Umvimbo wasoPhathe waba nzima emaBhunwini
AmaBhunu ema ayibuka ngokuyincoma imfuyo, athi nokukhohlwa kancane ngoBhongoza. Ezinye zazo zazidla phakathi kwezihlahla kanti ezinye zaziphuza emfudlaneni oPhathe, zingaqashiwe.
Kwakuyindawo eyayithuli, abantu besifazane babezithela, bexoxa behleka abanye babekha amanzi emfudlaneni bebelethe izingane. Ngaphansi kwezihlahla zomtholo, abelusi babedlala ngezinkomo zobumba, abanye bengcweka, kanti babeshwibeka ezihlahleni zomyezane behleka kumnandi.
Kwabe kulusuku olwaluluhle kwaZulu, abantu beneme. AmaBhunu ahlola phansi naphezulu, angabona lutho olwaluyingozi, azibongela emadlozini awo amaBhunu.
Awapholisa amaseko, asehlukana phakathi, ehla ngesikhulu isivinini emaceleni ezinkomo, ayakoziqoqa enzansi ehluleka nokuzibamba, ejabule aze adlula emakhaya. Khonamanjalo, kwezwekala amabutho kaZulu ekhuza, esisiza kwathula umoya.
Koma amathe emaBhunwini, abukana phakathi kwezihlahla, athandazela ukuvuka kuleli phupho elibi ayeliphupha. Afifiyela efunana noBhongoza owayelimele, kodwa lutho ukumbona.
Kwawacacela ukuthi intando yabo yezinkomo ngokweqile yayibaholele ekufeni noBhongoza wansondo waye baluthile. Amabutho ayezithukuse ngaphansi kwezihlahla nencema, asebaqedela khona lapho. UBhongoza waba yiqhawe eliphindelele. Kulaphjo lesi sisho esithi ukuholela umuntu oPhathe savela khona.
AmaBhunu avelelwa izinhlekelele ayengasoze azikhohlwa ngonyaka we-1838, amaZulu azigwazela ibhece kathathu emasontweni ayeli-12, empini yaseThaleni,yoThukela ingasaphathwa eyaseNcome.
Le mpikiswano yokuthi kungabe ngubani umanqoba, evela ekutheni abanye osomlando bathi umugqa owawakhiwe yizinqola zamaBhunu ezazibekwe njengesicathulo sehhashi, wabe ugudla udonga ubheke umfula.
Okwakusho ukuthi amabutho ahlasela ngasemfuleni, ayehlamba ngesandla esisodwa ngoba esinye sasibambe isihlangu, iklwa, mhlawumbe-ke isibhamu nezinhlamvu. Okunye abakushoyo wukuthi kwashaywa amabutho akwaZulu ayeyizi-20 000 abhujiswa ngesikhashana nje, igazi lawo laphendula umfula waba bomvu klebhu, yingakho asebiza iNcome umfula wegazi (Blood River).
Kanti abanye osomlando ikakhulu namaZulu, bathi amaBhunu ahlaselwa ngasodongweni lapho afa khona ngobuningi. Uma kubhekwa umlando wezimpi zakwaZulu kanye nobuhlakani bokulwa bukamdidiyeli jikelele uNdlela, awavumelani nokuthi uZulu wahlulwa eNcome.
Kanti futhi uma kubhekwa ukuthi wayezihlela kanjani izimpi zakhe uNdlela, wayengenakho ukuhlela amabutho akhe ukuba alahlwe phansi ngezinhlamvu budedengu nje. Nanokuthi ahlambe ngesandla esisodwa. Nanoma uNdlela wayeke wawuvumela lowo mqondo wokuba amabutho akhe adliwe yizinganono, wayezohlushwa yilo mbuzo owawugcizelelwa ezinhliziyweni zawo wonke amabutho kaZulu kusukela esemncane “Ngothini koMalandela, noNdaba, nabakithi uma ngingabulalisa amabutho eSilo?”