Had Mansel, Vanderplank and van Rooyen been made to converge simultaneously on Cetshwayo's grave from Middle Drift, Fort Yolland and Empandhleni respectively, which could have been effected before mid-day on the 10th,[162] supplies being at the same time pushed forward from Eshowe, and Sigananda's men ordered to assemble smartly at the same spot, together with those of adjoining Chiefs—McKenzie acted on these lines in Mveli's ward—or had aggressive action been taken in some other form, as advised at the time by van Rooyen, control would have been taken of the situation ab initio, instead of, by merely marking time, practically encouraged members of surrounding tribes to rebel for fear of losing their stock through not conforming to Dinuzulu's alleged plan. Had a force established itself then at the grave, Bambata's men would have had no chance against it in the open country of that part. It was, subsequently, at the grave that a not much larger body than the one referred to for over a month defied a force at least three or four times its own strength, and concluded by, almost single-handed, entrapping and crushing it. Precautions could, at the same time, have been taken to prevent Bambata gaining any small advantage, which, exaggerated by the rebels, would have added considerably to his prestige.
Assuming it to have been desirable for van Rooyen, Vanderplank and Mansel to converge at the grave on the 10th or 11th, the order for such movement could not have been issued by the Commandant without fuller information than he then possessed, especially as the Commissioner was of the view that no European troops other than those already in Zululand were necessary at Nkandhla.
Had the troops converged as suggested, they might conceivably have succeeded in suppressing the Rebellion and saved the Colony over half a million of money, but to have done this would have meant practically ignoring a spirit of rebelliousness latent in many of the people, which might only have broken out in some other form in the near future.
Among the rebels, the position developed as follows: After Muntumuni had gone to report Bambata's arrival, the latter, as has been stated, marched to the mouth of Mome gorge and halted at the very kraal on and about whose site, but two months later, he found his Thermopylæ. The force, having regaled itself, passed up the gorge to the right side of the Mome stream near the waterfall, where, entering a dense forest, it concealed itself and proceeded to erect temporary shelters, known as amadhlangala.
It so happened that a European scout passed the same day along the top of Nomangci and Dhlabe, with a view to locating Bambata. He fell in with a resident Native, who said that, when rounding up his stock in the vicinity of the waterfall, he had come upon Bambata's party. Later on, it became known that this man had communicated information treated by Sigananda as secret; ten head of his cattle and one horse were thereupon seized by the Chief. Two were slaughtered and the horse appropriated; the rest of the stock was restored on his joining the rebels. One of Sigananda's own sons, too, who had reported to the Commissioner Bambata's being in the gorge, was fined and for some time detained as a prisoner.
Sigananda, at this time, was still at Enhlweni kraal, not a mile and a half from Bambata's camp. On the 9th, fully aware that Bambata had taken refuge in the stronghold, he sent messengers to summon the more important men of the tribe. About sixty assembled; none of them were armed. Sigananda called aside eight or nine of the leading ones and informed them of Bambata's being in the stronghold, adding that a messenger from Mangati (present at time of speaking), had reported that Mangati had just been visited by Dinuzulu's messenger Cakijana, who declared he had been directed to accompany Bambata from Usutu and start a rebellion in Mpanza valley. Cakijana had afterwards passed on to a neighbouring Chief to try and persuade him to support Bambata. Sigananda's sons asked what right anyone had to authorize an outlaw they had received no official communication about to take refuge among them. They asked why, if Dinuzulu had ordered Bambata to rebel, the latter did not go to the man who had instigated him to do so. It appeared to them, moreover, that secret messages had passed between their father and Dinuzulu of which he had advised no one, otherwise Bambata and party would not have made direct for their district as they had done. One of those present, however, observed, "Are you going to take it on yourselves to refuse to have anything to do with a 'girl' who has come to engage herself to your father?" It soon became clear that Sigananda, notwithstanding his report to the Magistrate, was siding with Bambata, and was supported in that course by his confidant and adviser Lunyana, the keeper of Cetshwayo's grave. On someone declaring that the outlaw would bring ruin upon their district, Sigananda observed, "Yes, then some of you will have to die and leave your wives behind you."
No time was now lost by Sigananda in dispatching messengers to all parts of his ward, calling on the people to arm and bring their blankets with them. Notwithstanding further remonstrance on the following day (10th), Sigananda persisted in the course he had entered upon. He reproached those of his tribe, who, in 1888, when called on by the Government to attack Dinuzulu, had complied, whilst the majority remained loyal to the Zulu House.
On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, Bambata lay concealed in the forest, but on Tuesday night, he emerged and openly joined those of Sigananda's tribe who had armed and assembled at Enhlweni in obedience to their Chief's orders, including a few from Mpumela's and Ndube's tribes. At this moment, however, a number of Sigananda's and Ndube's men broke away with their families and stock, disapproving of what was being done. It thus became noised abroad, far and wide, before dawn that Sigananda had openly thrown in his lot with the rebels.
Identification of his fortunes with those of Bambata had, however, still to be announced in a public manner. Bambata moved during the night, with his own two companies and such other rebels as remained, to the top of the ridge behind Enhlweni. Many others arrived at this spot on the following morning from various parts until, about noon, the force was about 500 to 600. Nothing of special note seems to have occurred before noon, except that Sigananda sat openly alongside of, and conversed with, Bambata and the other ringleader Mangati. Bambata, a man of about 40 years of age, of dark complexion, with a rather tall athletic frame, wore a dark coat and trousers, boots, and a Natal Police (European) helmet, no doubt belonging to one of the men killed on the preceding Wednesday. A large ammunition belt was buckled round his waist, with a bandolier containing cartridges over the right shoulder. He also carried a modern rifle.