Vryheid

After the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879 the British decided to divide Zululand into thirteen petty states, hoping to control the area more easily by reducing the Zulu nation to smaller tribal elements.

But the British had not counted on the inter-tribal fighting which took place due to the smaller territories. One of the Zulu chieftains, Dinizulu, became heavily involved in competition with Zibebu, a rival chief. To garner support, Dinizulu offered rewards of land to mercenaries who would come and fight on his side.

In 1884 a group of Boer volunteers formed Dinizulu's Volunteers and, after several clashes with Zibebu, defeated him at the Battle of Ghost Mountain. The mercenaries then claimed payment, and Dinizulu found himself confronted with demands he could not meet. 800 mercenaries claimed to have fought for him and Zululand was not big enough to give every individual farms the size they wanted.

After some unpleasantness, Britain intervened and the mercenaries had to be content with a grant of land in the northern part of the country. On 5 August 1884 these discontented mercenaries declared a republic (which lasted only four years) with the town of Vryheid as its capital.

Today Vryheid is a centre for coal mining and cattle ranching. A museum has been created in the old Raadzaal and there is a small fort at the back of this building.

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