Mpande's - University of Zululand Institutional Repository

During Mpande's kingship a plethora of Zulu refugees flocked to Natal
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south ofThukela. About 3 000 displaced Zulus and other Africans stayed
in the vicinity ofthe harbour before the arrival of the Voortrekkers. The
Voortrekkers grouped them into no less than six regional reserves. They
were defecting from Mpande's rule and refused to go back to KwaZulu.
With the increase of Zulu homesteads in Natal it became imperative for
the Volksraad (Legislative body) ofthe Republic ofNatalia to threaten to
inflict capital punishment on those who refused to be sent back to
KwaZulu.
The second British occupation of Natal (1842) took place before the
Republic could execute its plan. The Voortrekker plan included moving
Zulu refugees to an area opposite Mzinyathi or between Mthamvuna and
Mzimvubu Rivers. They could rule themselves, but as subjects ofthe
Republic and a Voortrekker agent would oversee their affairs.
The Cape Governor George Napier argued that the territory between
Mzimvubu and Mzimkhulu Rivers had been ceded by inkosi (Chiet) FaJ...'U
of the Mpondo to the British sovereign. He regarded it as their special
task to protect the Zulus to whom he pledged "every conceivable virtue"
against the Voortrekkers whom he thought intended evil due to their
previous unauthorised emigration from the colony and subsequent clashes