History of the Zulu war and its origin

by Frances Ellen Colenso

Sir Henry Bulwer remarks on this point—(P. P. 2220, pp. 400-2):

“Sir T. Shepstone says indeed, that there is no dispute between the Transvaal and the Ama-Swazi; but, as he adds that, should questions arise between them, they may be settled on their own merits, it is not impossible that questions may arise; and I am certainly informed that the Ama-Swazi used formerly to deny that they had ever ceded land to the extent claimed by the Republic.” But that the western portion, at all events, of the land in dispute was at that time under Zulu rule, is apparent from an account given by members of the house of Masobuza, principal wife of Langalibalele, and sister to the Swazi king, who was sheltered at Bishopstowe after the destruction of the Hlubi tribe, and died there in 1877.

“In Chaka’s time, Mate, father of Madhlangampisi, who had lived from of old on his land north of the Pongolo, as an independent chief, not under Swazi rule, gave, without fighting, his allegiance to Chaka; and from that time to this the district in question has been under Zulu rule, the Swazi king having never at any time exercised any authority over it.” The same statement applies to several other tribes living north, and on either side of the Pongolo, amongst them those of Langalibalele and Putini.

“Madhlangampisi’s land was transferred by the Boer Government as late as January 17th, 1877, to the executors of the late Mr. M’Corkindale, and now goes by the name of ‘Londina,’ in which is the hamlet of ‘Derby.’... We are perfectly aware that the southern portion of the block is held by command of the Zulu chief, and the executor’s surveyors have been obstructed in prosecuting the survey.”—Natal Mercury, July 23rd, 1878.

In 1856 a number of Boers claimed Natal territory west of the Buffalo, as far as the Biggarsberg range, now the south-west boundary of the Newcastle County, and some of them were in occupation of it; and, a commission being sent to trace the northern border of the colony along the line of the Buffalo, these latter opposed and protested against the mission of the Commissioners; but their opposition spent itself in threats, and ended in the withdrawal from Natal of the leaders of the party.

Other Boers had settled east of the Buffalo, in the location vacated by the tribe of Langalibalele, as to whom the aforesaid Commissioners write:

“During our stay among the farmers it was brought to our notice by them that they had obtained from Panda the cession of the tract of country beyond the Buffalo (inNcome), towards the north-west; they had subscribed among themselves one hundred head of cattle for this land, which had been accepted by Panda.”

And Sir T. Shepstone says:

“Panda never denied this grant (N.B.—in respect of what lay west of the Draakensberg), but repudiated the idea that he had sold the land. His account was that, when the farmers were defeated by Her Majesty’s troops in Natal, some of them asked him for land to live upon outside the jurisdiction of the British Government, and that he gave them this tract ‘only to live in, as part of Zululand under Zulu law’” (P. p. 1961, p. 28). “The cattle they say they paid for it, Panda looked upon as a thank-offering, made in accordance with Zulu custom” (1961, pp. 1-5).

In reply to messages sent by the Zulu king to the Natal Government, complaining of the encroachments of the Boers on the north, as well as the west of Zululand, and begging the friendly intervention and arbitration of the English, the advice of the Natal authorities was always to “sit still,” and use no force, for England would see justice done in the end.[72]