The
introduction of British rule in the Cape Colony after
1806 resulted in wide spread dissatisfaction among the
fiercely independent Afrikaners and seven years into
Dingane's reign, led to the major exodus of six main
groups of 'Voortrekkers' to unknown destinations in the
hinterland, from where they aspired to to seek political
self-determination and survival of their cultural
identity and language.
Piet Retief's
group of ox-driven wagons arrived in the Kingdom of the
Zulu (now KwaZulu Natal), in 1838 and immediately began
negotiations with the powerful Zulu King, Dingane, for
land to settle on. Dingane, however, was suspicious from
the outset of the white man's intentions, having being
advised earlier of Hendrik Potgieter's defeat of
Mzilikazi, a renegade Zulu, who fled Shaka's wrath and
established his own kingdom (the Ndebele) in the present
day Free State.
On
6 February 1838 - the day scheduled to finalise their
agreement - King Dingane had Piet Retief and 101
Voortrekkers put to death at his royal settlement,
Umgungundlovu (the Place of the Elephant) near Ulundi.
Dingane's impis then massacred other groups of would-be
settlers camped in the vicinity of Estcourt. The
survivors eventually regrouped and abandoned the site
still referred to as Weenen- their 'Place of Weeping'.
They headed inland... intent on revenge
Within nine months the Voortrekkers believed themselves
capable of defeating Dingane's Zulu hordes, and on the
banks of the Waschbank (Wasbank) River, on 9 December
1838, the remaining Voortrekkers made a vow that should
God grant them victory over the Zulus, they would build
a church in thanksgiving and commemorate the event
annually.
The
introduction of British rule in the Cape Colony after
1806 resulted in wide spread dissatisfaction among the
fiercely independent Afrikaners and seven years into
Dingane's reign, led to the major exodus of six main
groups of 'Voortrekkers' to unknown destinations in the
hinterland, from where they aspired to to seek political
self-determination and survival of their cultural
identity and language.
On
6 February 1838 - the day scheduled to finalise their
agreement - King Dingane had Piet Retief and 101
Voortrekkers put to death at his royal settlement,
Umgungundlovu (the Place of the Elephant) near Ulundi.
Dingane's impis then massacred other groups of would-be
settlers camped in the vicinity of Estcourt. The
survivors eventually regrouped and abandoned the site
still referred to as Weenen- their 'Place of Weeping'.