With King Mzilikazi the leader of a growing nation as the disciplined but warlike maTebele swept across the Northern Transvaal in the early 1800's, another name kept coming to the historical fore. This intriguing character with verified reports of his extraordinary courage changed history! I found his name dotted through many early stories of South Africa and Matabeleland but there was never a clue as to who he really was, where he came from or why he did what he did!

The baKwena people were an interesting tribe who had lived on the edge of the Magaliesberg for many years - but who felt the full wrath of the Matebele during the mfecane. Photo: Nicola Lynch