LaMgangeni Khumalo

Sisile Khumalo, better known as LaMgangeni (died 1881), was Ndlovukati (queen mother) of Swaziland during the reign of King Mbandzeni.^[1] Her only son, Ludvonga, died of poisoning without heirs in 1872 without becoming king.^[1]

LaMgangeni Khumalo
Ndlovukati of Swaziland
Reign	1875[1] – 1881[2]
Predecessor	Tsandzile Ndwandwe[1]
Successor	Tibati Nkambule[1]
King	Mbandzeni[1]
Born	Sisile Khumalo
Died	1881 (1882)
Issue	Ludvonga
Father	Mgangeni Khumalo

Khumalo was influential in the choice of Mbandzeni (later King Dlamini IV) as successor to King Mswati II.^[3]

Biography

Sisile was chosen by King Mswati II from amongst Mgangeni Khumalo's girls. She gave birth to Ludvonga. When Mswati died in 1868, Ludvonga was chosen at the age of 17 to become King of Eswatini. Crown Prince Ludvonga married Mdvumo Mthimkhulu; soon after Ludvonga died childless.

Sisile, or LaMgangeni, who only had Ludvonga, was requested by the council of elders to choose one of Mswati's sons for the throne; she chose Mbandzeni, a son of Nandzi Nkambule, one of Mswati's wives who died when Mbandzeni was very young.^[4]

During this period, LaMgangeni served as the Queen Mother of Eswatini. One-day, LaMgangeni discovered that Mbandzeni was in love with Mdvumo, her late son's wife, and LaMgangeni became angry and confronted Mbandzeni about it. Months later Mdvumo became pregnant by Mbandzeni and gave birth to a son named Mdzabuko who became LaMgangeni's favourite. The young Mdzabuko was seen as the rightful heir of the kingdom, but he soon died. Following his death, LaMgangeni allegedly spread rumours that Mbandzeni was behind the child's death, and a decision was taken to put her to death. She was killed and replaced as the Queen Mother by Tibati Nkambule, the sister of Mbandzeni's mother.^[1][4]