Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Documenting the Precolonial History of the Kingdom of Eswatini (ID: 23527691)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
ZS Khumalo
- Organization
N/A
- If you are a group or organization leader, board member, president, executive director, or staff member at any Wikimedia group, affiliate, or Wikimedia Foundation, you are required to self-identify and present all roles. (required)
N/A
- Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)
Main Proposal
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
Documenting the Precolonial History of the Kingdom of Eswatini
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2025-10-31 - 2026-01-31
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
South Africa
- 5. Are your activities part of a Wikimedia movement campaign, project, or event? If so, please select the relevant project or campaign. (required)
Not applicable
- 6. What is the change you are trying to bring? What are the main challenges or problems you are trying to solve? Describe this change or challenges, as well as main approaches to achieve it. (required)
My project aims to address the significant gaps, fragmentation and poor referencing in precolonial history of the Kingdom of Eswatini. Wikipedia currently lacks important contents on the Swazi royal lineages, early kings and Chiefs, regents, settlements and roles and origins of related clans, e.g. the Nkambule, Magagula, Maseko, Simelane, Tembe, Ndwandwe, Mdluli, Matsebula, Khumalo etc. Most existing contents are either brief, inaccurate, not properly referenced with verified sources, or are disconnected from one another, (e.g the fact that the mother of King Mswati II and the mother of Mzilikazi kaMashobane shared a father, King Zwide).
The goal is to research archived historical texts and academic papers at the Wits University's History Workshop Archives in order to write, expand and interlink or interconnect these articles with strong references, as part of achieving the mission of the Wikimedia in improving coverage of underrepresented subjects (i.e African traditional systems).
So the change I am trying to bring or working toward is to have a more comprehensive, detailed, interconnected and well-referenced representation of Swazi history (like royal European histories) - my focus as a pilot project is from the era of Tembe Kingdom through Dlamini I-III, Ngwane I-III to the reign of Mswati II. This will include -1.) the creation or improving of articles about early Swazi kings, queens, regents, royal residences, burial sites and areas of military expansions -2.) adding historical context on clans and their maternal or paternal roles in shaping the kingdom, -3.) digitalising oral traditions and existing archival material housed at the Wits History Workshop, which are abundant but not yet reflected or utilised on Wikipedia and -4.) bridging historical knowledge gaps or disconnection between Mozambique, Eswatini and South Africa - as these histories are deeply linked but poorly captured.
- 7. What are the planned activities? (required) Please provide a list of main activities. You can also add a link to the public page for your project where details about your project can be found. Alternatively, you can upload a timeline document. When the activities include partnerships, include details about your partners and planned partnerships.
My planned activities will occur in 4 stages in three months, starting from 31 October 2025 to 31 January 2026.
STAGE 1: Setup & Initial Research (31 Oct - 7 Nov 2025)
a.) Since I have been granted access to the Wits University History Workshop Archives by the head, Professor Noor Nieftagodien, to come consult the archives anytime I want and for whatever duration as long as I will keep updating him on research progress, my first stage will be to secure workspace and familiarise myself with how materials are accessed and utilised at the Wits Historical Papers Archive.
b.) Then locate key archival materials on Swazi precolonial history.
c.) And organize research plan and identify priority topics (e.g. Tembe migration in present-day Mozambique, birth of the Dlaminis, and their migration, Chiefs, early kings, princes, princess, regents, royal kraals, etc).
STAGE 2: Article Creation & Expansion (8 Nov -22 Dec 2025)
a.) During the Second Stage, I will begin creating or substantially expanding Wikipedia articles on early chiefs and precolonial kings (e.g. Qomizitha, Mbokane, Kunene, Tembe, Nkosi I-II, Dlamini I-III, Ngwane I–III, Ndvungunye, Sobhuza I, Mswati II )
b.) Creating and expanding articles on queen regents and maternal dynasties (e.g. LaYaka Ndwandwe, Lojiba Simelane, Nandzi Nkambule, etc.).
c.) Creating and expanding articles on residences, capitals and other key settlements established during Swazi military expansions (e.g KoNtjingila, Embhuleni, Zombodze, Nkhaba, etc).
d.) Interconnecting newly created or existing articles to related clan origins and migration histories (i.e Emakhandzambili, Bemdzabu, Emafika muva like the Nkambule, Magagula, Maseko, Shabalala, etc).
e.) Ensure each article includes strong citations drawn from Wits materials.
STAGE 3: Interlinking & Contextual Mapping (23 Dec -12 Jan 2025)
a.) During Stage 3, I will be further polishing and interlinking articles to build cohesive or narrative flow - e.g., link regents to kings, clans to residence pages, etc.
b.) Add internal Wikipedia templates (infoboxes, navboxes) and categories.
c.) Upload or source relevant media (maps, archival images) to Wikimedia Commons, with citations.
STAGE 4: Further Polish, Finalize, Report (13 Jan – 31 Jan 2025)
a.) Review and refine content to ensure accuracy, proper formatting and citation consistency.
b.) Write a final project report summarizing the number of articles created/expanded/improved, key archival sources used, lessons, challenges and future directions for other similar research and writing projects and submit the report to the Grant Team and thank the Wits University head of the history archives, Prof Noor Nieftagodien in a comprehensive report, also update any relevant project page on Meta-Wiki.
- 8. Describe your team. Please provide their roles, Wikimedia Usernames and other details. (required) Include more details of the team, including their roles, usernames, Wikimedia group, and whether they are salaried, volunteers, consultants/contractors, etc. Team members involved in the grant application need to be aware of their involvement in the project.
Zama Steven Khumalo, Wiki User name: ZS Khumalo, is the project lead and sole contributor.
Zama Khumalo is an experienced freelance journalist and dedicated Wikipedia editor, working independently to ensure full responsibility, competence, and the highest standard of quality in all aspects of the project.
He has a background in writing through press journalism and began his journalism journey as a campus news reporter for UJ Observer between 2008 and 2010 while studying Linguistics at the University of Johannesburg. In 2011, he completed a Writing the News short course at the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism. He went on to work in journalism from 2008 to 2022.
In 2016, Zama co-founded the now inactive but award-winning online provincial newspaper, 013NEWS, which focused on investigative journalism and exposing corruption in Mpumalanga.
He is currently co-authoring a book titled History of Embhuleni with Sabelo P. Fakude and is deeply invested in research on South Africa's political liberation history and Eswatini’s royal history. An avid reader of history and politics, he attended the 2021 African Investigative Journalism Conference at Wits University and received a scholarship to attend the 2024 Wiki Indaba for the first time.
On Wikipedia, Zama is an extended confirmed user and has recently been elevated to the role of Reviewer of Pending Changes.
Status: Individual grantee (volunteer, receiving a project-based stipend through this grant)
Location: Badplaas, Mpumalanga, South Africa.
- 9. Who are the target participants and from which community? How will you engage participants before and during the activities? How will you follow up with participants after the activities? (required)
The primary target participant is the applicant himself, myself Zama Steven Khumalo (User:ZS Khumalo), as this is a solo research and content-creation project.
The project does not rely on community volunteers or a formal team but is designed to benefit a wide audience through its outputs on Wikipedia.
The target community is the broader Wikimedia audience, especially readers of articles related to Southern African history, Eswatini royal lineage and its interconnectedness to precolonial political structures of Mozambique, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu Natal and Bulawayo in Zimbabwe as well Zambia.
This includes both the local Eswatini and South African communities interested in reading, researching, writing, reclaiming and better understanding the historical roots of the subject beig documented at Wits University, as well as global users who seek referenced, interconnected and expanded coverage of these topics on Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons.
Although I work independently, I will engage Wikimedia communities by sharing a project page and updates on Meta-Wiki to invite feedback and ensure transparency, engaging in article talk pages and relevant WikiProjects such as WikiProject Africa, WikiProject Eswatini, and WikiProject History for discussion and alignment.
A full report will be submitted on Meta, including contributions, challenges and lessons acquired during the research and improvements of the article.
- 10. Does your project involve work with children or youth? (required)
No
- 10.1. Please provide a link to your Youth Safety Policy. (required) If the proposal indicates direct contact with children or youth, you are required to outline compliance with international and local laws for working with children and youth, and provide a youth safety policy aligned with these laws. Read more here.
N/A
- 11. How did you discuss the idea of your project with your community members and/or any relevant groups? Please describe steps taken and provide links to any on-wiki community discussion(s) about the proposal. (required) You need to inform the community and/or group, discuss the project with them, and involve them in planning this proposal. You also need to align the activities with other projects happening in the planned area of implementation to ensure collaboration within the community.
This project has not been discussed with anyone per se, but it is the result of my deep and consistent Wikipedia editing work. I am an experienced and active Wikipedia contributor focused on Eswatini history and South African politics, and I have created and expanded a number of articles in this subject area.
My focus on Eswatini emerged from the realisation that many key historical articles related to the country were non-existent, and those that did exist were poorly referenced, lacked interconnection, and often missed key information necessary for their encyclopedic purpose, and I took it upon myself to work on improving these knowledge.
But during the course of my researching, writing and improving articles, I realised that there was significant work needed to improve the broader coverage of Swazi history and monarchies, as more and more gaps became visible as I edited.
Therefore, I approached Professor Noor Nieftagodien, Head of the History Workshop at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) around June 2025, who confirmed that a rich repository of oral histories and archival material is available at Wits. He encouraged me to come to Johannesburg and consult the archives and digitise or transform this material into encyclopedic knowledge for the Wikimedia ecosystem.
He informed me that the materials are public and accessible, and that I am welcome to work from their space, with a desk and chair ready for my use. He appreciated my commitment to digitising and connecting this material to a global audience.
He also remarked that the late Professor Philip Bonner, who previously headed the Wits History Workshop archives, would have been pleased to see someone take an interest in digitising Swazi history, as that was his field and he founded the Swazi Oral History Project.
Thus, while this project was not discussed in traditional community channels, it is a continuation of my enthusiastic long-term editing work and now has a committed research base at Wits University to support content growth, improvement and credibility.
- 12. Does your proposal aim to work to bridge any of the content knowledge gaps (Knowledge Inequity)? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Cultural background, ethnicity, religion, racial
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Culture, heritage or GLAM
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Digital Access
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Innovate in Free Knowledge
Learning and metrics
[edit]- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
The main objective of this project is to better understand how archival and oral history sources can be effectively transformed into encyclopedic content for Wikimedia platforms. This project also seeks to learn how underrepresented African histories, particularly that of Eswatini and the Swazi monarchies, can be made more visible, credible and interconnected on Wikipedia. I have a duty to learn a lot about Wikipedia research and editing so that as I grow older I lecture others about its processes, particulaly the youth.
I wish to learn:
1.) Can direct engagement with historical archives and experts (such as at the Wits History Workshop) lead to significantly improved article quality and depth?
2.) How can one editor working independently ensure long-term sustainability and growth of a regional content focus like Eswatini history on Wikimedia projects?
This project will help measure the value of university archives in bridging content gaps and addressing knowledge inequities through individual volunteer-driven work and taking personal accoutability in ensuring quality and accuracy.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 1 | This is a solo project by myself, an experienced Wikipedia editor, ZS Khumalo, working independently to research and expand historical articles related to Eswatini. No public events or workshops are planned in this phase. |
| Number of editors | 1 | I am the only editor in this project. All research, writing, referencing, uploading, and content management will be done by me, based on materials found at the Wits History Workshop and other verified sources. |
| Number of organizers | 1 | I will serve as the sole organizer, planner, researcher and Wikimedia contributor. I will also be responsible for documentation, reporting and community engagement on-wiki where applicable. |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 70 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 10 |
| Wikidata | 20 |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | 10 |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | |
| Wikibooks | |
| Wikiversity | |
| Wikinews | |
| Wikispecies | |
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
- Optional description for content contributions.
Wikipedia: 70-90 articles
- This 3-month project will result in the creation or substantial expansion/improvements of approximately of 70+ Wikipedia articles focused on Eswatini’s precolonial history. I plan to focus on not less than 2 articles per day during the main content production phase (45 days = 90 articles), the total output I expect is anything between 70 and 90 articles or even 100, depends on the availability of specific information covering the period from 1200 to 1868. Each article will include proper citations and be interconnected with related articles to build a coherent and narrative flow.
Wikimedia Commons: 10 media uploads
- Uploading relevant images, maps, and archival photos related to Eswatini’s precolonial history, especially from the Wits archives.
Wikidata': 20 new items
- Creating structured data entries for historical figures, events and places relevant to Swazi history.
Wikisource: 10 documents
- Uploading any historical texts, documents, or sources that are in the public domain related to Swazi history.
- 19. Do you have any other project targets in numbers (metrics)? (optional)
No
| Main Open Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
- 20. What tools would you use to measure each metrics? Please refer to the guide for a list of tools. You can also write that you are not sure and need support. (required)
I will use the following tools to measure the impact of my project and track progress across Wikimedia platforms: XTools, Dashboard Programs & Events and Pageviews Analysis Tool.
Financial proposal
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
- 22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)
23000 ZAR
- 22.2. Convert the amount requested into USD using the Oanda converter. This is done only to help you assess the USD equivalent of the requested amount. Your request should be between 500 - 5,000 USD.
1702.13 USD
- We/I have read the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.
Yes
Endorsements and Feedback
[edit]Please add endorsements and feedback to the grant discussion page only. Endorsements added here will be removed automatically.
Community members are invited to share meaningful feedback on the proposal and include reasons why they endorse the proposal. Consider the following:
- Stating why the proposal is important for the communities involved and why they think the strategies chosen will achieve the results that are expected.
- Highlighting any aspects they think are particularly well developed: for instance, the strategies and activities proposed, the levels of community engagement, outreach to underrepresented groups, addressing knowledge gaps, partnerships, the overall budget and learning and evaluation section of the proposal, etc.
- Highlighting if the proposal focuses on any interesting research, learning or innovation, etc. Also if it builds on learning from past proposals developed by the individual or organization, or other Wikimedia communities.
- Analyzing if the proposal is going to contribute in any way to important developments around specific Wikimedia projects or Movement Strategy.
- Analysing if the proposal is coherent in terms of the objectives, strategies, budget, and expected results (metrics).