During the latter portion of his imprisonment, a great deal of agitation arose among the colonists in favour of Zululand being annexed to Natal, largely because land was required for growing sugar. As the Imperial Government had, since 1887, been directly responsible for the management of Zululand; as the cost of that territory's administration was constantly increasing; and because of the agitation referred to, a settlement was necessary under which Natal would assume the administration and become responsible for Native affairs.
So anxious was the Imperial Government to repatriate the prisoners, that negotiations with Natal began in the year following that in which responsible government was granted. The desire was that they should return as soon as possible. The Natal Government, however, repeatedly urged postponement of the execution of such decision. But, as the Imperial Government was wholly responsible for sending Dinuzulu to St. Helena, and as his stay there depended on the length of his sentence, it was essential to bear in mind that repatriation was later on inevitable. It was accordingly resolved to make this one of the conditions of annexation. The agreement finally arrived at between the Governments was that, although Dinuzulu was to be restored, he should not return until Zululand had been actually annexed, and then only on condition that he agreed to become a servant of the Natal Government at a salary of £500 per annum, and to serve in the capacities of Induna and Chief on clearly defined terms. These terms, being of great importance in appreciating the position and difficulties that subsequently arose, are set forth in extenso:
"Dinuzulu will be taken into the service of the Government of Zululand, his position being that of Government Induna. A house will be provided for him on a site to be selected by the Governor, and a salary of £500 per annum will be attached to his office.
"He must clearly understand that he does not return to Zululand as Paramount Chief. He must respect, listen to, and obey those officers of the Government who are placed in authority over him. The position assigned to him by the Government, and the salary allotted to it, will be held during the pleasure of the Government, and will be strictly dependent on the manner in which he behaves and obeys the laws laid down for his guidance, but will not be withdrawn without the approval of the Secretary of State.
"As Government Induna, he will be liable to be employed in Native matters that may arise and be brought to the notice of the Governor's representative in Zululand, such as questions of inheritance and others on which it may be desirable to obtain independent evidence and opinion.
"He will be the Chief over those people residing in the location marked off for the Usutu. He will govern amongst and will rule them by the same laws and form of Government as other Chiefs of tribes in Zululand, and he will himself, like those Chiefs, be under the laws of the Government of Zululand."[338]
The foregoing was agreed to before Dinuzulu left St. Helena. He knew that, in accepting the office of Induna, it would be obligatory on him to live within three or four miles of the principal Government officer in Zululand,—for an induna is the principal Native executive officer on anyone's staff, be he Secretary for Native Affairs, Resident Commissioner, or Magistrate.
On his arrival with his uncles at Durban, on the 6th January, 1898, seven days after issue of the proclamation of annexation, a copy of the conditions, as well as a translation thereof into Zulu, were handed to him by the senior officer of the Native Affairs Department. The Chiefs were thereupon escorted to Eshowe by the Magistrate of that district. At Eshowe, Dinuzulu occupied the house which had been specially constructed and furnished for him at public expense. Although it was not expressly stated in the conditions where he should reside, it was understood by the Governments that he would live at Eshowe, at any rate for the time being. It was inexpedient, with matters as they then were, to name a particular place in conditions intended to be permanent. Although the Resident Commissioner had, ever since the Imperial Government took over the administration, been stationed at Eshowe, except for a short while during the disturbances of 1887-88, it was conceivable that, with a change of control, the headquarters might have to be altered. As a matter of fact, they have not been changed to this day. At the same time, as Chief over a tribe nearly 100 miles from Eshowe, it was recognized that he would have a little difficulty in controlling its affairs. There were, however, and still are, many Chiefs in Natal whose tribes are broken up and distributed over various magisterial districts, thereby necessitating the appointment of headmen to exercise jurisdiction over each section in the absence of the Chief. Thus, for Dinuzulu to manage his tribe from Eshowe, was a by no means unexperienced or insuperable difficulty.
After an absence of nine years, he and the others very naturally desired to return to their respective homes. This desire was so strongly urged, that the Minister for Native Affairs (Mr., now Sir, J.L. Hulett) agreed, on the 22nd January, to allow him and his uncles to go back permanently. The same concession was granted to his old enemy, Zibebu, who had, for some years, been required to live in Eshowe district. Dinuzulu was allowed to build kraals for himself, including that which he named Usutu. His position then gradually became that of a Chief pure and simple, instead of Government Induna, as prescribed in the conditions. It is true that he paid periodical visits to Eshowe and Pietermaritzburg, and there discussed political and other affairs with the Commissioner for Native Affairs, but these were of short duration and discontinued altogether after the appointment of the Commission in 1903 (of which Mr. Saunders was a member), to set apart land for the occupation of Natives and Europeans. We find, then, that between 1898 and the beginning of the Rebellion, the principal condition under which Dinuzulu had returned to Zululand was being practically ignored. During this time, the house at Eshowe was available whenever he felt disposed to reside there. Although not discharging the functions of the principal appointment, he continued to draw a salary, liberal when at Eshowe, but excessive when in so remote and uncivilized a quarter as Usutu kraal, with only a Native Chief's duties to perform.