The Eshowe hustle: Resilience and a rich history are hallmarks of this historic northern KwaZulu-Natal town

First published in the Daily Maverick 168 weekly newspaper.

“Den of Thieves” or “The Abode of the Robbers” is what a Zulu prince – later to become King Cetshwayo kaMpande – named his royal homestead at Eziqwaqeni, which is today the bustling trading town of Eshowe in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

One wonders what it was that led to Cetshwayo’s insight and assessment back in 1860 forewarning visitors of the potential dodginess of this, the oldest European settlement in the region and a place where tumultuous historical currents coalesced.

The first settler was Norwegian missionary Ommund Oftebro, who established a station there in 1861. Later Eshowe was to become a key town in the Zulu Kingdom, forming a backdrop to the 1899-1902 Anglo-Boer War, which came to shape the trajectory of land ownership in South Africa.

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-11-28-welcome-to-the-hotel-zumafornia/

Even more significant was the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879, when the invading British marched on Ulundi and were surprised by the Zulu army at Nyezane just outside Eshowe.

Contemporary Eshowe is a rich and deep blend of this history. Some of the white English-speaking residents who live and trade in the town are able to trace their roots back 100 years. Most speak fluent Zulu and could think of nowhere finer to live in the world. A sprinkling of Afrikaans-speaking South Africans run successful businesses too.

A 2011 census pegged Eshowe’s population at around 15,000, with 80% black/African, 7% white and 5% Indian and coloured, according to government’s classification.

Property between R800,000 and R1-million is moving well, say estate agents, as government officials who work in surrounding areas venture to invest in a modest but solid home in the shadow of an indigenous forest.

Eshowe is also accessible from two main highways and there are good schools, a hospital, a nurses’ training college, book clubs, a historical society and an active tourism sector, as well as other recreational activities.

It falls under the uMlalazi Local Municipality, which is part of the King Cetshwayo District Municipality that also embraces 14 tribal authorities. Eshowe is sustained in part by the 33% agricultural activity in the area, 10% tourism and 5% services and trade.

It is known for its close location to the 250ha Dinza forest, which is alive with birdlife and crisscrossed by walking trails, including a 10m-high aerial boardwalk, which is a key tourist attraction. It is here you might spot the rare Delegorgue’s pigeon or the spotted thrush.

For all its shabby small-town, run-down facade, Eshowe hides many treasures, secrets, intrigues and stories of resilience.

There are as many renegades and rogues among its residents as there are straight-up, forward-thinking survivors in a tough economic climate.

From cultivating marijuana to conjuring up farming fertiliser, from growing indigenous trees to running a funeral parlour, the residents of Eshowe and surrounding areas know how to hustle and keep going.

They will brew their own flagship beer, Zulu Blonde – soon to be found in bars in France and the UK – they will have their music festivals, they will have their weekend downtime.

Possibilities for pilgrimage

For those throughout the world interested in Zulu history as well as that of the Anglo-Boer or Anglo-Zulu wars, Eshowe provides endless possibilities for pilgrimage.

Fort Nongqayi, established in 1883 as a barracks for a Zulu peacekeeping force, is home to various treasures, including the wheelchair King Cetshwayo used later in life and a sad-looking plaster British soldier in his hot, woolly, highly visible red jacket and white helmet.

King Cetshwayo’s legacy still looms large in Eshowe. His portrait graces the entrance to the George Hotel built on a site once occupied by the residency of British Residential Commissioner Sir Charles Saunders.

Cetshwayo’s place in history was secured after a civil war in 1856 when his Usuthu forces beat the Gqoza regiment of his brother and rival, Mbuyazi, at the Battle of Ndondakasuka. As his father’s life waned, Cetshwayo became not only heir to Mpande but also the Zulu Kingdom.

It was Cetshwayo who, leading Zulu warriors, defeated the British at the famous Battle of Isandlwana in 1879.

During the second British invasion Cetshwayo was defeated and exiled first to Cape Town and then London.

According to the municipality’s website the importance of the town of Eshowe to the region was evident in that “its contribution to gross geographic product, in terms of the Government Sector, which is mainly within Eshowe town, is 21%”.

The effect of Jacob Zuma on the region over several years is marked.

In 2014, when Daily Maverick first visited Eshowe, it bustled and burst as dignitaries, government officials and businessmen and businesswomen were drawn to this town only 52km from Zuma’s home, Nxamalala, at Nkandla. While Zuma’s shadow still looms large over Eshowe as one of the most controversial presidents prepares to meet his destiny in various court proceedings and commissions, Eshowe will no doubt remain standing and survive through it all. DM168

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