JAMANGILE ka
Mabandla Royal Family
Serving AmaBhele Nation
The Royal family attributes its traits of hard working, bravery, kindness and love from values and traditions provided by our forefathers.
Jamangile was a forebear in embracing Christianity as a lifestyle, which was influenced by his parents. AmaBhele and His Kingship were eminent for advancing agriculture, education and God which became the foundation pillars of the royal family.
Royal Family
Royal Protocol
Royal Initiatives
Press Office
Royal Office
Royal Family Council
Royal History 1828 – 2020
iNkosi Jamangile
iNkosi Jamangile, the Great Son of Mabandla was born in 1828, in Gcalekaland. He fought in the War of the Axe in 1846 and the War of Mlanjeni in 1850. He had two wives:
- MaMasoka, Nosayi, the daughter of Jita
- MaRhadebe the daughter of Mzizana.
Jamangile had five sons:
- George (by MaMasoka)
- Jali (by MaMasoka)
- Josiah (by MaMasoka)
- Thomas (by MaMasoka)
- Johnny also known as Hlalephethwe (by MaRhadebe)
Prior to his movement to Endenxa, Gatberg (Maclear) in 1873, he ruled certain portions of Tyhume and Gaga under his father in 1854. Consequent to the East Vacant Lands Commission of 1883, he was induced to move AmaBhele to the Tsitsa Basin in the Tsolo Magisterial District.
George kaJamangile kaMabandla
George, the eldest son of Jamangile was born in 1855 in McFarlan in the Tyhume Valley of Alice.
He studied at Lovedale from 1871 to 1875.
In his early years George was a teacher in McFarlan but later became a magistrate’s clerk in Gatberg (eNdenxe). He then worked eNgcobo, under Magistrate W.A. Stanford, following which he became a Court Interpreter for the Tsolo Magistrate Court.
He was married to Sienna Kwatsha (MaMadun) and they had five sons, Nelton, Ebenezer Leonard, Andrew and Mthethunzina.
Records indicate that George acted as iNkosi before the death of his father. Following the death of Jamangile in 1910, George formally ascended to the role of iNkosi.
He was fondly praised using his slaution of Ah! Mathandela, a name he inherited from his father’s cousin Nyenye kaMbakaza kaQunta.
iNkosi George was a prominent and well respected leader of AmaBhele, owing this to his education and influence within government and local structures.
He played a key role in mediating local and regional matters of iSiZwe saMaBhele. His enduring legacy within iSizwe was his intervention, when iNkosi Mbovane of Tyhume, wanted to confer heirship to iNkosana of a minor house.
iNkosi George ruled AmaBhele until his death in 1927.
Nelton KaGeorge kaJamangile kaMabandla
Upon the passing of iNkosi George, his son Nelton (Ah! Zwelakhe) ascended to the throne on 1927. iNkosi Nelton spent a significant part of his brief reign correcting the obscene perception that the kingship of AmaBhele was relegated to Headmenship instead of iNkosi yeSizwe.
iNkosi Nelton had two wives:
- MaDlomo (Noti)
- MaKheswa
He had eight children
- Sindile (by MaDlomo)
- Swaphi (by MaKheswa)
- Six daughters (by MaDlomo)
iNkosi Nelton died in 1932.
Sindile kaNelton kaGeorge kaJamangile
Sindile, the son of iNkosi Nelton was born in 1917. He ascended the throne in 1944. Before ascending the throne he fought in WW II rising to the rank of Sergeant.
iNkosi Sindile married Lydia Mntonintshi, (MaMhaga).
His eldest son Mafu, was born in 1939 and ascended the throne in 1967.
Mafu kaSindile kaNelton kaGeorge kaJamangile kaMabandla
iNkosi Mafu (Ah! Sobantu) married Thandiwe Primrose Maku in 1968. As iNkosi, he became a member of the Transkei Legislative Assembly. He then became a Member of Parliament (MP) in the Parliament of an Independent Transkei. iNkosi Mafu was the most senior leader from the Eastern Cape AmaBhele to participate in Amanasso events eLenge (Mnambithi) and Durban.
He was elected as Chairperson of the Emboland Regional Authority more than two terms.
He was an Executive Member of the Eastern Cape Provincial House of Traditional Leaders when he died.
iNkosi Sobantu had seven children;
- iNkosazana Nozuko
- iNkosazana Belukazi
- iNkosazana Namhla
- iNkosazana Thembela
- iNkosana Mthandeni,
- iNkosana Sithandiwe
- iNkosana Siyasanga
iNkosi Sobantu died in October 2009.
Mthandeni kaMafu kaSindile kaNelton kaGeorge kaJamangile kaMabandla
iNkosi Mthandeni Mabandla (Ah! Mathandela), was born in 1974 and ascended the throne in 2009. iNkosi Mathandela was one of the traditional leaders elected by iiNkosi of Elundini Local Municipality to participate in the Joe Gqabi District Municipality. He served as the Deputy Chairman of the Elundini branch of Contralesa. He featured prominently in debates in the Emboland Regional Authority and was part of AmaBhele delegations from the Eastern Cape to eLenge several times. Noteworthy was his leadership and representation of the community in negotiations with government regarding land and agricultural matters. When he died in 2019 he was in serious engagement with government about matters pertaining the uMzimvubu Dam.
iNkosi Mathandela married Malibambo (Zodwa Nosolethu) who died in 2018.
He then married Masitshaka (Nobandla) who also died in 2019.
iNkosi Mathandela is survived by his daughter, iNkosazana Thando Mabandla.
