People group profile · PG015680
The Tsonga of Zimbabwe
The Tsonga of Zimbabwe, numbering about 5,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Bantu ethnolinguistic group indigenous to southern Mozambique and the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa.
They are a diaspora people in the Bantu, Central-Southeast people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Protestantism, and they primarily speak Tsonga.

Fast facts
- Country
- Zimbabwe
- Population
- 5,500
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Central-Southeast
- Primary language
- Tsonga (tso)
- Primary religion
- Protestantism
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 20% or Greater but Less than 30%
- GSEC
- 10% or Greater Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Significantly Reached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
- Location
- Masvingo province, Chiredzi, Mwenezi, and Zaka districts; near Mozambique border
Where they live
Gospel status
The Tsonga are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 10% evangelical.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Tsonga
- Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
- Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
- Send out laborers from this people to the nations
Primary religion
Protestantism · Christianity
80% adherents
Primary language
Tsonga · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Tsonga
Gospel resources in Tsonga
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Bibles
- Sociedade Bíblica de Moçambique, 2014 · video, audio
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Tsonga
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
Tsonga in other countries
The same people (ROP3 110220) is reported in 3 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tsonga | Mozambique | 4,055,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Tsonga-Shangaan | South Africa | 2,630,000 | No Longer Unreached |
| Tsonga | Eswatini | 28,000 | No Longer Unreached |
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.