Sondag 8 September

Sondag op Pietermaritzburg. Rustig op die plaas. Meeste van die manne het die kans gebruik om bietjie in te lê. Daarna die normale roetine vir ‘n af dag – dit te doen waarvoor jy andersins nie kans kry nie. Ek en Streicher het selfs ‘n haarkapper gaan soek in die stad, maar was nie suksesvol nie. Die dag het amper te vinnig verby gegaan. Elmarie en Errol se Ekukhanyeni is perfek vir wat ons nodig het.

Maandag 9 September

Ons is vroeg oggend op. Dit was ‘n entjie om te ry na die begin van die week se program. Daar is egter ‘n ander probleem. Stefan het drie lelike bytmerke op sy enkel. Dis nie duidelik of dit spinnekop of dalk bosluis is nie. Ons stop by ‘n apteek en kry antibiotika en antiseptiese salf. Hoop dit sal help.

Die week is die week van slagvelde. In KwaZulu-Natal is daar werklik honderde. Ons plan is om vyf van die grootstes te verken – Spioenkop, Isandlwana, Rorke’s Drift, Dingaanstat en Bloedrivier. Eerste op die lys – die Anglo Zoeloe Oorlog.

Ons reis oor Greytown na Fugitive’s Drift. Dekades gelede het David Rattray die plek bekend gemaak met sy dramatiese vertellinge van Isandlwana en Rorke’s Drift. In 2007 is Rattray tydens ‘n rooftog vermoor. Die vrees was dat al die kennis wat hy versamel het, die unieke vertel wyse, die dramatiese manier waarop hy die slagveld lewendig kon maak, daarmee verlore is.

Net na middagete kom ons aan by Fugitive’s Drift, en word hartlik ontvang deur Claire en Raymond. Ons ontmoet ook vir Daisy en Doug. Doug is Dave Rattray se seun, en hy sou vir die volgende twee dae ons gids wees.

Ons gaan maak onsself tuis in die Umzinyathi plaashuis. Dit is gebou in die 1920 en was die woning van George Buntting, ‘n ekspert oor die Anglo Zoeloe oorlog . Dis ‘n pragtige plek met mooi koloniale meubels. Dis ook ‘n plek waar ons ons eie kos maak. Op die reis vanjaar word ons net te veel onthaal. Die gasvryheid van mense is oorweldigend.

Laatmiddag kom haal Doug ons. Ons ry ‘n koppie uit en kyk vanaf kranse uit oor die Buffelsrivier. Ons kyk vanaf die voormalige Natal na die voormalige Zoeloeland. Dit sou ‘n groot rol speel in die twee veldslae wat ons die volgende dag sou beleef.

Die kranse was ook David se gunsteling plek om te sit en mediteer. Dis dan ook juis hier waar sy as in ‘n kissie begrawe is.

Net voor die son sak ontmoet ons Claire, Ray en Daisy en drink ‘n G&T. Erg koloniaal, maar uitstekend. Die aand braai ons by die plaashuis.

Dinsdag 10 September

Vandag doen ons sommer twee veldslae – veldslae wat baie nou verband hou met mekaar: Isandlwana en Rorke’s Drift. Doug is ons gids en van meet af aan besef ons – die appel val nie ver van die boom af nie. Doug is sy pa se kind en vertel die verhaal van die slag van Isandlwana met dieselfde passie as sy pa.

Ons gaan eers na die Isandlwana slagveld. Onderweg wys Doug vir ons rotstekeninge. Dit dateer uit die tyd voor die Zoeloes nog in dié wêreld was.

Maar dan na die slagveld. Ons hang behoorlik aan Doug se lippe soos hy ons vertel hoe die Zoeloe magte die Britse Imperiale Mag sy grootste loesing ooit toedien. Met militêre vernuf slaag die Zoeloes daarin om die Britse magte uit te oorlê.

Op 22 Januarie 1879 bevind die Britse magte hulle in Zoeloeland, teen die wense van die Britse regering. Sir Bartle Frere het egter anders besluit. Meer as 1 700 Britse troepe asook ‘n paar honderd burgerlikes word deur die Zoeloes gedood. Ook aan die Zoeloe kant is daar groot verliese – waarskynlik 3 000.

Maar die Zoeloes is nog nie klaar met die Britse soldate nie. In die Zoeloe kultuur bestaan ‘n ritueel: om ‘n man te word moet jy jou spies was in die bloed van die vyand – “The washing of the spears”. Die een flank van die Zoeloe aanvalsmag, die sogenaamde regter kant se horing van die buffel, het nie die geleentheid gehad om hulle spiese te was nie. Toe hulle op die slagveld opdaag was die geveg verby. Al die Britse magte was reeds dood.

Sowat 10 kilometer verder was die klein Britse handelspos, Rorke’s Drift. Hier was talle siek en gewonde soldate, en ander onervare soldate. Manne wat nog nooit aksie gesien het nie. Onder hulle tel meer as 300 van die Natal Native Contingent.

‘n Zoeloe mag van meer as 5 000 val die handelspos aan. Die Natal Native Contingent vlug dadelik. Slegs 139 manne bly oor. Van laatmiddag tot vroeg die volgende oggend veg hulle verbete. 17 sou uiteindelik sneuwel. Maar teen dagbreek blaas die Zoeloes die aftog.

Die dag het begin as ‘n reuse Britse neerlaag en ge-eindig as ‘n oorwinning vir ‘n klein, dapper garnisoen. 11 Victoria Kruise sou tydens die slag verwerf word – die meeste ooit op een dag by een aksie in die geskiedenis van Groot Brittanje.

Dit is twee aangrypende verhale, vertel met deernis en passie, deur ‘n jong man wat die agtergrond van die twee slagvelde soos ‘n teater hanteer.

Woensdag 11 September

Ons reis van Fugitive’s Drift na Ladysmith. Hier is nog ‘n belangrike slagveld in die geskiedenis van Suid Afrika.

Ladysmith was tydens die Anglo Boereoorlog onder beleg. Vir bykans 4 maande het die Boere die Britse magte in die Noord Natalse dorp vasgepen. In die dorp ontmoet ons vir Johann Hamman, slagvelde gids in dié streek, en ook Terry Worley, joernalis by die Northern Natal Courier, ‘n koerant , gestig in 1899, net voor die oorlog sou uitbreek.

Die Anglo Boere-oorlog het geduur vanaf 1899 tot 1902. Goud is aan die Witwatersrand ontdek, Groot Brittanje het daarop aangedring dat die uitlanders op die goudvelde ook stemreg moes kry, en die Boere Republieke, Die Oranje Vrystaat en die Zuid Afrikaanse Republiek het geweier. Oorlog het uitgebreek.

Die Britse magte was vol selfvertroue, maar swak voorbereid, en die Boeremagte het spoedig die dorpe Kimberley, Mafeking en Ladysmith beleer. Nou moes die stede ontset word.

Die Beleg museum, net langs die stadsaal in Ladysmith, is ‘n wonderlike plek om te besoek, en uit te vind oor die Boere en Britse magte se uniforms, wapentuig, taktiek, en ook wie die verskillende leiers was.

Saam met Johann en Terry reis ons na die slagveld.

Die Slag van Spioenkop was die Britse magte se derde poging om deur te breek na Ladysmith en die dorp te ontset. Op die ou end was dit die een flater na die ander wat daartoe gelei het dat die Boere die Slag gewen het. Eers het die Britse troepe gedink hulle is bo op die kop, toe besef hulle hulle is nie, toe dink die Boere die Engelse is daar, toe neem die Boere die Kop oor…

Daar is verskillende bronne oor die ongevalle, maar dis duidelik, bykans 250 Britse troepe en minder as 70 Boere sou sneuwel. Honderde is gewond. Dit was ‘n slagting.

Interessant is dat twee mense wat later wêreld leiers sou word, hier teenwoordig was. Mahatma Gandhi was ‘n draer vir die ambulansdiens, en Winston Churchill ‘n oorlog korrespondent. Ook Louis Botha, later eerste minister van die Unie van Suid Afrika – almal op Spioenkop.

Talle Britse soldate van Liverpool het aan die veldslag deelgeneem en het op die Kop gesneuwel. Daarom, vandag nog, is een van die pawiljoene by Anfield, tuiste van die Liverpool Football Club, The Kop, vernoem na Spioenkop.

Na afloop van die besoek aan die slagveld reis ons na die Spioenkop Natuurreservaat. Ons maak kamp, braai vleis en bak brood. Dit is wonderlik om weer te kamp. Op vanjaar se reis gebeur dit hopeloos te min.

Donderdag 12 September

Vanaf Spioenkop Natuurreservaat vertrek ons en reis oos, al die pad tot by Umgungundlovu, ook bekend as Dingaanstat.

Umgungundlovu is geleë in die Emakosini Vallei. Dis die Zoeloe vallei van die konings.

Ons ontmoet vir Neo Mbata by die indrukwekkende sentrum waar die geskiedenis van die Zoeloes uitgebeeld word in video en muurpanele. Daarna is ons na die kraal van Dingaan wat gedeeltelik gerestoureer is, net sodat ons ‘n idee kan kry van wat gebeur het op 6 Februarie 1838.

Piet Retief het met Koning Dingaan onderhandel oor grond. Daar is ‘n ooreenkoms, ‘n sogenaamde traktaat, opgestel. Retief moes eers van Dingaan se gesteelde beeste, wat deur een van die ander stamme afgeneem is, terug vind. Retief het dit gedoen. Dit blyk dat nie al die beeste terug gebring is nie. Of Retief nie alles kon kry nie, en of hy van die beeste terug gehou het, is onduidelik.

Dingaan het Retief en sy manskappe die kraal binne genooi vir feesviering. Hulle moes hulle wapens buite laat. Op ‘n gegewe oomblik het Dingaan geskree “Maak dood die towenaars”. Wat bedoel word met “towenaars” is ook vandag oop vir interpretasie. Wat ons wel weet is dat Retief en 69 man, insluitend sy seun, asook ‘n dertigtal agterryers, op wreedaardige manier vermoor is.

Owen, ‘n sendeling wat naby die stat gewoon het, het alles gesien, gevlug na Durban en die storie vertel. Dit sou tot vergelding lei.

Vandag is daar by Dingaanstat ‘n monument vir Retief en sy manne. Dit is ‘n baie hartseer deel van ons geskiedenis.

Die Zoeloes hou steeds die streek as heilige grond, ten spyte daarvan dat Dingaan later die stat sou afbrand en vlug. Talle ander Zoeloe konings het in die vallei gewoon en is hier begrawe. Hulle word vereer by die monument wat bekend staan as The Spirit of Emakosini.

Vrydag 13 September

Ons laaste dag van slagvelde. Vanaf Umgungundlovu reis ons na Bloedrivier, net buite Vryheid.

Onderweg, net buite Babanango, gaan ons aan by ‘n interessante plek – die plek waar die Prince Imperial gesterf het. Hy was die kleinseun van Napoleon Bonaparte. Sy ouers het in 1870 uit Frankryk na Engeland gevlug, hy het by die Royal Artillery by Aldershot sy militêre opleiding gehad en toe in die Anglo Zoeloe oorlog kom veg. Hy was die laaste Napoleon, en die enigste hoop dat daar weer ‘n Napoleon in Frankryk sou heers.

Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte was ‘n regte Napoleon. Hy wou aksie sien. Daarom het hy van tyd tot tyd weggebreek van die beskerming om hom. So is sy klein groepie manne op 1 Junie 1879 deur die Zoeloes aangeval. Hy het van sy perd afgeval en het in ‘n handgeveg teen die Zoeloes betrokke geraak. Daar word gesê hy het gesterf met assegaai wonde van voor – “he fell with his face to the foe”. Hy het agtien assegaai wonde gehad.

Die dood van Napoleon is in Europa met soveel skok ontvang soos die neerlaag by Isandlwana.

Ons is verder, na Bloedrivier. Johann Hamman was weer ons gids.

By die ingang staan die reuse ossewa, gebou uit graniet deur Coert Steynberg. Daar is ook ‘n museum waarin die geskiedenis pragtig uitgebeeld word.

Die Slag van Bloedrivier het plaasgevind op 16 Desember 1838. In die 1960’s is daar besluit om die oorspronklike walaer van Andries Pretorius so lewensgetrou moontlik voor te stel. 64 verbronsde ysterwaens in ‘n D-vorminge sirkel, kompleet met veghekke, sweepstokke lanterns en ammunisiewaens.

Andries Pretorius en sy manne het ‘n Gelofte afgelê. Dis ‘n belofte aan God:

Die gelofte wat afgelê is: Mijne broeders en medelandgenote

Hier staan wij tans op een ogenblik voor een heilige God van hemel en aarde om een belofte aan hem te beloven, als hij met zijn vescherming met ons sal wezen, en onze vijand in onze handen geven, dat wij hem oeverwinnen, dat wij die dag en datum elke jaar als een verjaardag en een dankdag soals een sabbat in zijn eer zullen doorbrengen…

Op 16 Desember het die Zoeloes die laer aangeval. Die geveg het heel dag geduur, maar die Boere was voorbereid. Dit was ‘n slagting.

Die Slag van Bloedrivier is ʼn geveg tussen 470 Voortrekkers en tussen 10 tot 15 000 Zoeloes op die oewer van die Ncombe rivier. Die Voortrekkers was gereed, in die laer, met selfs veghekke wat tussen die waens opgerig is om te verhoed dat die Zoeloes kon deurbreek.

Briljante taktiese besluite deur Pretorius, en die mag van die vuurwapen, het daartoe gelei dat sowat 3 000 Zoeloes gedood is, en geen een van die Voortrekkers nie. Slegs drie is gewond.

Die Afrikanervolk sou voortaan die dag soos ‘n Sabbat gedenk – Geloftedag.

Ons ontmoet ook die Besturende Direkteur van die Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria. Tussen die monument en Bloedrivier bestaan daar ‘n baie noue band, en dit word as’t ware saam bestuur.

Bloedrivier – meer as 180 jaar gelede die terrein van ‘n bloedige slagting. Vandag word Geloftedag die Dag van Versoening genoem in ‘n Nuwe Suid Afrika. Oor die Ncombe rivier, wat op 17 Desember 1838 herdoop is na Bloedrivier, is daar ‘n brug gebou – die Versoeningsbrug. 16 Desember 1838 was dan ook die laaste dag wat die Afrikaner en die Zoeloes in ‘n geveg met mekaar slaags was.

Saterdag 14 September

Dit is tyd om gereed te maak vir die week wat voorlê. Ek en Streicher is Amersfoort toe, na Jan du Toit. Ons het motorfiets reëlings om te tref. Die res van die span is see toe, na die Kosi Bay Lodge. Dit was tyd om so ‘n bietjie tot verhaal te kom na ‘n baie intense week.

Sunday, 8 September

Sunday, in Pietermaritzburg. Most of the team took the time to sleep late. Then, the usual routine on a free day – to catch up on all outstanding tasks. Streicher and I went to town in search of a barber, but with no success. The day passed too quickly. Elmarie and Errol’s Ekukhanyeni is exactly what we needed.

We rise early. It is quite a distance to travel to the start of this week’s programme. But a problem arose. Stefan has three serious bitemarks on his ankle and we are unsure whether it is spider- or tick bites. We make a stop at a pharmacy and get antibiotics and an antibiotic ointment, in the hope that it will heal.

This is the week of battlefields. In KwaZulu Natal are several. We intend to cover five of the biggest encounters – Spioenkop, Isandlwana, Rorke’s Drift, Dingaanstat and Blood River. First on our list – the Anglo Zulu War.

We travel via Greytown to Fugitive’s Drift. Decades ago, David Rattray put this place on the map with his dramatic narratives about Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift. Rattray was murdered during a raid in 2007. The possibility that his unique narratives, expert knowledge and lively dramatization of battlefield events would be lost forever, was a reality.

Shortly after lunch we arrive at Fugitive’s Drift and receive a hearty welcome from Claire and Raymond. We also meet Daisy and Doug. Doug is Rattray’s son and will be our guide for the next two days.

We settle in at the uMzinyathi Farmhouse. This building was built in the 1920’s and home to George Buntting, an expert on the Anglo Zulu War. A beautiful place with lovely colonial furniture. Here, we shall be able to cook for ourselves and not be entertained like so many times on our journey so far. The hospitality of people is quite overwhelming.

Late afternoon Doug picks us up. We drive up a hill to get an overview of the Buffalo River from the cliffs. We observe the view from the former Natal, to the former Zululand. It will play an important role in the upcoming two battlefields of the next day.

The cliffs were one of David’s favourite places to meditate. This is exactly where his ashes lay buried.

Before the sun sets, we meet up with Claire, Ray and Daisy for a G&T. Very colonial but excellent. That evening we have a braai at the farmhouse.

Tuesday, 10 September

Today we have two battlefields on our agenda – battlefields that are closely related: Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift. Doug is our guide and we realise from the start – like sire, like son. He narrates the Battlefield of Isandlwana with the same passion as his father.

We first visit the Isandlwana Battlefield. On route Doug shows us rock paintings dating back before the existence of the Zulu nation.

But then the Battlefield. We hang on his lips as he relates how the Zulu forces thrashed the British Imperial troops. The Zulus overwhelmed the British with skilful military precision.

The British found themselves in Zululand on 22 January 1879, against the wishes of the British government. Sir Bartle Frere decided differently. More than 1 700 British troops and a few hundred civilians were killed. The Zulus also suffered greatly – probably 3 000 warriors.

The Zulus where not finished yet. In Zulu culture it is believed that to become a man one must wash your spear in enemy blood – “the washing of the spears”. The one flank of the Zulu force – the so-called right horn of the buffalo – was yet to wash their spears. The British were already slayed when they reached the battlefield.

10 kilometres beyond was the small British trading post, Rorke’s Drift. Here were many ill and wounded soldiers, and a few unexperienced individuals who have never been in battle before. More than 300 of the Natal Native Contingent.

A Zulu force of more than 5 000 attacked the trading post. The Natal Native Continent took flight immediately. Only 139 men remained. They fought fiercely from late afternoon to early the next morning. 17 were killed. At sunrise the Zulus retreated.

This day started as the greatest defeat for the British Army and ended as the victory for a small, brave garrison. 11 Victoria Crosses were awarded at this battle – the most in one day, at one single event in British history.

Two gripping tales, told by a young man, who theatrically narrates the history of these two events with empathy and passion.

Wednesday, 11 September

We travel from Fugitive Drift to Ladysmith. Another important battlefield in the history of South Africa.

Ladysmith was under siege during the Anglo Boer War. The Boers cornered the British in this Northern Natal town for almost 4 months. In town we meet up with Johann Hamman who is a battlefield specialist in this region, as well as with the journalist Terry Worley, who works for the Natal Courier – a newspaper established in 1899, shortly before the start of the War.

The Anglo Boer War lasted from 1899 till 1902. Gold was discovered in the Witwatersrand and Great Britain demanded that foreigners in the goldfields should receive voting rights. The Boer Republics, Orange Free State and the Zuid Afrikaans Republic refused, and War broke out.

The British forces were confident, but ill prepared and soon the towns of Kimberley, Mafeking and Ladysmith were besieged. Next, the towns had to be relieved.

The Siege Museum, next to the town hall in Ladysmith, is a wonderful place to visit and to enquire about Boer and British forces’ uniforms, arms, war tactics and the different leaders.

Johann and Terry accompany us to the battlefield.

The Battlefield of Spioenkop was the British forces’ third attempt to break through and relieve Ladysmith. After a succession of errors, the Boers won the Battle. Initially the British thought the Boers were on the hill, when they realised their mistake, the Boers thought likewise and took over the hill …

There are different sources about the casualties, but almost 250 British troops and less than 70 Boers were killed in action. Hundreds were injured. It was a battlefield.

An interesting fact is that two people who would later become world leaders were present here. Mahatma Gandhi was an ambulance carrier, and Winston Churchill a war correspondent. Also, Louis Botha who later became the first Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa – everybody at Spioenkop.

Many British soldiers from Liverpool took part in this battlefield and were killed on this hill. Still today, one of the pavilions in Anfield, home to the Liverpool Football Club, The Kop, is named after Spioenkop.

After our visit to the battlefields we continue to the Spioenkop Nature Reserve. We set up camp, have a barbecue and bake bread. Wonderful to be able to camp again. It does not happen enough on this year’s journey.

Thursday, 12 September

From the Spioenkop Nature Reserve we travel east, all the way to Umgungundlovu, also known as Dingaanstat.

Umgungundlovu is situated in the Emakosini Valley. It is the valley of the kings.

We meet Neo Mbata at the impressive centre where the history of the Zulus is visually portrayed by videos and wall panels. We then visit the partially restored Dingaan’s kraal, to form an idea of what had happened on 6 February 1838.

Piet Retief negotiated with Dingaan about land. They reached an agreement and drew up a so-called treaty. Retief had to recover some of Dingaan’s cattle that was stolen by another tribe. He complied but somehow did not return all the cattle. It is unclear whether Retief could not find all the cattle, or whether he did not return all that he found.

Dingaan invited Retief and his men to his kraal for a celebration. They had to leave their weapons on the outside. At a given moment Dingaan shouted “kill the magicians”. The explanation of “magicians” is still debatable. What we do know is that Retief and 69 of his men, including his son, as well as 30 outriders were brutally murdered.

Owen, a missionary who lived close to the stat and saw everything that happened took flight to Durban and retold the story. It would lead to retribution.

Today there is a monument erected at Dingaanstat for Retief and his men. A very sad part of our history.

Although Dingaan burnt down the stat and fled, the Zulus still today keep the land in this region as holy ground.

Friday, 13 September

Our last day of visiting battlefields. From Umgungundlovu we travel to Blood River, beyond Vryheid.

On route, we visit a very interesting place on the other side of Babanango – the location where Prince Imperial died. He was the grandson of Napoleon Bonaparte. His parents fled from France to England in 1870. He received his military training at the Royal Artillery in Aldershot and joined the Anglo Zulu war. He was the last of the Napoleon generation and the last Napoleon to reign France.

Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte was a true Napoleon at heart. He wanted to be part of the action. He occasionally broke away from his guard and that is how he and his men got attacked by the Zulus on 1 June 1879. He fell off his horse and got into close combat with the Zulus. It is said that he died with frontal body spear wounds – “he fell with his face to the foe”. He had eighteen spear wounds.

The news of Napoleon’s death was as shocking to Europe as the defeat at Isandlwana.

We continue to Blood River. Johann Hamman is our guide once again.

At the entrance is a huge granite stone ox wagon sculptured by Coert Steynberg. There is also a museum in which the history is beautifully depicted.

The Battle of Blood River took place on 16 December 1838. It was decided in the 1960’s to build a replica wagon laager of Andries Pretorius. 64 life size bronzed steel wagons in a D-shape that include whip barriers, lanterns and open ammunition wagons.

Andries Pretorius and his men made a solemn vow to God.

The vow read: Mijne broeders en medelandgenote

Hier staan wij tans op een ogenblik voor een heilige God van hemel en aarde om een belofte aan hem te beloven, als hij met zijn vescherming met ons sal wezen, en onze vijand in onze handen geven, dat wij hem oeverwinnen, dat wij die dag en datum elke jaar als een verjaardag en een dankdag soals een sabbat in zijn eer zullen doorbrengen …

The Zulus attacked the laager on 16 December. The fight lasted the whole day, but the Boers were well prepared. It was a slaughter.

The Battle of Blood River was a clash between 470 Voortrekkers and an estimated 10 to 15 000 Zulus, on the banks of the Ncombe River. The Voortrekkers were ready in the laager with whip barriers to prevent the Zulus from breaking through.

Pretorius made brilliant tactical decisions and with the power of the weapon, the Zulus sustained losses of almost 3 000, and the Voortrekkers no casualties. Only three soldiers were wounded.

The Afrikaner descendants would in future commemorate this day like a sabbath – the Day of the Vow.

Blood River – more than 180 years ago a location of slaughter. Today the Day of the Vow is named in the New South Africa. In the spirit of promoting reconciliation and national unity, The Day of the Vow has been renamed The Day of Reconciliation. A bridge was built across the Ncombe River, which was renamed The Reconciliation Bridge on 17 December 1838. 16 December 1838 was the last day that the Afrikaner and Zulu clashed in combat.

Saturday, 14 September

It is time to prepare for the week ahead. Streicher and I will go to Amersfoort to visit Jan du Toit. We have motorcycle arrangements to make.   The rest of the team set off for the ocean, to Kosi Bay Lodge. Time to recuperate after an intense week.