The Thimbu are one of the handful of nations and population groups which speak Xhosa in South Africa. In Xhosa the name is abaThembu, aba- being a common prefix for peoples.
Prior to British conquest and incorporation of their territory, called "Tembuland" in the 19th century, the Thimbu had an independent kingdom. The clan name of the Thimbu kings is Madiba. Recent kings, including Sabata Jonguhlanga Dalindyebo, have used the surname of Dalindyebo, from the name of a 19th century king.
After conquest, the Thimbu were administered by the government of the Cape Colony as one of the Transkeian Territories, which with the exception of a few missionaries and white traders, were treated as lands reserved for African occupation. Other peoples in the territories who had formerly had independent kingdoms included the Gcaleka branch of the Xhosa, the Mpondo (who split into two kingdoms late in the 19th century), the Bhaca and the Xesibe. Under apartheid the Transkei was turned into a bantustan. In the ethnic theory underpinning apartheid, the Transkei was regarded as the "homeland" of the Xhosa people. As a result, the Thimbu people are often misidentified as being Xhosa.
The most internationally famous Thimbu person is Nelson Mandela, whose father was a reigning nobleman from a junior branch of the Madiba clan of kings. Walter Sisulu was also of Thimbu descent, on his mother's side.[1]
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The current Thimbu king is King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, son of Sabata Jonguhlanga Dalindyebo, and his praise name is Zwelibanzi. Sabata was deposed by Kaiser Matanzima, who was installed by the Apartheid government. In December 2009 King Buyelekhaya was convicted of offences including culpable homicide, kidnapping, arson and assault. In response he proposed secession from South Africa.[2][3] Though secession was later suspended, a demand remained that the government pay Dalindyebo R900m and the tribe a further R80bn in compensation for the humiliation caused by the criminal trial.[4]
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