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On 22 January 1879, on the slopes of a sphinx-shaped hill of Isandlwana in northern KwaZulu-Natal, the world changed forever.
Armed with only shields and assegais, some 20,000 Zulu warriors took on the mighty British imperial force, equipped with rifles, cannons, and those bright red coats.
Despite expecting to take the Zulu’s land with ease, they were met with a strategically superior force that managed to conquer these colonial invaders.
The Battle of Isandlwana remains the largest defeat ever inflicted on the British by an African army. This was a military masterclass led by the key commanders of the Anglo-Zulu War: Ntshingwayo kaMahole Khoza, Mavumengwana kaNdlela Ntuli, and Dabulamanzi kaMpande.
Though the Zulu Kingdom would eventually lose the war, Isandlwana stands as a symbol of ingenuity and resistance, and a poignant moment when the empire met its match.
Ceremonial events to mark the occasion
This year marks the 147th anniversary of this epic battle, and KwaZulu-Natal’s royal leadership, heritage bodies, and municipalities are pulling out all the stops.
This week will include a variety of ceremonies, cultural showcases, and memorial moments taking place across Zululand and uMzinyathi, led by members of the Zulu Royal Family.
Highlights include:
- Wreath laying at Sikhalenisenkosi (Port Dunford), where King Cetshwayo was captured in 1879
- Procession to Fort Nonqayi, eShowe, with a memorial lecture honouring the king
- Gravesite visit in Nkandla with hymns, oral history, and praise poetry
- Regimental march to Isandlwana culminating in a royal address
- Traditional games, dancing, and storytelling on-site at the Isandlwana slopes
- Floral tributes at Rorke’s Drift honouring Zulu and British lives lost
The main commemoration on Thursday, 22 January, will see King Misuzulu kaZwelithini deliver the keynote address, with regiments, amabutho, dignitaries, and visitors welcomed from across the province and beyond.
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Extend the historic adventure
If you’re attending any commemorative events, you can expect some emotive performances that bring this historic event to life. But you can also extend the adventure by visiting KwaZulu-Natal’s historic battlefield sites in your own time – many of which are pivotal to the Anglo-Zulu and Anglo-Boer wars.
You can visit:
- Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift: Two of the most famous battlefields in the country and the site of the Anglo-Zulu War
- Spioenkop: The site where – at one incredible point in history - Winston Churchill (future British PM) was a war correspondent, Mahatma Gandhi (famed non-violent activist for Indians) was a stretcher bearer, and Louis Botha was the commanding General for the Boer forces (later becoming the first prime minister of the Union of South Africa).
- Fort Nonqayi, eShowe: Used during the Bambata rebellion when citizens of eShowe, the colonial capital of the Crown Colony of Zululand, took refuge against a siege by the Zulu impi.
- Dundee: This is home to the historic sites of Elandslaagte, the Blood River Monument, and Talana Museum.
If you would prefer a guided tour, you can book one here.
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