Southern Bantu languages

The Southern Bantu languages are a large group of Bantu languages, largely validated in Janson (1991/92). They are nearly synonymous with Guthrie's Bantu zone S, apart from the debated exclusion of Shona and inclusion of Makhuwa. They include all of the major Bantu languages of South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique, with outliers such as Lozi in Zambia and Namibia, and Ngoni in Zambia, Tanzania and Malawi.

Southern Bantu
Geographic distribution	South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini
Linguistic classification	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Volta-Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Southern Bantoid Bantu Southern Bantu
Proto-language	Proto-Southern Bantu
Language codes
ISO 639-3	–
Glottolog	sout3387

Languages

Language groups are followed by their code in the Guthrie classification. Makhuwa languages are included in this tree.

• Southern Bantu languages
  • Makua (P30)
    • Makhuwa
    • Koti
    • Sakati (Nathembo)
    • Lomwe
    • Chuwabu
    • Moniga
  • Chopi (S60)
    • Chopi
    • Guitonga
  • Nguni languages (S40)
    • Zunda
      • Xhosa
      • Zulu
      • Ndebele
        • Northern Ndebele (Zimbabwe Ndebele)
        • Southern Ndebele
    • Tekela
      • Swati
      • Phuthi
      • Sumayela Ndebele (Northern Transvaal Ndebele)
      • Lala
      • Bhaca
      • Hlubi
      • Nhlangwini
  • Sotho–Tswana (S30 + K20):
    • Tswana ("West Sotho")
    • Birwa
    • Tswapong
    • Kgalagadi
    • Sotho
      • Northern Sotho (Sepedi)
      • Southern Sotho (Sesotho)
      • East Sotho (Pulana, Khutswe and Pai)
      • Lozi
  • Tswa–Ronga (S50):
    • Tsonga
    • Ronga
    • Tswa
  • Shona-Venda
    • Shona
    • Eastern Shona group
      • Ndau (S15)
    • Central Shona group
      • Korekore (S11) and Tawara
      • Zezuru (S12)
      • Manyika (S13) and Tewe
      • Karanga (S14)
    • Western Shona group
      • Kalanga (S16)
      • Nambya
    • Venda (S20)