AmaMpondomise

After existing as a kingdom for over 800 years, the AmaMpondomise nation were stripped of their status by the Union of South Africa in 1904 after King Mhlontlo was accused of killing a Qumbu magistrate, Hamilton Hope, and two white police officers during the Mpondomise Revolt in 1880-81. Although Mhlontlo was acquitted of the murder charge, he lost his kingship by administrative action. The AmaMpondomise nation’s hopes were again dashed during the democratic dispensation when the Nhlapo Commission found in 2005 that they had no claim to a kingship. However, a 115-year battle, for this anti-colonial nation, to get their king and kingdom reinstalled and reinstated respectively, ended when the Eastern Cape High Court (Mthatha) officially recognised the AmaMpondomise's kingship. It ordered that the kingship be reinstated. With the presiding judge setting aside the Tolo Commission's decision to oppose the AmaMpondomise’s claim of kingship.[15]

Colonists wrongly identified Mpondomise as Xhosa. Some colonists later identified Mpondomise as a dialect of Xhosa. Consequently, amaMpondomise people had to learn and speak Xhosa fluently to conduct business. Contemporarily, Mpondomise people speak Xhosa as a home language or as a second language in order to conduct business since Mpondomise is not recognised as an official language of the Republic of South Africa. There is a minority, comprising mostly older people, who speak the language. They are concentrated in the far eastern part of the Eastern Cape, primarily in the OR Tambo District Municipality, in the Tsolo and Qumbu villages where the great house and right-hand house reside, respectively. Other languages similar to Mpondomise include Swati, Ndebele and the various Tekela languages of nations such as amaMpondo, AmaHlubi and AmaZizi.

Amampondomise are learning Xhosa at schools and are required to select Xhosa as their preferred language on official documents such as government forms. Consequently, they are slowly losing their language. This is also evident in that amaMpondomise linguistically identify themselves with their cousins, amaXhosa, as Xhosa speaking people; while retaining a separate ethnic identity as amaMpondomise.

The Mpondomise people comprise various clans. First are clans that arise out of the many houses of the kings. Second are clans of the older AbaMbo nation from which Mpondomise was born out. Therefore clan names are indicative of people's ancestors (or dynasties and cadet branches). Third, there are clans or ethnic groups who have immigrated to the kingdom of the Mpondomise and now pay tribute to the Mpondomise kingdom.

In more detail[18]

• From Bhukwana – ooMbara, Mtshobo, Phaphulengonyama, Into ezingaphathwa mntu ngoba zizinkosi ngokwazo
• From Debeza – OoDebeza, ngoJebe, Nonyanya, Nongoqo, Mbeka Ntshiyini Bathi uqumbile, Khonkcoshe Mbokodo engava mkwetsho
• From Dosini – ooDosini, Ncele, Ntose, Nqabashe, Ngcelenduna, Mqhorhana, Ngxow'inoboya, uNoyiila, uNogqaz'umthonyama, isihlobo sikaMthimkhulu, sikaBhungane yena mntu ungaphezulu nakuThixo kuba abantu ubanike amabele, Ingqoq'enebal, Ngwanya kaMajola, uMajola inyoka enothando kuba ityelela abafazi endlwini (The royals of the Mpondomise, the right-hand house). [19]
• From Gxarha – Gxarha -Cwerha, Vambane, Mahlahla, Mlawu, Potwana
• From Jola – SingaMampondomse ngohlanga (i.e. we are ethnically Mpondomise), ooJola, ooJoliNkomo, ooMphaNkomo, ooQengeba, OoNgwanya, Nomakhala, Njuza, S'thukuthezi, sithandwa mhla kukubi, Hoshode, Hakaha, mfaz' obele 'nye omabele made, oncancisa naphesheya komlambo (The royals of the Mpondomise, the great house). [19] The South African politician, Fikile Mbalula is from this clan.[20]
• From Mpehle – amaMpehle, Vengwa, Dikana, Cabashe, Nohushe
• From Mpinga – ooMpinga, Mawawa, Mbala kaNkqoshe, Mpondomise, Ntose, Nto'mntwana, Ngwangwashe, uSenzwa, Sineka, Mbetshane, Hlahla lamsik' umntu esendeni, Ngceza, Sintila, Nyaw'zinoshukela, mzukulu kaSityulu, kheth'omthandayo, yazi b'inobaya ifanelwe ngabafana. This is the clan of Enoch Sontonga, the author of "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika", part of the National Anthem of Republic of South Africa.
• From Nxasana – NguSikonza, uNxasana, uTotoba, uDunjane, uMalilelwaziintombi zithi ndizeke, adinamama andinatata, uBhili, uMagazo, uLunguza, gastyeketye umbona obomvu othandwa ngabantwana
• From Nxotwe – ooNxotwe, Gabazi, Qamkazi, Mfuza afulele okwelifu lemvula, Mpondomise
• From Nxuba – ooNxuba, Mduma, Rhudulu, Mngcengane
• From Qhinebe – ooQhinebe, Gqugqugqu, Zithonga-zithathu, Haha, Njemnyama, Nondela, Phazima, Mpondomise, Mlunjwa, Phalela, Mkhomanzi, Duka namahlathi, Umth’ omde owavelela eHoyita!
• From Skhoji – (Inzala ka William Saunders wase Scotland)
• From Skhomo – ooUmntu womlambo,Tshangisa, Mhlatyana, Rhudulu, uNxub’ongafiyo ofa ngokuvuthelwa, Mngwevu, Jola, Manz’amnyama, Qengebe, Mhaga
• From Zongozi – ooSenzela ooPhondo liyagexeza (bazalwa nguNtose kaCirha ikumkani yamaMpondomise, hayi lo wamaXhosa)

There are tributary clans such as:

• Mphuthi, Nyathi, Msuthu, uRhahla, Rhabani, Tsiki, Nhose; Oogaxel’umbengo, boya beNyathi, Amathol’enkomo zikaNyathi, abeSuthu, ebePhuth'ephuthini! Oozishuba zimdakana phesheya komlanjana wegqili, Izilwana zona zehla ezintabeni zokhahlamba ngeziluluthwana, sithetha ngenzala ka Nose (Nhose) kubafazi bakhe abathathu kuMawushe ewe uMatshezi naye uMamhlwane. Esikhoyo isikululwana sesabo OoQhaziyana, OoGeorge kwa noLanga iinkulu zakhe. Ziintsuthu zaseQuthini (Sotho) ngokomlandu kodwa ngenxa yemfuduko zokhokho bafumaneka Eastern Cape kuTsolo kwela maMpondomise eMcwangele [amaMpondomise ngokuma] “Nje ngoko namagama ezixela ziintsuthu ezi ngobuhlanga”
• Nyathi uMsuthu, uMphuthi, uRhahla, uRhabani, uTsiki, uNhose; Oogaxel’umbengo, boya beNyathi, Amathol’enkomo zikaNyathi, abeSuthu, ebePhuth'ephuthini! Oozishuba zimdakana phesheya komlanjana wegqili, Izilwana zona zehla ezintabeni ngeziluluthwana, Nje ngoko namagama ezixela ziintsuthu ezi ngobuhlanga” sithetha ngenzala ka Nose (Nhose) kubafazi bakhe abathathu kuMawushe, uMatshezi naye umaMhlwane. Esikhoyo isikululwana sesabo oonyana neenkulu zakhe,uQhaziyana uGeorge kwa noLanga. Ziintsuthu zaseQuthini (Sotho) ngokomlandu kodwa ngenxa yemfuduko/ mfeguza zokhokho bafumaneka Eastern Cape kuTsolo kwela maMpondomise eMcwangele [amaMpondomise ngokuma]  

Among the Mpondomise people, most practise African religions alongside Christianity. African religions encompass ancestral worship (or veneration) and sometimes some Totemism in which a spiritual meaning is attached to some animals and plants, which may be deified. For Mpondomise people this is uMajola (mole snake).[21] This snake is revered and venerated. They believe that it visits a newborn "to prepare it for a successful and safe adult life. It comes as a friend and protector. The friendship it expresses is not anchored in a benign demonstration of goodwill but rather an active expression of solidarity and striving to support and encourage long-term success of the young and growing members of the human race."[22] A visitation from uMajola signifies good fortune. It also means the ancestors are showing their favour on the visited people or family. Killing the snake is believed to have severe physiological and psychological consequences. This last part is central to the plot of the famous Xhosa novel Ingqumbo yeminyanya ("The Wrath of the Ancestors").[23] The snake is common in South Africa in the provinces where generally abaMbo (and by extension amaMpondomise) mostly reside: KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape.

• Steve Komphela – South African football manager and a former footballer.
• Fikile Mbalula – South African politician.
• Thulas Nxesi – South African politician.
• Enoch Sontonga – South African composer of the national anthem.
• Mvuyo Tom – South African doctor, administrator and academic.

• List of current constituent African monarchs
• Mpondo people
• Xhosa people
• Xhosa clan names