James Mahlangu

Prince Senzangakhona James Mahlangu (3 February 1953 – 19 August 2005) was a South African politician and Ndebele prince of the Ndzundza royal family. He served as the last Chief Minister of the KwaNdebele bantustan between May 1990 and April 1994 and founded the bantustan's Intando Yesizwe party in 1990. Currently there is a school in Mogononong named after him Prince S.J Combined School

The son of Ndebele king Mabusabesala II and the brother of Mabusabesala's successor, Mayitjha II, Mahlangu rose to prominence as the de facto leader of the political opposition in KwaNdebele in the 1980s. He was an outspoken opponent of the apartheid-era policy of separate development and of proposals to grant nominal independence to KwaNdebele. He came to power in KwaNdebele at the outset of the democratic transition and subsequently joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1994.

After KwaNdebele was dissolved, Mahlangu briefly represented the ANC in the post-apartheid National Assembly between 1994 and 1995. He later represented the opposition United Democratic Movement in the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature from 1999 until 2000, when he returned to the ANC and took up a position in the Mpumalanga provincial government. He was granted formal status as Inkosi of the Ndzundza Mabusa Tribal Authority in Mpumalanga in late 2001 and held that position until his death in 2005.

Early life and education Mahlangu was born on 3 February 1953 in eMthambothini in Weltevrede in the former Transvaal. He was born into the Ndzundza royal family as the second-eldest son of the reigning Ndebele king, Ingwenyama Mabusabesala II (also known as David Mabhoko Mahlangu), and his wife Queen Johanna Selepi. In later years, and particularly from 1986, Mahlangu himself was viewed as "the unofficial but de facto 'leader of the Opposition'" in KwaNdebele.

From around 1986, KwaNdebele was engulfed in a civil conflict between political elites who supported independence and anti-independence royalists. Mahlangu was viewed as a leader of the so-called "Comrades" movement, which was generally allied with the anti-apartheid United Democratic Front and which often clashed violently with Imbokodo, a pro-government vigilante group, and with KwaNdebele police forces. Mahlangu himself came under questioning for his own role in the comrades' use of violence against Imbokodo, including through alleged necklacings; he was later questioned on this subject at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In late April 1987, Mahlangu and his brother were expelled from the legislative assembly, and Mahlangu was again detained by the police. Mahlangu himself succeeded Mabena as Chief Minister of KwaNdebele in May 1990. According to Jeff Peires, Mahlangu joined Parliament "under the impression that then President Nelson Mandela had promised him a seat in the national cabinet", but he was disappointed.

He resigned just over a year after his election, in May 1995, citing health reasons – he said that Cape Town was bad for his asthma. However, it was widely reported that he was expelled for his absenteeism.

Defection to the UDM: 1999–2000 In 1999, Mahlangu joined the United Democratic Movement (UDM), a breakaway from the ANC, and became its provincial leader in Mpumalanga.

He resigned from the UDM and from the legislature less than a year later, in April 2000, again citing health reasons. The tribe was established in terms of South African law on 28 September, called the Ndzundza Mabusa Tribal Authority and holding jurisdiction over Klipplaatdrift, Waterval and KwaMagula, rural areas in Mpumalanga province.