A South African 🇿🇦 claimed the Bantu arrived in South Africa c. 1700

A South African 🇿🇦 claimed the Bantu arrived in South Africa c. 1700

A South African 🇿🇦 claimed the Bantu arrived in South Africa c. 1700

We must compare someone confidently claiming that the Bantu people strolled into South Africa around 1700, to a person that’s late to a party by a few millennia. Quite the bold assertion! But, as you might suspect, it’s a bit like saying the pyramids were built last Tuesday. Here’s why.

First, archaeological evidence speaks louder than wild guesses. Iron tools and pottery associated with Bantu culture date back to at least 300 CE in South Africa. That’s over a millennium before our supposed 1700 arrival.

Second, let’s take a moment to consult the linguists. They’ll tell you Bantu languages like Zulu and Xhosa have been spoken for centuries in southern Africa. These languages didn’t just pop up overnight—they evolved and spread over hundreds, even thousands of years.

Third, genetic studies show that many South African populations have a significant genetic overlap with Bantu-speaking peoples who migrated southward around 2,000 years ago. That’s a lot of shared DNA to accumulate in just 300 years.

And lastly, there’s oral history. The rich traditions of the Zulu, Xhosa, and others are filled with stories of their ancestors settling in South Africa long before 1700, passing down tales that stretch back many generations.
learn more