Dzata is regarded as the spiritual home of Vhavenda. This is due to the fact that Dzata is the ancient capital of Venda. This is where the Singo conquerors first settled when they conquered Venda.

The Singo settled at Dzata I (one), on Mount Lwandali which overlooks Dzata II. Dzata I was abandoned after the death of King Dimbanyika. Oral history has it that Dimbanyika was a hunter. One day he went out hunting but never came back. But his two dogs went back home. A search party, led by one of his dogs, was dispatched the following day to look for him. The dog led the search party to a cave. The opening of the cave was filled with huge rocks which were impossible to move. After trying unsuccessfully to move the rocks, they were addressed by Dimbanyika. He told them to stop trying and that the cave would be his grave. He instructed them to move the capital since nobody would be allowed to live on Mount Lwandali. He forbade people from eating fruits from Lwandali. He also gave instructions that the son of Rambwapenga and his descendants must remain on Mount Lwandali to tend his grave and to be guardians of Lwandali.

Lwandali became known as Tshiendeulu, meaning royal graveyard. The son of Rambwapenga and his descendants became known as Netshiendeulu, meaning the owner/ruler/custodian of Tshiendeulu.

The Singo moved to the south west of Lwandali and built a new capita, Dzata II. Up to this day the descendants of Dimbanyika are not allowed to face the descendants of Netshiendeulu since it is believed that the descendants of Netshiendeulu possess supernatural powers bestowed by Dimbanyika. When Khosi Netshiendeulu goes to Dzanani to pay tribute to the Mphephu-Ramabulana King the two have to converse not facing each other. They are also separated by a wall, and they both need to have their backs against the wall that separates them. This practice is also due to the belief King Dimbanyika and the son of Rambwapenga (Netshiendeulu) could not see each other when Dimbanyika was trapped in the cave, and when he was issuing instructions. The Mphephu-Ramabulana King is also, therefore, supposed to issue instructions to Khosi Netshiendeulu without the two seeing each other’s face.

Dzata was abandoned after King Thohoyandou’s disappearance. Thohoyandou’s brothers, Ravhura and Raluswielo (Tshivhase) refused to pay tribute to Thohoyandou’s son, Munzhedzi. King Munzhedzi relocated to Mount Sunguzwi (known today as Songozwi), present day Makhado town.

Dzata is today a national monument. A Vhavenda museum has been built at Dzata.

Mount Luvhola got its name from its peak which is shaped like a bee sting. A bee sting is known as luvholela in Tshivenda. From the word luvho(le)la came the name Luvhola.

Luvhola and Luonde are the lands of the Mukwevho clan. Vhakwevho are a sub-group of Vhatavhatsindi and are some of the original inhabitants of Venda. Vhakwevho refer to themselves as Nguluvhe (warthogs). The Vhakwevho of Luonde  are known as Nguluvhe Khulu (big warthogs), while those of Luvhola are referred to as Zwigwamtada (small warthogs). This is where the saying ‘Nguluvhe khulu dzi Luonde, Zwigwamtada zwi Luvhola’ came from. It means that the big warthogs are at Luonde, while the small ones are at Luvhola.

Vhakwevho also said ‘Thavha khulu dzi a rendana. Luvhola yo renda Luonde (Big mountains praise each other. Luvhola praised Luonde).

After Davhana, the first born son of King Rasithu Ramabulana, was defeated by Makhado in the war of succession, he fled to Luonde and sought refuge from Joao Albasini. Albasini was a Portuguese trader who came from Mozambique. He was accompanied by Tsonga refugees who fled Mozambique after the war of succession broke out for the Tsonga-Shangaan kingship in Mozambique. The fight was between Mawewe and Mzila. Albasini appointed himself the white chief of the Tsongas who fled Mozambique. Albasini was appointed Native Commissioner for Venda by the Transavaal Republic, before Venda was conquered. His position over Vhavenda was therefore not recognised by anybody. Albasini settled, without Khosi Matidze’s permission, at Luonde.

Makhado wanted Albasini to deliver Davhana to him, but Albasini refused to do so. Davhana, who had not given up on becoming the king of Venda, tried many times to attack Makhado. Albasini also did not like Makhado because the king did not recognise his authority and had forbidden his people from paying taxes levied by Albasini.

After the destruction of the Boer settlement of Thivhalalwe (Schoemansdal) and the expulsion of the Boers led by Paul Kruger in 1867, Davhana, Albasini and Boer authorities formed an alliance to oust Makhado from the throne. Davhana promised Albasini and the Boer authorities that they would have control over the whole of Venda if he (Davhana) became king of Vhavenda.

Davhana and Albasini approached the Swazi for military assistance. Their ultimate objectives were quite simple. Makhado’s defeat would enable Davhana to regain the Vhavenda throne. Albasini would feel more secure. At the same time the Boers would return to Venda.

Albasini directed the Swazi to attack Sunguzwi, Dzanani and Tshakhuma. Davhana ordered that Khosi Madzivhandila be attacked first since he was King Makhado’s father-in-law. The aim was to cut Khosi Madzivhandila off from rendering assistance to King Makhado.

The Swazi impi, directed by Albasini and Davhana to go to Tshakhuma, was spotted and the local residents were able to retreat to their fortress on Mount Mangwele. There were caves with beautifully constructed stone walls. A section of the cave, meant for protection of the khosi was to the rear of the sanctuary. The area for the ordinary rank and file was near the entrance. They had to defend their ruler.

Swazi fighters were defeated by Tshakhuma fighters on Mount Mangwele. Tshakhuma women, such as Mudzunga Madzivhandila (who was Khosi Tshivhase’s daughter and also the wife of Khosi Raluthaga Madzivhandila) and Nyatshivhuyahuvhi, a princess of Tshivhazwaulu, participated in the fight against the invaders and killed a lot of them. Mudzunga and Nyatshivhuyahuvhi distinguished themselves as outstanding fighers in the battle of Mangwele.

Swazi fighters then tried to attack King Makhado’s royal residence on 18 October 1869. Venda troops successfully repelled the attack by killing a lot of Swazi men. Swazi survivors fled south-eastwards towards Shehe (present day Elim).

The defeated Swazis returned home. When they passed through Bopedi, they were ambushed by King Sekhukhune’s fighters, at Origstad, who further decimated them.

The defeat of the Boers and the Swazis by Makhado led to Davhana finally accepting that he would never dethrone Makhado. Davhana left Luonde, crossed Muhohodi and Luvuvhu rivers and settled at Mpheni village on Mount Luvhola. King Makhado did not pursue Davhana due to the fact that in terms of Tshivenda rules of combat, an enemy that fled and crossed a river as big as Luvuvhu was not supposed to be pursued. Davhana had already crossed Muhohodi and Luvuvhu rivers into Luvhola, and this was a demonstration that Davhana had lost the war of succession. Makhado, however, strategically placed Mahosi loyal to him in places surrounding Luvhola to monitor Davhana’s activities and to guard against any possible attacks from Davhana.

Davhana settled at Mpheni on Mount Luvhola and reluctantly acknowledged Makhado as the king of Venda. It is said that Davhana sent messengers to Makhado in 1870 to plead for peace and to state that Davhana was acknowledging Makhado as the king of Venda. Makhado responded by saying “u si nthumele tshira ngauri wo luvha”, meaning ‘don’t you ever provoke me now that you have acknowledged me as you king’. That very year, Makhado’s wife, Dombo (the daughter of Raluthaga Madzivhandila) gave birth to Makhado’s second son who was named Sinthumule, from ‘u si nthumele tshira’.

Davhana was ordered to stay south of Muhohodi and Luvuvhu rivers and to never venture north of these rivers. Davhana still harboured ambitions of being king despite the fact that he had acknowledged Makhado’s authority.

Davhana settled on Mount Luvhola without displacing Vhakwevho of Luvhola. He co-existed peacefully with Vhakwevho of Luvhola and did not interfere with their shrines. He became the khosi of Luvhola until his death in 1894.

Venda-speaking communities were forcibly removed from Old Mpheni and Luvhola in 1966/67 to make way for a timber plantation. Vhavenda from villages around Mount Luvhola, known today as Chabani, Njakanjaka, Shirley, Lemana, Mbokota, etc, were also forcibly removed in 1966/67. This was after these areas were, in terms of the apartheid’s Group Areas Act, declared Tsonga-Shangaan areas and incorporated into the newly created Gazankulu Bantustan.

Mr William Sinugu, one of the senior members of Mpheni-Luvhola community who were forcibly removed from their land by the Boers in 1966/7. The photo was taken during the ceremony to unveil the tombstones of Davhana/Nesengani, Ramphaga and Mukwevho families on Mount Luvhola on 18^th December 2010.

Sagole Spa is found at Sagole village. It is less than 10 km from the Big Tree found at Zwigodini Madifha village. This spa is neglected. Accommodation is old and needs serious renovation. This resort has the potential to generate job opportunities for locals. Something needs to be done as a matter of urgency.