Sindebele Interpreters

isiNdebele Language Statistics/Facts:

The Northern Ndebele language, also known as isiNdebele or Sindebele, is a language belonging to the Bantu speaking language group of Nguni, found in the Matebele people of Zimbabwe, South Africa. It is also used by peoples in the Republic of South Africa. The Ndebele people are related to the Zulu and share the same origin. The language is spoken by over 1,090,000 people in the region.

Countries where iSiNdebele is spoken:

Zimbabwe

South Africa

isiNdebele Speaking Country Data:

Country: Zimbabwe

Capital: Harare

Population: 12,754,000

Constitutional Parliamentary Republic: President Robert Mugabe

Currency: Uses multiple currencies since 2009.

GDP (ppp): $8.865 Miliion

Unemployment: 10.71%

Government Type: Constitutional Republic

Industries: Agriculture, mining industries in gold, household industries.

Country: South Africa

Capital: Pretoria

Population: 52,960,000

Constitutional Parliamentary Republic: President Jacob Zuma

Currency: Rand (ZAR)

GDP (ppp): $408.237 billion

Unemployment: 23.8%

Government Type: Constitutional Republic

Industries: Mining, telecommunications equipment, wood pulp and paper products, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, electrical items.

iSiNdebele History

The Ndebele people were originally born by the Nguni people of KwaZulu-Natal. The Ndebele people have been long known for their artistic nature, portrayed by the elaborately painted homes they built. The AmaNdebele of Zimbabwe and the Amanzunza of South Africa are closely related, and are alleged to have come from the same origin. They have much in common, including their cultures and religious beliefs.

The Ndebele people are said to have settled in the Pretoria region around 1600 AD. Their King, Musi, soon died, and this led to bloodshed, as both of the King’s sons desired the throne. The sons’, Manala and Ndzundza decided to live apart, with Manala occupying the Pretoria region, and his brother occupying further east. In the 1820’s a Zulu general called Mzilikazi fled from the King of Shaka, with his army. They overpowered Manala and decided to settle down with them in their region. After some time Mzilikazi started fearing that Shaka may want revenge, and so he lured the Ndebele people to move further north, until they settled at Bulawayo, in the modern day city of Zimbabwe.

Interesting iSiNdebeleFacts:

• The SiNdebele are famous for an interest in art. This is seen in the paintings they decorate their homes with, and paintings on rocks in areas where they lived.

• The SiNdebele speakers of Zimbabwe were originally living in South Africa before Mzilikazi decided to run away from Shaka and moved them north to Bulawayo in Zimbabwe.

• SiNdembele are in fact Bantu speakers, close to the Bantus in East Africa.