The hills of KwaZulu-Natal’s Nquthu will echo with warrior cries of ”Usuthu!” at a re-enactment of the historic Battle of Isandlwana on Saturday.
The Dundee Diehards, wearing red British army tunics, will confront amabutho — Zulu regiments — from Nongoma, Mahlabathini and Isandlwana itself to play out the battle that saw the British forces resoundingly defeated on January 22 1879.
The joint project between the office of the KwaZulu-Natal premier, the department of arts, culture and tourism and the Mzinyathi district municipality aims to honour the past and promote history and culture as a tourist attraction, a statement said.
About 4 000 people are expected to attend, and Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini and political leader and Zulu prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi are scheduled to address the gathering.
Accounts of previous re-enactments speak of busloads of gustily singing warriors disembarking and banging their spears against their shields, storming the waiting British regiments to test their mettle.
Unlike wartime tragedies, the greatest injuries reported in the enactments include tick bites and sunburn.
The commemoration begins at 10am. — Sapa