Sigcawu ka Sarili
Wikipedia’s article on Sigcawu ka Sarili describes him as a chief of the Gcaleka and king of the Xhosa, the son of Sarhili and Queen Nobuthe, reigning from 1892 until his death in 1902, and naming three sons, Siphendu Gwebecimele, Salukaphathwa Gwebi’nkumbi Sigcawu and Daliza Sigcawu. The article is a stub, its image caption calls him “Chief Sigcawu of Pondoland and Cape Colony” without the text explaining it, and it cites the Dictionary of African Historical Biography (1986) and a 1930 government ethnological publication. Wikipedia’s earlier article on Sarili says his son Sigcawu, by his second wife Nohuthe, became next in line after the first heir died in 1853; that gives the mother’s name differently, and we do not know which is right. (Do not confuse this king with the Mpondo Sigcau, whose name is spelled almost the same.)
The family
Wikipedia’s surname list for Sigcawu names Daliza Sigcawu; Salukaphathwa Gwebi’nkumbi Sigcawu (died 1921); Mpisekhaya Ngangomhlaba Sigcawu (died 1933, grandson); Bungeni Zwelidumile Sigcawu (1906 to 1965); Xolilizwe Mzikayise Sigcawu (1926 to 2005); Zwelonke Sigcawu (1968 to 2019); and Ahlangene Sigcawu (born 1970), all described as Xhosa kings or royalty descended from Sigcawu. We have not checked these dates or the order of succession; the article does not state it.
What the Commission says
The Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims, in its determinations on the amaGcaleka and the amaRharhabe, records the Gcaleka line as Phalo, Gcaleka, Khawuta, Hintsa, Sarhili, Zwelidumile and Xolilizwe, without naming Sigcawu or his sons, and says that Zwelidumile Sigcawu was king of the amaXhosa as a whole until, on the creation of the Transkei and Ciskei homelands, he was appointed in 1961 as paramount chief of only the Gcaleka in the Transkei, which the Commission found irregular. See our Gcaleka page. This page does not cover later events, and we have not verified who holds the position now.
What we have not read
We have not read the Dictionary of African Historical Biography or the 1930 ethnological publication, and the Wikipedia article on Sigcawu gives no cause or place of death, no detail on his reign and no successor. We found no Gcaleka royal-house account on a page we could open.
Izithakazelo and totem
We found no recorded praises or totem for Sigcawu, so we are printing none. If you belong to the Gcaleka royal house and recite its izibongo, we would like to record them, with your permission and credited to you.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Sigcawu ka Sarili (stub)
- Wikipedia: Sigcawu (surname list)
- Wikipedia: Sarili kaHintsa
- Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims: Determination on the amaGcaleka
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