Tsonga in Zimbabwe

Tsonga, also known as Xitsonga/Shangani, in other neighbouring countries in the SADC region is a language spoken in Mozambique, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and South Africa. In Mozambique Xitsonga has three main variant forms officially known as Xitshwa, Xirhonga and Xichangana, while in South Africa its official name is Xitsonga. In Zimbabwe the speakers are officially known as Shangani. Zimbabwe’s Shangani people are found in the southern tip of the country in areas such as Chikwalakwala, Tshovani, Sengwe, Mpapa, Chilonga, Gezani, Ngwenyeni, Masivamele and Samu in Chiredzi district, Magudu, Nyajena, in Masvingo district, some pockets of Zaka district, Chitanga, Maranda, Neshuro, Negari, Murove and Furumele in Mwenezi district of Masvingo Province. They are also found in Matebeleland South Province’ s Beitbridge district, Chipinge south in Manicaland Province and some pockets in Mberengwa district of Midlands Province. There are 115,133 (0.8%) mother-tongue speakers of this language in Zimbabwe.