According to Ikalanga traditions collected by Masola Kumile during this period of turmoil a leader remembered as Madabhale emerged to ultimately lead the Bakalanga to peace and prosperity.
According to Kumile’s sources: “the Munamutapa kingdom was torn by internal fighting, civil warfare that destroyed the Bakalanga. It was then that Madabhale broke away with a very big following and went down to the west of the country, into [modern] Matabeleland. He went there to build a kingdom, having left with a very large following. It was a big kingdom and he had his councillors such as Nimale, Hungwe, Zwikono, Vunamakuni, Nkami, Nigwande, Ninhembwe and many others of the tribe.