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Legacy of Legendary<br />
Leaders<br />
If you are attentive, you’ll hear voices from long past eras whispering of Zulu<br />
battles and betrayal, back-breaking labour and restless settlers, all heralding<br />
a rich heritage of a region forever impacted by multi-cultural influences.<br />
Retrace the steps of famous figures of the region by<br />
following established heritage routes. The King Shaka<br />
Heritage Route follows the life and death of King<br />
Shaka, mighty king and architect of the Zulu nation.<br />
Shaka, King of the Zulus<br />
Shaka, a son of King Senzangakhona, became one of the<br />
greatest military leaders in history. Shaka honed his<br />
military skills as a youth with the Mthetwa clan under<br />
Inkosi Dingiswayo. Following the death of his father, he<br />
returned to take on the leadership of the small Zulu clan,<br />
which soon became a powerful regional force. After the<br />
death of Dingiswayo, King Shaka extended the boundaries<br />
of the Zulu Kingdom by defeating numerous clans and<br />
incorporating these into the Zulu nation. Integral to his<br />
successful military campaigns were the short stabbing<br />
spear and effective ‘horns of the bull’ attacking formation.<br />
King Shaka built his palace and capital, Dukuza, in the<br />
current area of KwaDukuza. Shaka is regarded as the Zulu<br />
nation’s builder and unifier and he is celebrated by Zulus<br />
in traditional dress every year on the public holiday of 24<br />
September (the anniversary of his death), referred to as<br />
uMkhosi weLembe. According to the 2011 census, isiZulu<br />
is the most common home language, spoken by just over<br />
20% of the population. King Shaka International Airport is<br />
named after him.<br />
Shaka Visitor Centre<br />
The Heritage and National Liberation Routes feature this<br />
centre. Shaka was killed in 1828 by two of his half-brothers,<br />
Dingane and Mhlangana. They later dumped his body in an<br />
empty grain pit, over which a memorial was built in 1932.<br />
Next to the memorial is the rock believed to be the one on<br />
which he was sitting when he was assassinated. The Centre,<br />
first opened in 1998 by AmaFa Heritage KZN, draws as<br />
many as 1 000 visitors a month in peak season, who are<br />
treated to a 20-minute slide show in English and isiZulu<br />
about Shaka’s life and death. You can arrange a tour of all<br />
popular Shaka sites along the heritage route for your group<br />
by a knowledgeable guide who is employed full-time, but<br />
you must book first. Books and curios are on sale and you<br />
can sample the wares of crafters on the veranda. Entrance is<br />
R10 and the centre is open seven days a week from 08h30 to<br />
16h00. Tel: 032 552 7210.<br />
12 KwaDukuza Visitor’s Guide 2017/2018<br />
Left: A statue to commemorate King Shaka’s grave at KwaDukuza.
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