Uhulumeni wamaNgisi eNgilandi waqala ukuzwelana noZulu
Izakhamizi zaseNgiland zashaqeka ukuzwa izindaba ezazivela KwaZulu. Nakuba babezibongela ngokuthi babengongoti ngezasolwandle ( Brittabia rules the waves).
AmaNgisi ayengakholwa ukuthi ayenganqotshwa isizwe somdabu e-Afrika. Base bejezisa uhulumeni kaDisraeli ngokukhetha iLiberal Party yomdodovu uWilliam Gladstone ngoMbasa we-1880. Ngaphezu kwalokho uDisraeli wayechithe imali yomphakathi engangopondo ababeyizigidigidi zamarandi ezaziyisihlanu (Izigidi ezazingama-60 ngemali yanamuhla) kulempi eyabahlaza.
Amaphephandaba aseNgilandi asebhala ngesimo esasinzima sikaCetshwayo evalelwe enqabeni yakudala yezempi i-The Castle, eKapa ngoba wayevikela izwe lakhe elalihlaselwa ngaphandle kwesizathu. Lokhu kwenza ukuthi umphakathi wamaNgisi ube nozwelo kumaZulu “ ayesengenankosi”.
U-Colenso, amadodakazi akhe, nezinye izakhamuzi eziningi zaseNgilandi kanye nohulumeni kaGladstone imbala, bafaka ingcindezi kuhulumeni owawumele wona amaNgisi eNatali (Colonial Government) ukuba babeke obala uhlu lwamacala ayebekwe uCetshwayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho umkhankaso wokhetho lukaGladstone wawuthi “UZulu wayenze bugebengu buni?” Ekugcineni, uhlulu lwathi:
- Ukuqoqa izikhali ngenhloso yokuhlasela eNtilasifali
- Ukuviva amabutho emngceleni waseNtilasifali ngenhloso yokucekela phansi umbuso wamaNgisi eNtilasifali
- Ukubulala izintombi-nto zeNgcuce ezaziyi-10 000 ngokwala ukugana amabutho eNdlondlo noDloko ngowe-1876
- Ukubulawa kalula kwabantu abangenacala
Kodwa uCetshwayo wayeme kanje: “U-Jantoni wayethengisa izikhali kubantu ngamunye bese ekhokhelwa ngezinkomo. Kodwa kaningi wayethatha izinkomo athembise ukuthi wayezobuya nezibhamu kodwa angabuyi. Lokhu kwakudala umoya wokungazwani kakhulu”
USomtsewu wayefake uCetshwayo kwingcindezi yokuqapha eqolo okonwabu abaQulusi ukuba bahlale phezu kwamahawu emngceleni waseNtilasifali uma kungenzeka ukuba amaBhunu avukele amaNgisi okwakuzochithekela KwaZulu naseNatali. UCetshwayo yena ngokwakhe akavumelananga nokubulawa kwezintombi zeNgcuce, zabulawa izihlobo zazo zesilisa. Kunalokho wakhosela ezinye zazo eKubazeni ngezinhloso yokuzinikeza indawo yokuzikhoselisa nokuvikela abesifazane abasengozini.
Kwenzeka isigameko kwesakwaMthethwa esaphambukisa uMalimede odabeni oluphuthumayo lukaCetshwayo. Kwathi abantu bezihlalele, kwafika insizwa eyayizibiza uStimela kaSomveli Mthethwa oYengweni nequlu labalandeli egibele ihhashi. UStimela wathi uyisende likaDingiswayo ngakho-ke wayesezothatha ubukhosi. Kwakuphethe uMlandela owayenguntanga woShaka. Wayesemdala kakhulu futhi engenasifiso sokulwa, wasecela empunzini. Walibangisa ebaQulusini lapho kwakungekho iziphakanyiswa. Kodwa amathambo akhe amsinda washonela ebukhosini bukaJantoni enqamulela. Lokho kwaba nomthelela wokuthi aBathethwa badideke, abanye babecabanga ukuthi wayeyokhonza kuJantoni.
