The Bantu people are one of the major ethnic groups in South Africa, but exactly when they arrived in the country has long been debated by historians and archaeologists. A new study of the remains of ancient Bantu people suggests that many of them lived in South Africa much earlier than previously believed. The findings could shed light on the earliest inhabitants of the region and even on their trade patterns and migration patterns.
What do we know about Southern African history?
We know that when the Bantu arrived in Southern Africa; they were met with many cultures, including Khoisan, hunter-gatherers who ranged throughout southern and eastern Africa. The Khoisan peoples were eventually driven south by the arrival of other groups of Africans like the Nguni and Sotho-Tswana. This is how the Nguni came to be found throughout what is now called Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces.
