"The Mpondo people, also called amaMpondo, are a Southern African Nguni/Mbo ethnic group. Their traditional homeland has been in the contemporary era Eastern Cape province of South Africa, more specifically what used to be the Transkei region. They speak a Nguni / Mbo language called isiMpondo which is similar to other Mbo languages like Siswati, IsiHlubi and isiNdebele. The amaMpondo are currently calling for their language to be recognized as the 12th official language of South Africa.
Having started establishing themselves as a nation from around 500AD, and by 1800 being one of 2 lands under King Faku (the last head of the Faku family) who inherited it from King Faku (the man who fathered the last King) before him, Pondoland (emaMpondweni) was a fully institutionalized society for hundreds of years before encountering Europeans or Zulu. During the colonial and Apartheid era, the Mpondo people lived in emaMpondweni in the Transkei along with a minority of free Europeans and Xhosas." - (Wikipedia (en) 09.06.2020)
de
