Zibhebhu kaMaphitha

**Zibhebhu kaMaphitha** (1841 - 1904) bekangumholi wemaZulu. Ngemuva kwekuncotjwa kweMbuso wemaZulu ngemaNgisi, wetama kwakha umbuso wakhe lotimele. Kusukela nga-1883 kuya ku-1884, walwa nenkhosi yemaZulu Cetshwayo, wamehlula tikhatsi letinyenti.

## Kuphila
Zibhebhu bekayindvodzana ya Maphita, lotalwa ngu Sojiyisa, lotalwa ngu Jama, lotalwa ngu Ndaba. Abevela egumeni lakaMandlakazi. Kantsi bekangyindvuna yesive sakaMandlakazi.

Zibhebhu wakhetfwa kutsi abe sikhulu salenye yetindzawo letilishumi nakutsatfu letivela ekuhlukanisweni kwekucala kweZululand ngemuva kweMphi ye-Anglo-Zulu, lendzawo beyisenyakatfo yeZiluland, indzawo yekuhlala yeSuthu, futsi iBritish General Wolseley wacabanga kutsi kubusa kwaZib Hebhu lapho bekutawusita ekuvimbeleni.

Ngemnyaka wa 1882, ngemuva kwekuncenga kwa Cetshwayo, i-British Foreign Office yavuma futsi yabuyisela "tindzawo" letisiphohlongo ku-Cetshayo; nomakunjalo, kulokuhlukaniswa kwesibili kwe-Zululand Zibhebhu ngasenyakatfo kwandziswa kutsi kufake tindzawo letinyenti tase-Suthu futsi Zibhebhu wahlala ngekukhululeka kuCetshwayo.

Ngenyanga yeNdlovu emnyakeni wa 1883, Zibhebu wenta sivumelwano sekuvikela yakhe lensha, lebetiphetfwe uSusuthu.USuthu lebeliseningizimu alivumelananga naloku, kantsi Makhoba kaMaphitha wahamba enyakatfo nemabutfo langu-5 000 kutsi ayolwela lomhlaba. EmaMandlakazi lavikelako, emabutfo langu-1 500 lasitwa ngemaBhunu lasihlanu nobe lasitfupha ngaphansi kwaJohannes Wilhelm Colenbrander, abamba eMsebe Valley eceleni kweNongoma. Lokulwa kwabitwa ngekutsi yi-Msebe Battle, futsi ema-Susuthu langetulu kwa-1 000 abulawa, kantsi kulinganiselwa kutsi bekungaba ngu-4 000. EmaMandlakazi abulawa bantfu labambalwa, kwafa bantfu labalishumi kuphela.

Bobabili Zibhebhu na Dinuzulu baba bangani bemasotja emaBhunu kute abasite etintfweni tabo. NgaJulayi 22, 1883, aholwa libutfo lelincane lemasotja labamhlophe, Zibhebhu wehla ngekushesha waya e-oNdini kraal yase-Cetshwayo (edvute nase-Ulundi) lebeyakhiwa kabusha. EmaSusuthu abemangele, labanye betama kuvikela kepha ngekushesha babulawa, futsi emabutfo aZibhebhu abhubhisa i-kraal yenkhosi kanye ne-Kraal yaseSSumushu. Emabutfo lamakhulu aCetshwayo kufaka ekhatsi Jenerala Ntshingwayo Khoza acoshwa futsi abulawa ngesikhatsi abaleka ngemuva kwekwehlulwa kulemphi. Nanobe alimele, Cetshwayo wakhona kubalekela emfuleni iWhite Mfolozi wase ubalekela eSigananda ehlatsini lase Nkandla. Ngemuva kwekuncenga kanyenti kwe-Resident Commissioner, Sir Melmoth Osborn, inkhosi yatfutsela e-Eshowe, lapho afela khona ngemuva kwetinyanga letimbalwa, mhlawumbe ngesizatfu sekunatsa butsi.

Zibhebhu bekaphikisana nalenye yemadvodzana aCetshwayo, Dinuzulu. Ekufeni kwaCetshwayo, Dinuzulu washiywa kutsi alwe nalomlandvo, futsi ngelusito lwaJenene Louis Botha kanye ne Volunteers yaDinuZulu bancoba Zibhebhu kanye nelibutfo lakhe eMphini yeGhost Mountain (lephindze yatiwe ngekutsi yimphi yeTshaneni).

Zibhebhu na-Eckersley, lobekangumtsengisi lomhlophe, babaleka ngekugibela intsaba i-Lubombo. NgaSeptemba 1884 Zibhebhu wahola leminye imindeni yaseMandlakazi, lecishe ibe ngu-6 000, yaya e-"Reserve Territory"; indzawo lebeyibekelwe eceleni ngemaBritish kumaZulu langatsembeki endlini yasebukhosini yemaZulu.

## Imibhalo lebhalwe phansi