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THE REPUBLIC OF NATALIA THE BATTLE OF MAQONGQO When Dingane learned about the alliance between Mpande and the Boers, he sent two unarmed emissaries, Dambuza Ntombela (known as Nzobo) and Sikhombazana, to Pretorius to negotiate a new peace treaty with the Boers. Mpande accused Dambuza of being the mastermind behind Dingane's killings, including the massacres of Boer women and children at Bloukrans and Moordspruit, as well as the murders of Piet Retief and his men, and insisted that they be charged. In response, Pretorius had the two men arrested. The Boers regularly sent out scouts and set up a defensive laager each night for secure overnight stays, much like during the Wen Commando. On 29 January 1840, they crossed the Buffalo River and set up laager on the banks of the Blood River, where they previously defeated Dingane. That same day, messengers from Mpande, approaching the laager under a white flag with the letters VR for Volksraad to identify themselves, brought news that Mpande's army had skirmishes with the enemy and had now come face to face with Dingane’s forces. Pretorius asked Mpande to hold his forces back until the commando could join up with them. The Boers would, however, have no part in the battle between Mpande’s forces and that of Dingane, led by Ndlela ka Sompisi NtuIi, as the Battle of Maqongqo had already commenced. In a fierce and bloody fight, two of Dingane’s three regiments were wiped out, and the other regiment defected to Nongalazana due to bitterness among the Zulu ranks. On 31 January 1840, near the Black Mfolozi River, Dambuza and Sikhombazana appeared before a court-martial with Pretorius as judge and Mpande as prosecutor. Mpande gave the following evidence in the court-martial: "It was the same Dambuza who urged the king to murder your Governor Retief and his men, as well as the women and children of your nation." After Dumbuza admitted guilt, they were found guilty and sentenced to death. Although the two accused were tried and executed by a court and firing squad of the Boers, it is clear that Mpande himself, made the decisions in this case, as confirmed by his praises: "Usongo lwensimbi yakoNdikidi, [An iron coil of Ndikidi] Elidli uDambuza beno Sikhombazana. [That ate Dambuza and Sikhombazana] lnzingelezi kaNdaba, [The entanglement of Ndaba] Emabal' azizinge, [With multi-coloured appeal]" #Boer #Boers #BoerIdentity #Boeridentiteit #BoerRepublic #BoerRepubliek #Natalia #UnitedBoerRepublic #VerenigdeBoerrepubliek #Britain #Zulus