Mpande's - University of Zululand Institutional Repository

-113-
the area belonging to chief Faku. l26 The British imperialists claimed that
the territory between the Mzimvubu and Mzimkhulu Rivers had been
ceded by Faku to Great Britain. m Stander argued:
"Faku had no claim on land north of the
Mzimvubu River and admitted it to the Boers
with whom he entered into a friendly
agreement. He acknowledged this river as
border between the Boers and his people. "\,.
The move would have the same effect on both the Voortrekkers and
Mpande. While the Voortrekkers would be assured of a constant
workforce for their farms, Mpande would at least have peace and
tranquility. Critical of British relations with Xhosa and other Nguni in
general, du Plessis pointed out that lack of firm, uniform action and an
ever changing system of experimental legislation, modified by particular
views of each succeeding governor, plunged the Cape Colony in several
eastern frontier wars during the nineteenth century .129
The British accusation that the Voortrekkers maltreated Mpande's Zulus
was disproved by their influx into Natal. Napier admitted that the
treatment ofthe Zulu people by the Voortrekkers "has not been, generally
126
I,.
129
M. MacMillan: Bantu. Boer and Briton - the making ofthe South African Proble!!!,
pp. 179-80.
c.o. 48/407, P.RO.: Grey to Newcastle, 0.10,9 February 1861; S.P.S.: Newcastle to
Grey, D.262, 4 May 1861.
H.Stander: Die Verhouding tussen die Boere en Zoeloe tot die dood van Mpande in
1872, p. 266.
AJ. du Plessis: Die Republiek Natalia, p. 142; H.B. Thorn: Gelofteked