Famous people from Swaziland
Here is a list of famous people from Swaziland. Curious if anybody from Swaziland made it our most famous people in the world list? Read the aformentioned article in order to find out.
Mswati III
Monarch
Mswati III is the King of Swaziland and head of the Swazi Royal Family. Makhosetive was born in Masundvwini Swaziland to King Sobhuza III and one of his younger wives Ntombi Tfwala. Mswati was laTfwala’s only child. Makhosetive was crowned Mswati III - Ngwenyama, King of Swaziland on 25 April 1986 at the age of 18. He thus became the youngest ruling monarch at the time in the world. Together with his mother, titled Indlovukazi, he rules the country as an absolute monarchy. Mswati III is known for his practice of polygyny. His policies and opulent lifestyle have also triggered domestic protests.
Bongani Khumalo
Soccer
Bongani Sandile Khumalo is a South African footballer who plays as a centre back for Doncaster Rovers, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, and South Africa.
Sobhuza II
Monarch
Sobhuza II, KBE was the Paramount Chief and later King of Swaziland. He was the son of Ngwane V, and reigned for nearly 83 years, a post-antiquity record for known monarchs.
Lindiwe Mazibuko
Politician
Lindiwe Mazibuko is a South African politician, and the Parliamentary Leader for the opposition Democratic Alliance. She is the country's fourth youngest parliamentarian, after the African National Congress's Mduduzi Manana, Congress of the People's Luzelle Adams, and her DA colleague Masizole Mnqasela, and has varyingly been labelled a "rising star in Parliament" and a possible future DA leader. She was elected the new DA parliamentary leader on 27 October 2011, beating incumbent Athol Trollip in a tight race.
Carl Crack
Musical Artist
Carl Crack was a Berlin-based techno artist best known for his membership in the digital hardcore band Atari Teenage Riot from 1992 to 2000. Around 1992 Crack displayed little interest in the music scene as it was at the time. He felt that The Beatnigs were one of the few significant bands around. Along with the other members of Atari Teenage Riot he was looking for a new direction. Crack initially had a significant influence on ATR’s style, particularly on the first two albums where he developed an MC style which owed less to the U.S. than his own imagination. He also had his own musical ideas that could not be expressed within the confines of a group, leading to his only solo release, 1998's Black Ark. It is, as the name suggests, heavily influenced by dub and in particular Lee Perry. After heavy touring to promote ATR’s third album, 60 Second Wipe Out, the members of the group commenced work on follow ups to their various solo projects. Crack appeared on Cobra Killer's 2002 album, The Third Armpit. He also was part of Firewire and Whatever, both with Din-St.
Noma Dumezweni
Actor
Noma Dumezweni is a Laurence Olivier Award-winning English actress based in London.
Mswati II
Monarch
Mswati II was the king of Swaziland between 1840 and 1868. He was also the eponym of Swaziland. Mswati is considered one of the greatest fighting kings of Swaziland. Under his kingship, the territorial boundaries of Swaziland were greatly increased. Mswati was the son of Sobhuza I and Tsandzile Ndwandwe who after ruling as Queen Mother became Queen Regent after the death of his son. After the death of Sobhuza, Mswati inherited an area which extended as far as present day Barberton in the north and included the Nomahasha district in the Portuguese territory of Mozambique. Mswati’s military power initially suppressed by infighting with his brothers Fokoti, Somcuba and Malambule was increased in the late 1850s and later on. When Mswati's armies attacked organized forces of other Bantu tribes or nations, the goal was plunder in the form of cattle and captives, rather than incorporation into one political unit. The arrival of Trekboers in what would become the Transvaal republic marked the first contact with Swazis and European settlers.
Nandipha Mntambo
Artist
Nandipha Mntambo is a South African artist who has become famous for her sculptures, videos and photographs that focus on human female body and identity by using natural, organic materials.
Malla Nunn
Author
Malla Nunn is an award-winning screenwriter and author, who was born in apartheid South Africa. Her works include the murder mystery, A Beautiful Place to Die, and Let the Dead Lie.
Zola Maseko
Film Director
Zola Maseko is a Swazi film director and screenwriter. He is noted for his documentary films related to xenophobia.
Dennis Masina
Soccer Midfielder
Dennis Yuki Mcebo Masina is a Swazi footballer who plays for Mpumalanga Black Aces as a midfielder.
Luke Hall
Swimmer
Luke Hall is a Swazi swimmer. He competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Olympics where he was the flag bearer for his country. In the 2012 Summer Olympics he came fourth in his heat with the time of 23.48s. His preparation for the Olympics was a very tough process. Fortunately enough, he was given a wildcard entry into the London 2012 Olympic Games. After his race, Luke said to the press "My hard work has paid off coming into the Olympics. But for Swaziland, we need pools like these {Pointing at olympic pool} in order to be able to compete in this event". This has certainly raised awareness in Swaziland and the government has already decided in putting in 20 m pools in some areas of Swaziland.
Natan Gamedze
Man
Natan Gamedze is a Haredi rabbi and lecturer. Born to the royal lineage of the Gamedze clan of the Kingdom of Swaziland, he converted to Judaism, received rabbinic ordination, and now lectures to Jewish audiences all over the world with his fascinating personal story as to how an African prince became a Black Haredi Jewish rabbi.
Tiffany Simelane
Award competitor
Tiffany Simelane was a beauty queen who represented Swaziland in Miss World 2008 in South Africa. Her reign began on July 26, 2008, and ended 22 days before she died. She complained to her friend that as soon as she won she was told she would have to pay all her expenses, including the cost of her dress, herself to travel to Miss World. This was a great sticking point between herself and the contest sponsors and organizers. The organizers reported their own disappointments with Simelane, disclosing that she would "disappear without a trace", causing more controversy. In an interview with the Times of Swaziland she thanked God that her reign was over, stating she thought she was "going crazy" and that the title had been nothing more than a liability to her. When she relinquished her crown at a ceremony in the Royal Swazi Convention Centre she gave a cryptic speech, revealing that becoming Miss Swaziland had opened her eyes and that she had hoped to remove the cloud of controversy around the competition during her reign. She then claimed that the competition was not being run in the correct fashion, but that her conscience was clear. She died on August 17, 2009, after an apparent suicide. She allegedly ingested weevil tablet, a pesticide that contains aluminium phosphide and emits phosphine gas. She rushed for treatment at the Mbabane Clinic. Friends report that she killed herself over a "broken heart", facing depression and a lack of closeness with her family on top of the stress of being Miss Swaziland.
Sibusiso Dlamini
Football player
Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini is a Swazi football striker who currently plays for Malanti Chiefs. He has been capped for Swaziland.
Patricia McFadden
Author
Patricia McFadden is a radical African feminist, sociologist, writer, educator, and publisher from Swaziland. She is also an activist and scholar who worked in the anti-apartheid movement for more than 20 years. McFadden has worked in the African and global women’s movements as well. As a writer, she has been the target of political persecution. She has worked as editor of the "Southern African Feminist Review" and African Feminist Perspectives. She currently teaches, and advocates internationally for women's issues. McFadden has served as a professor at Cornell University, Spelman College, Syracuse University and Smith College in the United States. She also works as a ‘feminist consultant,’ supporting women in creating institutionally sustainable feminist spaces within Southern Africa.
Mark Easter
Man
Mark Easter is a rugby union footballer who plays at No. 8 or Flanker for Sale Sharks after signing from the Northampton Saints in the Summer of 2011. He is the brother of NEC Harlequins and England player Nick Easter. Mark is a former pupil of Dulwich College and also was a member of the winning Old Alleynian 2003 team. On Tuesday 8 March 2011, Sale Sharks announced that he had signed a 2-year contract to play for them from the 2011/12 season.
Mfana Futhi Bhembe
Soccer
Mfanafuthi Taribo Bhembe is a Swazi footballer.
Mxolisi Mthethwa
Soccer Midfielder
Mxolisi Mthethwa is a Swaziland international footballer who plays as a midfielder. As of February 2010, he plays for Royal Leopards in the Swazi Premier League and has won 39 caps and scored one goal for his country.
Darren Christie
Soccer Midfielder
Darren Christie is a Swazi soccer player.
Tony Tsabedze
Soccer Midfielder
Tony Thulani "TT" Tsabedze is a Swazi football midfielder playing as left-winger for Mbabane Swallows and Swaziland.
Henrik Esterhuysen
Politician
Henrik Esterhuysen was the father of Richard E. Grant.
Usman Ally
Actor
Usman Ally is a film actor.
Mzwandile Ndzimandze
Soccer
Mzwandile Ndzimandze is a Swaziland international footballer who plays for Pretoria University. He is commonly referred to as 'Dile'.
Allister Miller
Military Person
Lieutenant-Colonel Allister Miller DSO OBE was a South African aviation pioneer, who contributed significantly to both military and civil aviation in his country during the first half of the 20th century. He originally qualified as an electrical engineer. On the outbreak of World War I in 1914, he joined the British Army, from which he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as a pilot, in 1915. He fought in the skies over the Western Front in France and Belgium, and during 1916 and 1917 he returned to South Africa on recruiting tours for the RFC. He recruited more than 8,000 volunteers, of whom 2,000 were accepted, most of them as pilots. They were known collectively as "Miller's Boys". On the second recruiting tour Miller took along two Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 aircraft and mechanics to assemble the aircraft in Cape Town. The aircraft were serial numbers A3109 and A3110 build by Wolseley Motors Limited. They were nicknamed Rio de Janeiro Britons Nos. 1 & 2 in honour of the fact that they were purchased with moneys raised by the British community in Rio de Janeiro. On 7 November 1917 one of these aircraft became the first to complete a long distance flight in South Africa by completing a Cape Town to Port Elizabeth flight in under six hours.
Phinda Dlamini
Footballer
Phinda Dlamini is a Swaziland international footballer who plays as a striker. As of February 2010, he plays for Green Mamba in the Swazi Premier League and has won 10 caps and scored one goal for his country.
Sibusiso Matsenjwa
Olympic athlete
Sibusiso Matsenjwa is a Swazi athlete. He competed in the 200 m event at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London where he broke the national 200m record with a time of 20.93 even though he was eliminated.
Phumlile Ndzinisa
Olympic athlete
Phumlile Ndzinisa is a Swazi athlete. She competed in the 400 m event at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London where she was eliminated in the first round but broke the national women's 400m record with 53.95 seconds.
Mario Masuku
Politician
Mario Masuku is the leader of the People's United Democratic Movement, Swaziland's banned opposition party. He was born in the village of Makhosini. He attended Evelyn Baring High School. Police arrested and imprisoned Masuku in Matsapha maximum security prison on charges of sedition in 2001. He was arrested again on November 15, 2008, under the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008. At the funeral of Musa Dlamini, who died while supposedly trying to bomb the Lozitha bridge, Masuka is alleged to have verbally supported recent bombings of government institutions. He was acquitted and discharged at the High Court on September 21, 2009 after spending 340 days in prison.
Clifford Sibusiso Mamba
Olympic athlete
Clifford Sibusiso Mamba is a Swazi diplomat and former Olympic athlete. Mamba competed for Swaziland at the 1984 Summer Olympics in the 100m and 200 m races.
Lucas Mlambo
Painter
Lucas Mlambo is a Swazi painter.
Felix Badenhorst
Soccer Midfielder
Felix Gerson Badenhorst is a Swazi footballer who currently plays for Manzini Wanderers. He formerly played for Jomo Cosmos.
Mphile Tsabedze
Footballer
Mphile Tsabedze is a Swaziland international footballer who plays as a midfielder. As of February 2010, he plays for Young Buffaloes in the Swazi Premier League and has won seven caps and scored one goal for his country.
Sidumo Shongwe
Soccer
Sidumo Shongwe is a Swazi soccer player.
Leonard A. Payne
Military Person
Captain Leonard Allen Payne was a British flying ace born in Swaziland. He was credited with 11 confirmed aerial victories while piloting a Bristol F.2 Fighter.
Doreen Nora Avery
Nurse
Doreen Nora Avery was a nurse and the mother of Robert Shaw.
Gcina Mazibuko
Football player
Gcina Mazibuko is a Swaziland international footballer who plays as a striker. As of February 2010, he plays for Royal Leopards in the Swazi Premier League and has won 17 caps and scored one goal for his country.
Senele Dlamini
Swimmer
Senele Dlamini is a Swazi swimmer, who specialized in freestyle and backstroke events. Dlamini competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, where she swam in the women's 50 m freestyle event. She finished second in the fourth heat, with a time of 28.70 seconds. However, Dlamini failed to advance into the semi-finals, as she placed sixty-first in the overall rankings.
Nhlanhla Kunene
Soccer
Nhlanhla Kunene is a Swazi football player who currently plays for Malanti Chiefs F.C.
Phesheya Mbongeni Dlamini
Man
Phesheya Mbongeni Dlamini has been the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Swaziland to the United Nations since 8 September 2005. Previously, he had been Swaziland's Attorney-General in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development since 1999, as well as Chairman of the Legal Group of the Eastern and Southern African Anti-Money Laundering Group from 2003 to 2005.
Manqoba Kunene
Soccer Midfielder
Manqoba Kunene is a Swaziland international footballer who plays as a midfielder. As of February 2010, he plays for Mbabane Swallows in the Swazi Premier League and has won 11 caps for his country.
Mfanufikile Ndzimande
Football player
Mfanufikile Ndzimande is a Swaziland international footballer who plays as a defender. As of February 2010, he plays for Mbabane Highlanders in the Swazi Premier League and has won one cap for his country.
Nhlanhla Gwebu
Soccer
Nhlanhla Gwebu is a Swazi football player who currently plays for the Young Buffaloes FC.
Eugene Dlamini
Soccer Defender
Eugene Dlamini is a Swazi football player who currently plays for Mbabane Highlanders F.C.
Obed Dlamini
Politician
Obed Mfanyana Dlamini was Prime Minister of Swaziland from 12 July 1989 to 25 October 1993. He is currently a member of Liqoqo, and is one of the two members in the council to have an affiliation to a political party. He is a member of the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress. Dlamini is also a former member of parliament where he represented the Nhlambeni constituency in the Manzini region.
Njabuliso Simelane
Soccer
Njabuliso Simelane is a Swaziland international footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. As of February 2010, he plays for Green Mamba in the Swazi Premier League and has won 16 caps for his country. He was part of the 2010 qualifier team that beat Togo national football team 2-1, but conceded six, four of them to Emmanuel Adebayor, as Swaziland lost 6-0.
Sihawu Dlamini
Soccer Defender
Sihawu Dlamini is a Swaziland international footballer who plays as a defender. As of January 2010, he plays for Royal Leopards in the Swazi Premier League and has won 11 caps for his country.
Dennis Fakudze
Soccer Defender
Dennis Fakudze is a Swaziland international footballer who plays as a defender. As of February 2010, he plays for Royal Leopards in the Swazi Premier League and has won 14 caps for his country.
Ndoda Mthethwa
Footballer
Ndoda Mthethwa is a Swaziland international footballer who plays as a striker. As of February 2010, he plays for Manzini Wanderers and has won four caps and scored one goal for his country.
Mfanzile Dlamini
Football player
Mfanzile Dlamini is a Swaziland international footballer who plays as a striker. As of February 2010, he plays for Royal Leopards in the Swazi Premier League and has won 22 caps and scored five goals for his country.
Zakhele Manyatsi
Footballer
Zakhele Manyatsi is a Swaziland international footballer who plays as a defender. As of January 2010, he plays for Royal Leopards in the Swazi Premier League and has won 12 caps for his country.
Vuyani Mazibuko
Soccer Midfielder
Vuyani Mazibuko is a Swazi football player who currently plays for Mbabane Highlanders F.C.
Malungisa Dlamini
Football player
Malungisa Dlamini is a Swaziland international footballer who plays as a midfielder. As of February 2010, he plays for Young Buffaloes in the Swazi Premier League and has won 10 caps and scored one goal for his country.
Raphael Ntimane
Football player
Raphael Ntimane is a Swaziland international footballer who plays as a defender. As of January 2010, he plays for Malanti Chiefs in the Swazi Premier League and has won 11 caps for his country.
Samkelo Gumbi
Soccer Defender
Thabiso Gumbi is a Swazi footballer .
Welile Maseko
Soccer Midfielder
Welile Maseko is a Swazi football player who currently plays for Green Mamba FC.
Nkosingiphile Tsabedze
Soccer Midfielder
Nkosingiphile Tsabedze is a Swazi football player who currently plays for Young Buffaloes FC.
Mcolisi Lukhele
Soccer Midfielder
Mcolisi Lukhele is a Swazi football player who currently plays for Moneni Pirates Manzini.
Mthunzi Mkhontfo
Soccer Midfielder
Mthunzi Mkhontfo is a Swazi football player who currently plays for Midas Mbabane City FC.
Juries Gama
Soccer Midfielder
Juries Gama is a Swazi football player who currently plays for Royal Leopards F.C.
Mark Elderkin
Actor
Mark Elderkin is an actor.