Ubuntu: A phantasmagoria in rural Kwazulu-Natal?

Ubuntu is a value system that is known to be found in African communities.  Like other values within African communities, it is perceived to have transcended the colonialist rule which changed the landscape of Africa including its socio-cultural makeup.  Although KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is credited for the initiation of Ubuntu, the erosion of certain cultural values has been found to be more acute in KwaZulu-Natal. That being the case, an empirical study into the existence of Ubuntu in rural KZN, Umgungundlovu District, was conducted and the results revealed that Ubuntu is an important cultural value in the community which is however perceived to be losing its importance in the younger generation.   Key words: Ubuntu, African value system, patriarchy, African worldview, African epistemology.