Coalition · Ended

The Matimba

Also known as The Phelwane or Clarendon Males · Manyeleti, Kruger and the Sabi Sand, South Africa

2010 – 2021

Origin: Birmingham Pride, Ngala Game Reserve, beside Kruger National Park, South Africa

The Matimba were a coalition of six male lions from the Greater Kruger in South Africa, usually said to take their name from the Xitsonga word for strength. Five were related, born around 2006–2007 in the Birmingham Pride of Ngala Game Reserve and probably sired by the three older Skybed males: Shaka, Slit Nose, White Face, Hairy Belly and Ginger. The sixth, Ndhuna, was an older outsider from the Iamula Pride whom the Birmingham Pride had adopted. They are also called the Phelwane or Clarendon males.

In 2010 the six took over the Manyeleti Game Reserve, ousting the resident male and becoming pride males of all its prides, then expanded into Kruger around Orpen, Ngala and the northern Sabi Sand. After Ndhuna disappeared in 2012, the five split. The Northern Matimba, Shaka, Slit Nose and White Face, held Ngala and northern Manyeleti until the Avoca males and age wore them down: Shaka died around 2016, Slit Nose was killed in January 2017 and White Face died of old age that December.

The Southern Matimba, Hairy Belly and Ginger, were the fighters, clashing with the Mapogos, the Majingilane, the Fourways males and the Birmingham males who drove them out in 2015. In 2018, as the Majingilane died, the two old brothers took the Othawa Pride and protected their old rivals’ last cubs. Ginger died of mange in August 2019, and Hairy Belly, the last of the six, was presumed dead in March 2021 at about 15, ending a coalition that had shaped the Greater Kruger for more than a decade.

Members

H Southern Matimba · the last Hairy Belly c. 2006 – early 2021 Died of old age at about 15. Read the full record G Southern Matimba Ginger c. 2006/07 – August 2019 Died of severe mange. Read the full record W Northern Matimba · the last of the north White Face c. 2006/07 – December 2017 Died of old age with the Skorro Pride. Read the full record S Northern Matimba Slit Nose c. 2006/07 – January 2017 Killed by the Avoca males. Read the full record S Northern Matimba · piercing eyes Shaka c. 2006/07 – c. 2016 Killed, reportedly by the Avoca males. Read the full record N The adopted eldest Ndhuna ? – 2012 Disappeared in 2012. Read the full record

6Members

~11Years of reign

2Groups after the split

~15Age of the last survivor

Profile

Coalition

Members: Shaka, Slit Nose, White Face, Hairy Belly, Ginger and Ndhuna
Relationship: Five brothers or cousins and one adopted older maleNdhuna came from the Iamula Pride
Origin / birthplace: Birmingham Pride, Ngala Game Reserve, beside Kruger National Park, South AfricaBorn around 2006–2007; probably sired by the Skybed males
How it formed: Grew up together in the Birmingham Pride, with the adopted Ndhuna

Reign

Area: Manyeleti, Ngala, the Orpen area of Kruger and the Sabi Sand; later Timbavati in the north and the western Sabi Sand in the south
Prides ruled: All the Manyeleti prides (from 2010); later Skorro (north) and Nkuhuma, Torchwood, Styx and Othawa (south)
Took over from: Information not availableThe resident male of Manyeleti in 2010; his name is not documented here
Reign: About 11 years (2010 – 2021)As two separate groups from 2013
Territory size: Information not available

End

End of the coalition: Ndhuna 2012; Shaka c. 2016; Slit Nose January 2017; White Face December 2017; Ginger August 2019; Hairy Belly early 2021
Successors: The Avoca males in the north; the Birmingham and later Tumbela males in the south

Names & Meanings

MatimbaCoalition name

Usually translated as strength or power in Xitsonga (Shangaan).

Phelwane or Clarendon malesOther names

Names used for the coalition in different reserves.

Northern and Southern MatimbaThe two groups

After the split of 2012–2013: Shaka, Slit Nose and White Face in the north; Hairy Belly and Ginger in the south.

Story of the Coalition

c. 2006 – 2007
Five males born in the Birmingham Pride of Ngala; the older Ndhuna adopted into the pride.
2010
Took over the Manyeleti Game Reserve.
2010 – 2012
Expanded into Kruger around Orpen, into Ngala and into the northern Sabi Sand.
2012
Ndhuna disappeared.
Late 2012 – 2013
Split into the Northern Matimba and the Southern Matimba.
2013
The Southern Matimba took the Torchwood Pride and held the Nkuhuma Pride.
July 2014
Hairy Belly and Ginger fought two young Fourways males.
Late 2015
The five Birmingham males drove the Southern Matimba out of the Styx Pride area.
c. 2016
Shaka died. Hairy Belly and Ginger fought the Majingilane in the western Sabi Sand.
January 2017
Slit Nose was killed by the Avoca males.
December 2017
White Face, the last Northern Matimba, died of old age.
Late 2017 – early 2018
Hairy Belly and Ginger took the Othawa Pride as the Majingilane died.
August 2019
Ginger died of mange.
December 2020
The Tumbela males took the Othawa Pride from Hairy Belly.
17 March 2021
Hairy Belly, the last Matimba, was officially presumed dead.

Legend & Truth

The big three

The Mapogos, the Majingilane and the Matimba are often called the three great coalitions of the Sabi Sand in their era. The Matimba fought both of the others, and outlasted them all.