Historic Route

Piet Retief Mpumalanga South Africa

Piet Retief was named after the early Voortrekker leader Piet Retief. The town itself was established in 1883, but but long before that a number of historic events took place in this area. (See photos of monument in  the Piet Retief Photo Galery)

Going back to the first inhabitants of this area there are three  known  sites of  bushman paintings, namely at Tafelberg,on the farm of  Mr.Roodewalt between Bergen and Anysspruit and on the farm of Mr Guido Freise - Outdoor Heartbeat on the route to the Mahamba Borderpost  (Borderpost between South Africa and  Swaziland).The first missionaries from Sweden erected a missionary in Piet Retief in 1905 and is today known as  THE MISSION HOUSE.

One of the most decisive battles in the early history of the Zulu nation took place at the Ndolowane hill about 30 Km south west of Piet Retief. Here king Chaka's army defeated the army of the Ndwandwes  in September 1826.

Piet Retief used to be known as a kind of  "wild east" during the 1800's, being a buffer area between different land grabbing  people There were constant infringements and hostilities between Zulu and Swazi Impies. Then to the north were the boers looking to extend their farming interests and to the south the British were looking to extend their Emipre. Not may people today know that there used to be a little independant repulic called the "Klein Vrystaat Republic". Seen as a little chunk cut out of the rounded border of Swaziland , this land was bought from Swazi king Mbandini in 1876 for the price of blankets, picks,beads etc. to the value of 180 Pounds Sterling as well as 14 horses. The land was ruled by a three-man committee acting asexecutive and judicial officers. It became part of the Transvaal Republic due to popular demand of it's citizens in 1892.( A coat of arms and map can be seen in the local ABSA bank).

During the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 a number of historic events also took place in the area. The area known as the 'diputed  territory' was the site of several skirmishes during the war. The most important incident was the  Battle of  Entombe Drift  wich took place at dawn on 12 march 1879. A convoy of 18 wagons , carrying ammunition and supplies from Derby , camped along the swolen Entombe river, was attacked by a large number of Zulu irregulars. One British officer and 60 men , acivil surgeon,  2 white waggon conductors and 15 black drivers were killed. Colur-sergeant Booth was awarded the Victoria Cross for his heroic action. The battle site, a monument and war graves can be visited near the Entombe Mission Station.

Some weeks later on the 6th of June 1879 the son of Pastor J.Filter of Lüneburg was also involved in a heroic deed. While trying to stop Zulu warriors from stealing the cattle of German settlers , he was killed on the banks of the Pongola River  not far from the bridge crossing the Pongola River on the road leading from  Braunschweig  to Paulpietersburg. Also on Patrol with Commandant Schermbrucker, another young Danish soldier named Larsen , was killed on 18 May 1879 near the Entombe River. A monument has been erected along the road leading from Braunschweig to Lüneberg, to commemorate the heroic deeds of these two young men.

At Lüneburg the remains of the British Fort Clery can still be seen as well as the graves of several British soldiers who fell during the Zulu War - including those of two soldiers who got killed long after the end of the war in September, probably the last casualties of the Zulu War !

Although no battles or skirmishes took place in this area during the Anglo-Boer War , both Boer and German settlers were involved , many of the woman and children being interned in concentration camps in Volksrust. The men taking part in action further south.

Piet Retief .. Mkhondo ..Mpumalanga .. South Africa