Vryheid
Municipality
Municipality: Abaqulusi Local Municipality
District Municipality: Zululand District Municipality
Attractions
Also see the neighbouring towns
Vryheid is the largest town in northern KwaZulu-Natal. It is a mining and agricultural centre. The population of Vryheid is about 70'000 inhabitants, and that of the immediate region is about 230'000.
The town is located near the sources of several Zululand Rivers: White Umfolozi River, Black Umfolozi River, Mkuze River and the Manzana River, which flows into the Phongolo River, as well as the Blood River.
Battlefields Route
Many skirmishes and wars took place in this region between different Zulu tribes, between European Boers and Zulus, and between the British and Zulus, and between the Boers and the British.
Some battle sites are: Hlobane, Kambula, Blood River, Scheepersnek, Lancaster Hill and Holkrans.
Architecture
Several buildings in the Tudor and Edwardian architecture can be viewed.
Old Raadsaal
The old council chambers (Old Raadsaal) of the original republic can be visited in Landdrost Street. This building was built in 1884 and is now a museum. The old Fort and jail (with four cells) are right next to it.
Lucas Meyer House
The Lucas Meyer House (Landdrost Street) was built in 1884 by Lucas Meyer for his wife. He was the President of the Nieuwe Republiek. The house was built in Cape Dutch style. Later, Art Nouveau decorations were added. Today it is a national monument.
Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church (131 High Street) was built in 1894 and opened by President Lucas Meijer of the Nieuwe Republiek. The church is built from local stone in Gothic Style with Victorian characteristics. It is a national monument.
Carnegie Public Library
The Carnegie Public Library was built in 1908. It is home to Anglo-Boer War artefacts.
Nieuwe Republiek Museum
The Nieuwe Republiek Museum is in Landdrost Street and contains exhibitions from the brief existence of the New Republic (1884 - 1888).
Vryheid Nature Reserve
The Vryheid Nature Reserve (700Ha) offers a one-day hiking trail. The trail passes several Anglo-Boer War gunpoints. The trail is also a must-do for bird watchers - more than 340 species have been recorded in the Vryheid area.
Klipfontein Nature Reserve
The Klipfontein Nature Reserve (4'500Ha) is 6Km south of Vryheid.
Cecil Emmett Park
The Cecil Emmett Park offers recreational facilities for the family.
Ntendeka Wilderness Area
The Ntendeka Wilderness Area is about 90Km east of Vryheid on the R618 (off R69) at Ngome. The Ngome State Forest contains a rare combination of coastal and inland tropical forest species.
Hot Water Springs
The Natal Spa is between Vryheid and Paulpietersburg.
Walking and hiking Trails
Lancaster Hiking Trail
The Lancaster Hiking Trail winds through the Vryheid Nature Reserve. Game that can be seen on the trail include antelope, eland and zebra. There are overnight cabins on the trail.
Ntendeka Wilderness Trails
There are hiking trails in the Ngome State Forest.
Ithala Game Reserve
The Ithala Game Reserve at Louwsburg, is about 70Km from Vryheid.
History
In the early 1800s the Zulu tribes dominated this area, especially during the reign of the Zulu King Shaka (ca 1787 – ca 1828).
European adventurers, hunters and missionaries were in contact with the tribes in these years.
The first mass European invasion of the territory was by the Boers (Voortrekkers) which moved away (trekked) from the British colony of the Cape of Good Hope in the 1830s into the interior and nothern regions of southern Africa.
The history of this era is coloured by ideological myths and legends, so it is very difficult to determine the exact historical events.
Battle of Blood River
The Battle of Blood River (in Zulu: iMpi yaseNcome) was fought on 16 December 1838 between some 464 European male pioneers (Voortrekkers) armed with rifles (muskets) and a small cannon, with the aid of 200 helpers, and a Zulu army perhaps of 10'000 or even more men, armed with spears. The battle took place on the banks of the Ncome River, and because of the blood, the river was henceforth known as Blood River.
The Zulus did not want the invading foreigners in their region and under the Zulu chief Dingane kaSenzangakhona several Voortrekker parties were killed, including a party of perhaps 500 at Bloukrans. The Voortrekkers wanted revenge, and Andries Pretorius was appointed as military leader for this purpose.
The military commanders at the The Battle of Blood River were Andries Pretorius on the side of the Voortrekkers, and on the other side, the Zulu general Dambuza Ndlela kaSompisi. The Voortrekkers made a religious pact that if they were spared on the day, they would build a church in honour of the battle. By the end of the battle 3 Vootrekkers were wounded, none dead, and about 3'000 Zulu warriors died.
Anglo-Zulu War 1879 and thereafter
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought between the British imperialists and the Zulu Kingdom in 1879, when Cetshwayo was King. His son Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo (1868-1913) succeeded him in 1884, but by this time the British dominated the area, dividing the Kwazulu-Natal region into 13 territories. Dinizulu administered only one of these sections.
Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo (1868-1913)
Battle of Hlobane
Hlobane is about 30Km east of Vryheid on the R69. It is near the sources of both the Mkuze and Black Mfolozi Rivers. In the 1870s Hlobane was occupied by the abaQulasi clan. The British, under Colonel Sir Evelyn Wood, attacked the abaQulasi on the 28 March 1879, but a Zulu impi (i.e batallion) of roughly 20'000 warriors supported the abaQulasi. Some 92 British soldiers died, and Woods had to flee.
Battle of Kambula
The battle of Kambula took place on 29 March 1879 between the Brisith and Zulu forces. The site of the battle is about 20Km north of Vryheid on the road to Paulpietersburg. About 18'000 Zulu warriors are alleged to have attacked the British in a battle that lasted an entire afternoon. The more powerful European guns gave the British the upper hand, and the Zulus retreated, pursued by British cavalry into the night. About 3'000 Zulus and 83 British died.
Fort Tinta
Fort Tinta was built by Colonel Wood's troups in 1879. It is 15Km south of Vryheid.
During these times of turmoil, both uZibhebhu and Dinuzulu made alliances with the Boers against the British invaders.
On 22 July 1883 uZibhebhu kaMaphitha (1841-1904), with the help of some
Boer factions, attacked Cetshwayo's village at Ulundi and destroyed it.
Cetshwayo was wounded and fled to the Nkandla forest (see
Again the Boers formed alliances with Zulu factions, this time with Dinuzulu against uZibhebhu, whose troups were defeated at the Battle of Ghost Mountain. Dinuzulu could not afford to pay the 800 Boers who claimed to have participated, so vast tracts of lands were given as payment (or as some historians would have it, lands were confiscated as payment), which obviously caused a lot of friction. The British then intervened, and confined the Boer claims to the northern parts of the region.
New Republic
This British action lead to discontent among the Boers, who declared a republic (Nieuwe Republiek - New Republic) on the 5 August 1884. Vryheid became its capital. In 1887 this Nieuwe Republiek was incorporated in the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek. The Republic ceased to exist in 1889, after only 4 years.
The New Republic flag.
Lucas Johannes Meyer (1846 – 1902) was the President of the Nieuwe Republiek.
Lucas Johannes Meyer (1846 – 1902)
In the 1880s German immigrants settled in the northern Kwazulu-Natal region.
Anglo-Boer War
Battle of Lancaster Hill
During the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902), a battle took place at Lancaster Hill, just outside the town of Vryheid. In June 1900 the Boer forces retreated northward after an offence by General Sir Redvers Henry Buller. Vryheid was under control of Lieutenant- General Hildyard.
General Sir Redvers Henry Buller (1839–1908)
On 11 and 12 December 1900 the Boers, under General Louis Botha, tried to recapture Vryheid, and attempted to capture Lancaster Hill. The security wires set up by the British, under Colonel Gawne, prevented the Boers from taking the hill. Again the Boers retreated.
General Louis Botha (1862 – 1919)
For more, see
The site was declared a National Monument in July 1982.
Battle of Scheepersnek
On 20 May 1900, the Battle of Scheepersnek (about 10Km north of Vryheid on the R33) was fought. Some Boer farmers and a commando of 75 Swaziland police attended a church service when the British (Bethunes Mounted Infantry) arrived unexpectedly. After a short skirmish the British withdrew.
Battle of Holkrans
Holkrans is about 30Km north of Vryheid. The Holkrans Battle was fought on 6 May 1902, when 56 Boers were killed by a Zulu impi on the Zunguin Mountain.
Vryheid became a municipality in 1912.
Climate
Today's Weather Report for Vryheid
Nature
Economy
Vryheid is a mining and agricultural town, with timber plantations and small industries.
Mining: coal
Wattle and timber plantations.
Crops: maize, groundnuts. Some ranching is found.
Copyright
and Disclaimer | Contact us
© 2005 SA Routes, Bookings and Info Systems