Estcourt – looking back in time
The Trekkers under the leadership of Piet Retief and Gert Maritz, crossed the Drakensberg, and in November 1837
Tim Jeebodh
During the second half of 1836, about two thousand Dutch farmers started the exodus, called the Great Trek and started moving off eastern parts of the Old Cape Colony in search of uninhabited parts of Southern Africa to settle as free and independent people.
The Trekkers under the leadership of Piet Retief and Gert Maritz, crossed the Drakensberg, and in November 1837, made a laager at Doringkop, Frere. From here Piet Retief made two visits to King Dingaan and entered into negotiations with the object of acquiring lands between the Tugela and Umzimbuvu Rivers.
An agreement was signed, but King Dingaan felt threatened and murdered Piet Retief and his entire entourage of 71 men at UMgungundlovu, February 6, 1838. Other settlements were also attacked.
On February 17, the laager at Blaaukrantz, Cornfields was attacked, and all its occupants were killed the Voortrekkers 41 men, 56 women, 185 children, 252 Khoi and Basotho were killed. Other camps at Klein and Grootmoordspruit were attacked and its entire people killed.
Gert Maritz also camped at Amangwe, Loskop on the banks of the Little Tugela, named Sooilaer. The settlements at Zuurlaer, (next to Smiths Quarry) and Rensburgkoppie (ex-Mackintosh farm Malanspruit) repulsed the Zulu attacks. Other Trekkers under Hendrik Potgieter, Piet Uys, Andries Pretorius rallied around and regrouped at Blood River and on December 16, 1838 and successfully defeated the Zulu warriors.
1838.
King Dingane was deposed and King Mpande succeeded the throne. In September 1838, Gert Maritz passed away at Sooilaer, Loskop. On October 23 the Trekkersraad decided to establish a town named Pietermaritzburg. This was in honour of Piet Retief and Gert Maritz.
Two months after the Blaawkrans massacre, the settlement of Weenen (Place of weeping) was established. Due to the confluence of the major rivers, Weenen was ideal for farming. After the defeat of King Dingane, many of the Voortrekkers settled in Pietermaritzburg.
The battle at Rensburgkoppie is of significance. Hans van Rensburg and Andries Pretorius staged a spirited fight with limited resources, and had to retreat up the cliff, which was protected on one side by a cliff. When their ammunition depleted, a young man by the name of Martinus Oosthuisen arrived on horseback and charged through with his horse through the Zulu warriors file, thereby making the repulse successful.
The farms in that area, Rensburg Drift, Rensburg Spruit, Rensburg Koppie, were thereafter named after Hans van Rensburg. There was no record of number of Zulu warriors killed, as wild animals cleared dead bodies overnight. Hyena, lions, leopards and wild dogs roamed the lands unhindered.
Research assisted by Voortrekkermuseum.
