Mekemeke
Mekemeke is a Swazi royal seat in Mpumalanga, South Africa. It is located in the Louw's Creek area, east-southeast of Barberton.
The royal village is situated near the Three Sisters Mountains, east of southeast of Barberton.
History
During the early formation of the Swazi polity, rulers of the kingdom faced resistance from earlier inhabitants of the Eswatini region, including from Sotho-speaking communities. In response, Swazi kings established royal residences in strategically located areas that functioned as defensive buffer zones. These royal centres were surrounded by settlements of regiments, whose role was to provide military protection for the king and senior royal figures. Over time, additional populations settled around these royal residences, contributing to the growth of permanent settlements. During the mid-19th century, King Mswati II established a line of military outposts from east to west along the Kaap River and Komati River to prevent Bapedi groups from re-entering Swazi-controlled territory.These outposts were Mekemeke, Emjindini and
Embhuleni.
By the late 19th century, Mekemeke had developed into a recognised chieftaincy centre under the authority of Queen Mekemeke Magongo, a wife of King Mswati II. Following the death of Queen Mekemeke around 1920, she was succeeded by her son Prince Fana II, who had been brought to the settlement as a child during the 1860s. After assuming leadership, Fana II later relocated the royal village to Alberts Home, where he died around 1929.