The 1842 Boer-British confrontation
in Port Natal-Durban that led to Dick King's historic ride to summon reinforcements
- and subsequent Boer submission to the Crown of England - also saw King
Mpande switch allegiance from Boer to Brit. He signed a British-authored
document naming him 'King of the Zulu Nation' and declaring the Thukela
River as official Natal-Zululand boundary. Boer leaders were incensed and
embarked on yet another exodus, the rigours and tragedies of their Great
Trek having resulted only in further British dominion. The seeds of their
War of Independence and the terrible Anglo-Boer War that followed were
truly sown...
As was now the norm, Mpande consolidated his realm by replacing potentially
threatening subordinate chiefs with his own favourites. The 'enemy within'
reappeared in 1843 when the king's advisors urged him to kill his half-brother
Gqugqu for harbouring aspirations to the throne. Mpande duly ordered a
purge, starting with Gqugqu and his entire family, and extending to every
alleged conspirator the king's henchmen could lay their hands on. Thousands
of refugees took flight across the Thukela River into the protective arms
of the British, joined by 'emigrating' Zulus seeking a more 'liberal' existence
outside of strict customary practices. Vast cattle herds accompanied these
population transfers, so Mpande's army - brandishing the firearms now demanded
from white would-be traders in Zululand - began raiding neighbouring states.
