Ethnos

Ndebele

There are two versions of Ndebele in South Africa, they both belong to the Nguni group of Bantu Languages. The Northern Ndebele or Nrebele and the Southern Ndebele otherwise known as Amandebele. There is also a separate language called Ndebele (that is spoken primarily in Zimbabwe (but also in Botswana) - see Matabele.

The first group of Ndebele speakers are found in the Limpopo Province (formerly Northern Transvaal or Northern Province) of South Africa around the Towns of Mokopane (Potgietersrus) and Polokwane (Pietersburg). Unfortunately this language was never taken seriously, so it was never taught at school and neither did anyone sit down and compile a proper orthography. The language is sometimes mistakenly grouped under the Northern Sotho group of dialects. This language is becoming extinct. The new generation mostly speaks Northern Sotho. The second group of Ndebele speakers is found in the Mpumalanga and Gauteng Province of South Africa.

The Ndebele people have recently become famous for their colourful wall paintings and traditional garb. ***