Mpande's - University of Zululand Institutional Repository

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On I January 1839 Dingane appealed to Mpande's most powerful ibutho
(regiment), the Hlomendlini (home guards).40 Mpande's refusal to release
the Hlomendlini and to personally command it infuriated Dingane to such
an extent that he again plotted to assassinate him. Ndlela again
admonished Mpande of the planned punitive expedition of Dingane 41
Frustrated by the defeat ofhis army at Blood (Ncome) River and his futile
Swazi campaigns, Dingane thought of sending a delegation to solicit
closer ties with the British traders who settled at Port Natal (Durban)."
This prompted Mpande to visit the Voortrekkers at Khangela (a Zulu
name for Durban)."
The eminent Zulu historian DWomo concurred with Lapping, Christopher,
Lindemann and Bryant that Mpande crossed the Thukela River in 1839.
They agreed that he went straight to the Voortrekkers to seek military
assistance against Dingane.... Kuper further asserted that Mpande was
40
4'
4]
Ibid., p. 22.
KC., Stuart Papers, File 65, Notebook 4. Evidence ofNhlekele, 3I December 1913,
pp. 84 - 86.
S.J.R Martin: British Images ofthe Zulu, c.1820 - 1874, p. 46
l.S.A., Vol. 2, Evidence ofMazinyana, 22 April 1905, p. 272.
RRR Dhlomo: Umpande Ka Senzangakhona, p. 26; P.H. Lapping: Influence Mpande
had on the early settlement ofNatal, 1843 - 1856, pp. 34 - 40; A.J. Christopher: Natal:
A study in colortialland settlement, pp. 26 - 40: W.H. Lindernann: Mpande and Natal,
pp. 34 - 36.