Southern Ndebele people
The women of Loopspruit Cultural Village, near Bronkhorstspruit, in front of a traditionally-painted Ndebele dwelling. | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 2.1 million (2023 Census) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| South Africa | |
| Languages | |
| IsiNdebele, English, Afrikaans | |
| Religion | |
| Christian, Animist | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Other Nguni peoples (especially Northern Ndebele) |
| Ndebele | |
|---|---|
| Person | iNdebele |
| People | AmaNdebele |
| Language | IsiNdebele |
| Country | KwaNdebele |
Southern Ndebele people, also known in English by their endonym AmaNdebele, are a Bantu ethnic group native to Southern Africa who speak Southern Ndebele language (isiNdebele]).
The group is separate from the Northern Ndebele who broke away from the Zulu during Tshaka's time. They mainly inhabit the provinces of Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo, all of which are in the northeast of the country. In academia this ethnic group is referred to as the Southern Ndebele to differentiate it from their relatives the Northern Ndebele people of Limpopo and Northwest.