Bhambatha
| Bhambatha | |
|---|---|
Bhambatha (on the right) with an attendant | |
| Born | c.1865 Mpanza, Natal Colony or Zulu Kingdom |
| Died | unknown |
| Spouse | Siyekiwe |
| Issue | Somveli, Seyama, Mngoye, Sonkonde, Ngungumbana, Mthakathi, Mgcobo, Khuzwayo, Shuqu, Manqe |
| Father | Mancinza |
| Mother | Mabamba kaDonda |
| Occupation | King of the Zondi |
Bambata, or Bhambatha kaMancinza (c. 1865–1906?), also known as Mbata Bhambatha, was a Zulu chief of the amaZondi clan in the Colony of Natal and son of Mancinza. He is famous for his role in an armed rebellion in 1906 when the poll tax was raised from a tax per hut to per head (£1 tax on all native men older than 18 – infamously called ukhandampondo), increasing hardship during a severe economic depression. Bhambatha claims that he was told to lead an armed rebellion by the de facto Zulu King Dinizulu. Dinizulu disputed this account and no convincing evidence for either story is available.