That's inaccurate, the Bantustans were explicitly created on tribal lines: Transkei & Ciskei: Xhosa Bophuthatswana: Tswana (it's even in the name!) Venda: Ve

That's inaccurate, the Bantustans were explicitly created on tribal lines: Transkei & Ciskei: Xhosa Bophuthatswana: Tswana (it's even in the name!) Venda: Venda (ditto) Kwazulu: Zulu (seeing the trend here?) The Apartheid government was heavily involved in pitting tribes against each other, and especially in trying to co-opt Zulus against the others by allying with the Inkhata Freedom Party and Zulu king and offering them money, power, and other incentives.