Shaka iLembe fans remain captivated as betrayal brews

Posted on July 18, 2025
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PICTURE: SUPPLIED/ SHAKA ILEMBE

Shaka iLembe fans remain captivated as the alliance between Shaka and Dingiswayo begins to strain.

Dingiswayo, leader of the Mthethwa clan, was instrumental in Shaka’s rise, mentoring him and providing a regiment that helped him become king of the Zulu clan. 

Although their relationship was similar to a father-and-son bond marked by trust and deep admiration as witnessed in Season 1, all that seems to be changing. 

As Shaka came into his own, Nyambose remained supportive, but Somveli, Dingiswayo’s son, continues to struggle with feelings of jealousy and rivalry.

Their shared vision against Matiwane has resulted in a military victory, but it also exposed growing political divergence.

Shaka has also begun to question Dingiswayo’s decisions, emboldened by his conversations with Nandi.

He has further taken things up a notch by starting to plan the building of a larger palace, a move that Mkabayi believes may appear arrogant and disrespectful to their allies.

Throughout the show, elements of nature intentionally play a symbolic role. For example, the appearance of locusts is not merely decorative.

It serves as a sign of doom. In Zulu cosmology, locusts are seen as harbingers of devastation. They strip crops of their leaves, triggering famine and hardship.

Locusts also carry a dual meaning because while they are feared for their destructive impact, they are also gathered and eaten, revealing a relationship shaped by both necessity and resilience.

After the latest episode which closed on a grim note that had Dingiswayo furious and ready for war, a number of fans could not contain the suspense or ignore the brewing betrayal.

X (formerly Twitter) users weighed in:

 

Also see: 5 Reasons to watch ‘Shaka iLembe’ season 2