Babanango, KwaZulu-Natal

Babanango is the name of a hill, a stream and a settlement situated in Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. There are many versions of where the name Babanango originates from, the common accepted origin comes from the Zulu words ‘baba nango’. The popular story goes that many years ago a small Buthelezi child got lost on the slopes of the mist-shrouded hill and when an elder brother found him he shouted, "baba, nango" which means "Father there he is".

History

Emakhosini in the Mkumbane Valley on the banks of a tributary of the White Umfolozi river near to Babanango is the site of one of King Dingane kaSenzangakhona's great kraals - emGungundlovu where Piet Retief and his Voortrekkers were massacred in 1838. The name(Mgungundlovu) is said to mean "the Place of the elephant" and the name eMakhosini means "At the place of the Chiefs". The settlement of Babanango was originally part of a land grant to European farmers in 1885 by King Dinizulu kaCetshwayo.