Impi yaseNdondakusuka kuZibandlela 1856
Impi yaseNdondakusuka ngokuchaza kwembongi yeNgonyama uCetshwayo yabangwa ngabelungu oMantshonga [Captain J Walmsely] benoGqelebana [E F Rathbone].
uHlamvana bhul’umlilo eNdulinde!
Ubaswe ngabamhlophe abelungu!
Ubaswe uMantshonga benoGqelebana.
UCaptain J Walmsely wayengumholi wamabutho eKoloni yaseNatali ayeqaphe umngcele phakathi koMbuso wakwaZulu neKoloni yaseNatali, ezibukweni lasoThukela [Bondsdrift] kusukela ngowe-1843. Ngakho-ke iKoloni yaseNatali yabanesandla kuleyo mpi ngoba oMantshonga babeyizisebenzi zikahulumeni. Iyakugcizelela imbongi ukuthi sasingekho nesincane isizathu sokuthi kuqubuke impi phakathi kwabaNtwana uMbuyazwe noCetshwayo, uMntwana uCetshwayo imbongi imfanisa nehlamvu elalibhula lowo mlilo owawungenasidingo owawubaswe “ngabamhlophe abelungu.”Okungavezwa yimbongi ukuthi isu lempi yaseNdondakusuka abelungu beKoloni yaseNatali babelihlele neSilo uMpande ngenhloso yokubeka uMbuyazwe njengengonyama uma uMpande engasekho. Abelungu babazi ukuthi kwayona iNgonyama uMpande yayelekelelwe ngamaBhunu ukuthatha izintambo zombuso eSilweni uDingane.
Ukuhalela indawo phakathi koMhlathuze noThukela
Uhulumeni weKoloni yamaNgisi aseNatali [1842-1910] owawuqole lonke izwe lakwaZulu elalisuka eMzimvubu liyovinjwa wuThukela noMzinyathi emaBhunwini kwawona ayeliqolile. Phela amaBhunu athi iNgonyama uDingane yabhala isivumelwano noPiet Retief ngowe-1838. AmaNgisi-ke ayengenelisiwe yindawo ase eyiqolile ekwehluleni kwawo amaBhunu empini yakwaKhangelamankengane eThekwini ngoNhlaba 1842. Ikoloni yaseNatali yaqanjwa ngowe-1843. Ngonyaka we-1846 uMbusi uMartin West wasungula iKhomishani eyayizocwaninga ngomhlaba [Land Boundary Commission] okwakufanele uphathwe ngabelungu. Umphumela waleyo khomishane kwaba ngukuphoqwa kwawo wonke amaZulu ukuba ayoxhotshelwanisa ezindaweni ezisemakheleketheni, emigubaneni, ematshenio nasemeveni. Yonke indawo evundile nelungele imfuyo yanikezwa abelungu kwaba ngekahulumeni wedlanzana lamaNgisi. Labo abenqaba ukuthutha ezindaweni zokhokho babo bashiye amathuna okhokho babo baboshwa njengabantu ababehlezi lapho ngokungemthetho [squatters].
Baxhobelana-ke abantu ezindaweni ezabizwa ngezabelo “amaReserves.” Abelungu nohulumeni weKoloni yaseNatali babengenelisiwe ngodwaladwala bamapulazi ababeziklamele wona nxa kususwa amaZulu ezindaweni zawo kwazise umlungu ngamunye wayenikezwa ipulazi elingamamogeni ayizi-3000. Babefuna indawo ephakathi koMhlathuze noThukela ngoba kwase kwaziwa ukuthi leyo ndawo yayiwuvuma umoba. Yisona sizathu esikhulu esenza ukuthi impi yabelungu eyayigunyazwe yiKoloni yaseNatali neyayiholwa nguJohn Dunn noRathbone yeseke uMbuyazwe ukuthi kube nguye owayezokuba yiNgonyama nxa iSilo uMpande sesikhotheme. Lokhu abelungu bakwenza bebonisana neNgonyama uMpande. URathbone wayakhe eduze kwasemfudlaneni uMsunduze eduze kwaseMatigulu. Laba belungu ababegunyazwe yiKoloni yaseNatali bamethembisa uMntwana uMbuyazwe ukuthi babezomeseka empini ngezibhamu. Kwakhulunywa noNdunankulu wezwe uMasiphula kaMamba Ntshangase owenza sengathi uyahambisana nesu lokweseka uMbuyazwe kanti uthi lala lulaza.
AbaMntwana oMbuyazwe noCetshwayo
UMntwana uMbuyazwe wayezalwa yinkosikazi uMonase Nxumalo. Kwakunenkolelo enkulu yokuthi wayekade eyintombi yeNgonyama uShaka kwathi uma esekhulelwa uMbuyazwe yamnikeza uMntwana uMpande. Ngakho-ke empeleni uyise kaMntwana uMbuyazwe kwakuyiNgonyama uShaka. Kodwa kwathi uma ezalwa wabizwa ngomntwana weSilo uMpande. Umntwana uCetshwayo wayezalwa yinkosikazi uNgqumbazi Zungu. Nakuye kuthiwa unina engakagani uMntwana uMpande wakhuleliswa yiNgonyama uShaka naye wedlulela kuMntwana uMpande owayengumsizi. Kwakuthe ngenkathi iNgonyama uSenzangakhona iqiniswa yizinyanga ukuhlala esihlalweni sobukhosi izinyanga zayiyalela ukuthi ilale nentombi yayo ingazigezile izingcabo nomsizi emzimbeni. Leyo ntombazane kwakunguSongiya kaNgotsha Hlabisa owazala uMpande. Waba ngumsizi ngalokho uMpande. UMntwana ongumsizi wayengavunyelwe ukuba yiNgonyama kwaZulu. Yingakho-ke wayenikezwa izintombi zomfowabo ezase zikhulelwe. Ubufakazi bokuthi uCetshwayo wayengumntwana weNgonyama uShaka obokuthi naye wanikezwa izibongo uMntwana uShaka ayebongwa ngazo esekwaMthethwa eyinsizwa lapho ayefihlwe khona, ezithi: “uZulu, ladum’ obala, lapho kungemunga kungemtholo.”Yingakho-ke kwaba sengathi yiSilo uMpande esaqhatha abantwana eNdondakusuka nxa sithi: “uyadel’ uMakhasana owabona izingqungqulu zingqubuzana.” Umakhasana wayeyinkosi yesizwe sakwaTembe. Laba bantwana babefaniswa nezingqungqulu uqobo ngoba bobabili babezalwa yingonyama uShaka eqinisweni.
Ezinye izizathu zokubheduka kwempi yaseNdondakusuka
Uma kuncindwa izindengelo ngoMkhosi woKweshwama nguMntwana uCetshwayo owayelandela iNgonyama uMpande ekuncindeni. Ngemuva kwempi yamaSwazi ngoNhlaba ngowe-1853 kusele iminyaka emithathu kubheduke impi yaseNdondakusuka, lokho kwaguquka kwase kuba nguMntwana uMbuyazwe olandela uMpande ekuncindeni odengelweni. Lokho kwamphatha kabi uCetshwayo wangabe esancinda. Okwesithathu okwenzeka ingakalwi impi yaseNdondakusuka iNgonyama uMpande yakhetha inkomo enamabala yahlatshwa isikhumba sayo sasikwa izihlangu. Isihlangu esasisikwe ohlangothini inkomo eyayigwazwe ngakulo iNgonyama uMpande yasinika uMbuyazwe. Uhlangothi inkomo egwazwa kulo ngomkhonto yilolo olungasenhliziyweni. Leso senzo sasicha zukuthi nguMbuyazwe osondele kakhulu engonyameni. Ngakho-ke uMntwana uCetshwayo wenqaba ukuthatha isihlangu esasisikwe ngasohlangothini olungekho ngasenxebeni lenkomo. Ngemuva kwesenzo sokusikwa kwezihlangu kwahlelwa ukuthi kube nejadu kwaNodwengu. Kulelo jadu uMbuyazwe noCetshwayo basina ngokuqhudelana. Ngenxa yokubona ukuthi iNgonyama uMpande yase imkhipha inyumbazane, uMntwana uCetshwayo waqamba ihubo elalithi: okwenzeka emvakwesikhathi kwedlula okwenzeka ngesikhathi esadlula.” Umbuyazwe naye waqala ihubo lakhe elalithi: “Sizoqala manje ense ukuthi kukhahlelwe into endaweni yabeSuthu, abantu abaletha imvula.” Ngemuva kwalelo jadu bobabili abaNtwana baphindela emizini yabo. UMbuyazwe nabalandeli bakhe baphikelela eZimfabeni phesheya kweMfolozi eMnyama. Abalandeli bakaMbuyazwe babefuna ukwakha umuzi kaMbuyazwe owawuzocianjwa ngokuthi kuseNikanye, okwakusho ukuthi ayibambane kanye impi. Nokho uMntwana uCetshwayo esekwe nguMasiphula Ntshangase wenqaba ukuba kwakhiwe lowo muzi.
Leyo ndawo yayilapho uMasiphula wayakhe khona umuzi wakhe. Abalandeli bakaMbuyazwe babeyokwakha khona ngenkani. Abalandeli bakaMbuyazwe balala kwaMnyamana kaNgqengelele Buthelezi owabahlabisa inkomo. Bawakha-ke umuzi.
Umuzi kaMbuyazwe eNtengweni nakwaKhinya eZimfabeni phesheya kweMfolozi emnyama
Ngemuva kokubhuntsha kwenqinambumbulu uMbuyazwe wabuyela eZimfabeni emzini wakhe eNtengweni nakwaKhinya. Ngemuva kwalokho waphikelela kwaNodwengu lapho iNgonyama uMpande yamyalela ukuthi ayokwakha ngaseSiklebheni okwakuyisigodlo sikaJama, amanxiwa aso aseduze kwaseNtshidi eMazimeleni. Ngenhla kwalapho kuseNdliwayini umuzi wenkosikazi kaSenzangakhona uLangazana eNdlayangubo. Kulapho uMpande athi uMbuyazwe kuhle ayokwakha khona asike izihlangu zempi yokubhekana noCetshwayo. UCetshwayo wafunga wagomela ukuthi iNgonyama uMpande yayifuna ukubaqhatha kwazise nayo yabalekela uDingane yawelela kubelungu ngowe-1839.
INgonyama uMpande ithumela uMfuleni kaLugalo Dladla
INgonyama uMpande yayala ezinye izinduna ukuthi zithumele uMfuleni kaLugalo kaMashiba kaMacimade Dladla aye phakathi koMhlathuze noThukela ukuze agqugquzele zonke izizwe ezazakhe lapho ukuthi zeseke uMbuyazwe. Umfuleni Dladla wayeyinceku yeSilo uMpande yebutho amaWombe/uKhokhothi. Nguyena owayegeza iNgonyama uMpande ngubulawu esigodlweni. Ulugalo wayeyinduna kaZihlandlo Mkhize futhi eyinyanga. AbakwaDladla babeyingxenye yabakwaMbatha. Okwesibili iNgonyama uMpande yathumela uNtobolongwana kaMashwayibana kaSomungco Shezi ukuthi naye aphikelele phakathi koMhlathuze noThukela anxenxe zonke izizwe lapho ukuthi zeseke uMbuyazwe. Kwathi engakawuqali umsebenzi ayewuthunywe yiSilo uMpande uNtobolongwana wabizwa nguNdunankulu wezwe uMasiphula kaMamba Ntshangase wamxwayisa ukuthi angalokothi anxenxe abantu ukuthi beseke uMbuyazwe ngoba amaZulu amaningi ayeseka uCetshwayo. Waqhubeka wesabisa ngokuthi bonke ababeseka uMbuyazwe babegwazwa baphonswe oThukela. UMasiphula wathuma uNtobolongwana ukuthi ayotshela uManqondo kaMazwana Magwaza ukuthi aphake impi ezokweseka uCetshwayo. Impi kaManqondo yahloma yedlula kwaNgxangaza, okwakungamanxiwa omuzi weSilo uDingane, yawela umfula iMvuzane ngaseNtumeni iphikelele eGcotsheni. UMvundlana kaMenziwa wazama ukweseka uMbuyazwe kodwa wahlaselwa waphoqwa ukuthi eseke uSuthu. Wonke mabutho oSuthu ayejutshwe phakathi koThukela noMhlathuze ayaziwa ngokuthi iSihlambisinye. UCetshwayo wexwayisa uMbuyazwe ngokuthi uma eke wazama ukwakha eSiklebheni, naye wayezokwakha khona. Kwathi-ke uma uMpande ezwa ukuthi uCetshwayo wayetheni ngokwakha kukaMbuyazwe eSiklebheni, watshela uMbuyazwe ukuthi ayokwakha eNtumeni lapho ibutho iSangqu lalakhe khona umuzi walo.
Impi yaseNdondakusuka-2 Zibandlela 1856
Impi kaCetshwayo yasuka emzini waseMangweni ngemuva kokuzwa ukuthi uManqina kaNkontshela Mkhwanazi owayeqapha izinkomo zikaCetshwayo eMangweni, uNqaba kaMkhondo wayebaleke nazo wayozinikeza iZigqoza, zahlatshwa mhla lu-1 kuZibandlela. Impi yoSuthu yagcina ivive egqumeni KweloMkhonto ehlathini kwaMaphatha ekaMbuyazwe yona yankanisa eMsunduze lapho kwagcina kuyisiteshi sikajantshi kaloliwe wesitimela khona nokulapho umuzi ka E F Rathbone [uGqelebana] wawakhe khona. Kulapho abelungu babehlela khona ukuthi impi kaMbuyazwe kudingeka ihlasele kanj ani. Phezulu kwaMaphatha ehlathini, ekaCetshwayo impi yafike yenza umkhumbi omkhulukazi kwaba sengathi ubonda olukhulu. NekaMbuyazwe nayo yenza umkhumbi ngaseMsunduze.
UMbuyazwe wathumela kuMantshonga [Captain James Walmsely] ukuthi amnikeze amasotsha ayeqaphe umngcele amsize nangezibhamu. Nangempela impi yabelungu yatheleka kukhona kuyo noJohn Dunn owayeliphoyisa notolika ka James Walmsely. Abazukulu baka John Dunn yilabo asebakha eMangethe endaweni yakwaMathaba naseMoyeni. UMbuyazwe wazama ukufaka ugqozi kubalandeli bakhe ebakhumbuza ukuthi nempi kaMpande nayo yayincane ngenkathi isizwa ngamaBhunu ibhekana neyeSilo uDingane ngowe-1840. Ngakho-ke watshela abalandeli bakhe ukuthi kuhle bangalilahli ithemba ngenxa yezibalo zabo nxa ziqhathaniswa nezoSuthu. Ngalelo langa uMbuyazwe walala ezinqoleni ezimbili zikaJohn Dunn. IziGqoza zake zethuka ukuthi impi isingene zabaleka zaphikelela ezinqoleni kanti yayingakahlaseli eyoSuthu. Impi yethuka icabanga ukuthi ingase ihlaselwe ebusuku bangomhla lu-1 kuZibandlela.
- Lo mlando ucashunwe encwadini: Umlando Wamakhosi Esifundazweni saKwaZulu, Umqulu I. Uma ufisa ukuthola le ncwadi enothe ngomlando wezizwe ungabhalela uSolwazi Maphalala kule email: maphalalajs@vodamail.co.za; noma ushayele kulezi zinombolo: 082 730 5782 noma ku-083 548 1918 {26 KuNhlangulana 2015}