempted to run for presidency; however he withdrew so that Mabuza and Dlamini-Zuma could compete for its top leadership roles.
Mkhize Clan Variations
Clan names are an integral component of identity and culture for individuals. Passed down through a person’s father’s side of the family to honour ancestors, clan names are also used as an identification mechanism within tribes – similar to how one might recognize friends within one family, clan names serve to unify people within that particular clan – including cousins, aunts and uncles as part of one larger tribe which then forms part of one larger nation.
Clan names often hold symbolic meaning that reflect an individual’s profession, skills or an important event; for instance, Mthombi is derived from someone’s hunting ability which helped sustain the tribe during difficult times.
Clans are an integral component of African culture, especially among Bantu ethnic groups. Clans distinguish themselves from surnames by honoring ancestors through uniting families with shared ancestry.
Clans play an integral part in Nguni nation groups such as AmaZulu, AmaSwazi and amaNdebele nation groups as an indicator of pride, sense of belongingness, heritage protection and history preservation – they also create great debate in terms of development within Africa as a whole.
Clan systems play an essential part in supporting African nations’s progress despite any possible criticism they may provoke in terms of development; in reality they must remain central.
