Zulu culture, its history and tradition, has become an integral part of the diverse tapestry that is South Africa. The Zulus are historically descendants of the Nguni people who migrated south from the Great Lakes region around approximately 800AD. A man named Zulu ('Heaven' in the Zulu language), started to establish his own sphere of influence and settled with his family in KwaZulu, 'the place of heaven'.

Zulu's descendants, the amaZulu (people of heaven), are divided into different clans, run by chiefs. The different chiefdoms are part of the Zulu Kingdom, over which the King presides. King Goodwill Zwelithini is the current king of the Zulu nation.

Shaka Zulu, is one of the most well-known Zulu kings. His strategic battles and ruthlessness earned him nickname the 'Black Napoleon' and has been immortalized in movies such as Shaka.

Music, in Zulu culture, is also important for communication and evokes emotion and explains situations that words often are not able to do. It has made the transition to mainstream music through artists such as Johnny Clegg and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

Among the early winners of the first black professional league were Zulu Royals in 1972. The club later changed its name to AmaZulu (the Zulus) and are still among South Africa's biggest and best-supported clubs.