Kwazulu Natal
Old Natal Province and the old homeland KwaZulu coats of arms
KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the old province of Natal, and the old homeland of KwaZulu. KwaZulu-Natal not only has its own parliament that forms part of the National Parliament, but also has a Zulu king, Goodwill Zwelithini, based in Ulundi. He has some representative power for the Zulu people, but only under the government of South Africa.
Capital: Pietermaritzburg
Main languages: isiZulu, English, Afrikaans
Premier: Mr S'bu Ndebele
First premier (1994): Frank Mdlalose
KwaZulu-Natal's claim to fame:
Drakensberg
An example of San Rock Art in the Drakensberg.
The Zulu call the Drakensberg-range uKhahlamba, because it looks like a row of spears. There are many superstitious stories about spirits and monsters in the Berg (as it is called). In 1877 a newspaper in Bloemfontein wrote about a farmer and his son who said that they had seen a dragon fly over the mountains.
The Berg plays an important role in South Africas history and heritage. It was the home of the Zulu kingdom and the birthplace of many of its kings. During the Great Trek many Afrikaners had to cross these mountains with their ox-wagons. Many battles were fought here, between Shaka's Zulus and other groups, between the Zulu and the British in the Anglo-Zulu War, and between the British and the Boers in the Anglo-Boer War.
There are also many San rock paintings in the mountains, some of them even 8000 years old. Today, the The uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park is a World Heritage Site.
Battle Sites
The model of the Voortrekker laager at Blood River. The wagons formed a barrier against the spears of the impis, and the Voortrekkers shot at the impis from inside the laager.
There are many battle sites in KwaZulu-Natal. These battle sites include the Battle of Blood River or (Ncome River), where a life-size model of the Voortrekker laager can be seen exactly where it stood over 100 years ago. There are also many battle sites from the Anglo-Zulu War and Anglo-Boer War with monuments or museums that tell the stories of the sites.
