Mpande's - University of Zululand Institutional Repository

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Voortrekker attack. The lieutenant - governor became SUSpICIOUS of
Mpande and the Voortrekkers. He despatched the trader D.e. Toohey to
Nodwengu, Mpande's palace. Before Toohey could report, Mpande's
emissaries arrived in Natal to reconfirm the king's loyalty to the British.
They admitted that the Voortrekkers had asked for Zulu support against
the British, but claimed that Mpande had steadfastly refused. 51
In an attempt to stave offthe crisis, West made it illegal to incite or assail
the Zulus. In further attempts to woo Mpande, the Lieutenant-Govemor
forbade all British subjects from supplying Zulus outside Natal with
firearms and ammunition." All chiefs (amakhosi) within Natal were
urged to maintain their adherents in readiness and were instructed to send
those with firearms to Pietermaritzburg.
Meanwhile, the Lieutenant-Govemor West informed Mpande of the
military alert, warning that if he were to become an adversary of the
British colonial establishment, he would no longer be acknowledged as
the king ofthe Zulus."
"
52
Diary ofTheophilus Shepstone, 3-7 January 1848, Uys Collection. UNlSA; West to
Governor Cape ofGood Hope, D. I. 17 January 1848, p. 29.
CO. 179/5, P.RO., Proclamations of4 & 13 January 1848, encls. in Smith to Grey.
D. 119, 17 July 1849. -
S.N.A. 1/6/2, N.A., Message to Panda, 15 January 1848.