Local Variety
Bantuid variety, similar to South Bantuid, but with weak Khoisan influence, placing it closer to Xhosaid. Developed as a result of the Bantu expansion when Bantu assimilated some older Khoisanid elements. Found especially in the eastern provinces of South Africa, e.g. Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Free State, also Lesotho and Southern Mozambique. Common in Fengu, Pondo, and Hlubi, but also in some neighbouring groups.
Yellowish dark, sometimes medium brown skin, usually kinky, sometimes peppercorn hair. Rather tall, often mesoskelic, mesomorph to endomorph. Often mesocephalic, sometimes dolichocephalic, chamae- orthocranic with wider and lower skulls than other Bantuids. Platyrrhine, lips rather full. Prognathy modest, pseudo-Mongoloid eyes in a few cases.
The type was identified by Dart (1962) as the Fingo-Hlubi-Mpondo type (Group D), it is similar to his group B (Bhaca-Swazi-Zulu, c.p. South Bantuid), but with greater Khoisanid influence. Baker (1981) grouped (Ama)pondo in Kafrid, Eickstedt (1934) in South Bantuid.
