Quethuka kaManqondo

The subject of Quethuka kaManqondo taking approx. 300 of hi Amabuthu to join the left horn cropped up in the Ammunition Question string.
To recap Julian brought up the fact that Quethuka had raced of to join the left horn ( consisting of primarily the iNgobamakhosi and portion the uNdi corp) taking with him some of the Tulwana regiment.
In TWOTS there is a detailed description of these actions:
'Quetuka now took matters into his own hands. Screaming commands, he aligned the umCijo with his detachment of the uThulwana and started after the retreating horsemen.'
Morris has effectively laid the blame of the impi charge at the feet of Quethuka.

When questioned, by Julian, on his source he refered to documents possible in the Killie Campbell.
Ive spent a considerable time trying to track down any quotes by Quethuka kaManqondo without success. Other authors in mentioning him however refer to the James Stuart archives vol page 83 and quote Mtshapi ka Noradu Mazwane as the source.

Quethuka is generally refered to as headstrong, the only inference ive found to sustain that comment is that it was he who promoted one of the reasons behind the invasion. The harrasement of Smith and Deighton.
Quethaka is quoted twice by Mtshapi. The first time telling the story of how and why he was appointed as an iNduna of the Tulwana and the second time referring to the iSandlwana battle.

Quethuka's senior that day was the formidable Mnyamana a clear favourite of Cetswayo and a man hand picked to handle the troublesome Tulwana. With a commander that strong would his men defy him?
Mtshapi:
The izinduna (Mnyamana) held back the main section of the Tulwana. Quethuka refused to go to the circle ordered to form up by Mnyamana, and broke away to join up with Kandempemvu who, led by spies, were marching on to attack at iSandlwana.
Mtshapi doesn't mention Quethuka taking men with him or if he did how many. As far as Im aware the Kandempemvu were the chest in the attack. So if Quethuka joined them it would be far removed from the left horn.
That leaves Meholakazulu who has the Ngobamakosi, Nokenke and Nodwengu on the left horn, and he makes no mention of Quethuka.
All terribly confusing but my point is that I cant find any clear cut reference that puts Quethuka onto the left horn.

Cheers

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Apart from his death notice this is the only official document on Quethuka that I can locate.

Cheers

springbok
I too have chased up the Mtshapi reference and got no further. Was that what Morris used as his 'source', I wonder? It wouldn't surprise me. It's typical of the sort of vague mention he would pick up and expand upon.
Othe than that I too have drawn a blank with Qethuka.

Hi Julian
As I said Ive searched every where, that includes flying up to Natal and spending days trolling through archives and libraries. There just aren't to many references different from above. There are a couple relating to his father and the family but nothing that is significant in relation to his role in the Tulwana.
Morris 'filling the gaps' ? But the bloody annoying thing about it is that its been picked up by a number of other authors and quoted verbatim as fact.

Cheers

Too true!

Hi Springy / Julian
Found this reference re Quethuka from ' Discovering The Battlefields Of The Anglo Zulu War ' by Ken Gillings
'' On June 25th a force of about 1,000 warriors under Chiefs Quethuka kaMaqondo of the Magwaza , Mavumangwana kaNdlela Ntuli and Sigananda kaSokufa of the cube / Shezi crossed into Natal at Shu - Shu hot springs and Domba's Drift ( below Kranskop). They raided Natal Based imizi , killing several people as well as three members of the security establishment . Besides being a retaliatory raid this was possibly a strategic move to prove to the British that the Zulu's were still able to operate on a reasonably wide front ''.
Cheers 90th

Hi 90th
Yep theres a few references after the 22nd January but nothing apart from Mtshapi about the day of the battle and its that one sentence that Morris has hung onto and distorted

The izinduna (Mnyamana) held back the main section of the Tulwana. Quethuka refused to go to the circle ordered to form up by Mnyamana, and broke away to join up with Kandempemvu who, led by spies, were marching on to attack at iSandlwana.

Morris translates that as:
Quetuka, the second in command of the Undi Corps........ ( He was a junior in charge of a small regiment )
Quetuka now took matters into his own hands. Screaming commands, he aligned the umCijo with his detachment of the uThulwana and started them after the retreating horsemen.

He, Morris, is saying that he over ruled Mynyamana firstly, a really powerful leader of the uThulwana, and then usurped command of the whole corps from Nduvana? And then just to be a bugger launches a full on attack in defiance of Ntshingwayo? Stretches the imagination a tad that he was allowed to live to a ripe old age.   That is if it was true !

Whats that wonderful old English saying?

Bah Humbug !

Yeah that suits.   

Cheers