1775
Apprenticeship laws are promulgated at the Cape.
1800
A massive drought begins in Southern Africa resulting in the Mahlatule famine. This resulted in conflict over cattle, grain and water between various indigenous tribes resulting in war and eventually contributing to the Mfecane
1812
Apprenticeship laws are promulgated at the Cape.
1817
The Mfecane roughly starts at this time.
1818
Dingiswayo of the Mthethwa leads all his forces against Zwide of the Ndwandwe and is seized in an ambush and put to death, which results in the scattering of his people.
1818
Zwide of the Ndwandwe becomes aware of Shaka Zulu’s strategy of pulling together the scattered Mthethwa tribe and resolves to subdue Shaka. He is defeated by the Zulu’s superior strategy and discipline.
1821
As he had done with Zwide of the Ndwandwe Mzilikazi of the Ndebele revolt against Shaka and flee to the Transvaal Highveld with his following.
1822
Around this time Mzilikazi and his Ndebele forces conquer the Pedi kingdom.
1923
June: The Fokeng led by Sebetwane, the Hlokoane and the Phuting converge on the Tlhaping settlement of Dithakong.
1923
Mzilikazi and the Ndebele leave the Pedi Kingdom and move in a southwesterly direction and settle near the Vaal River.
1824
English traders land at Port Natal, which later becomes Durban, and Shaka Zulu not only trades with them, but also makes use of their services on military expeditions.
1825
A Portuguese delegation visits Shaka Zulu’s court to discuss his interest in the ivory trade.
1825
Mzilikazi and the Ndebele attack and defeat the Ngwaketse and their ruler Makaba.
1826
The Ndwandwe, under Zwide’s successor Sikhunyani, again challenge Shaka’s Zulu forces and are completely defeated.
1827
Mzilikazi of the Ndebebele decides, around this time, to leave his Vaal River settlement and move to an area between the Apies and Elands Rivers
1828
Shaka Zulu’s mother dies.
1828
The Ngwane move out of the Highveld and into Thembu territory as a result of an attack from Dingane and the Zulu, which had been asked for by Moshoeshoe, where they are broken up by colonial forces.
1828
The Kora, under leadership of Jan Bloem, in cohesion with Moletsane’s Taung attack the Ndebele camp while most of Mzilikazi’s forces are campaigning against the Ngwaketse.
1829
In revenge for an attack by the Kora, under leadership of Jan Bloem, in cohesion with Moletsane’s Taung in 1828, Mzilikazi sends a force that defeats the Taung decisively.
1830-1831
Mzilikazi’s Ndebele forces in central Transvaal continue raiding the Tswana and he eventually attack Moshoshoe’s stronghold at Thaba Bosiu, but are unsuccessful.
1831
A force of around 300 mounted Kora and Griqua and several Tswana plan to completely conquer the Ndebele and achieved relative success as they capture large herds of cattle. They are surprised by Ndebele forces who not only take back their cattle, but also kill a large number of their force.
1832
August: Mzilikazi of the Ndebele is attacked by the Zulu under Dingane. Both sides suffer heavy losses.
1834
A reconnaissance mission by Voortrekkers reports that the areas in Natal south of the Tukela and in the central Highveld on both sides of the Vaal River are fertile and virtually uninhabited as a result of the Mfecane.
1834
The Wesleyan mission at Maquassie is threatened by an attack from the Ndebele and the missionaries lead a mixed group of Rolong, a number of Griqua and a Kora community to settle at Thaba Nchu on the border of Moshoeshoe’s kingdom of Lesotho.
1834
Mzilikazi and the Ndebele are once again under attack from his Kora-Griqua antagonists supported by the Hurutshe.
1835
A reconnaissance mission by Voortrekkers reports that the areas in Natal south of the Tukela and in the central Highveld on both sides of the Vaal River are fertile and virtually uninhabited as a result of the Mfecane.
1836
The Cape of Good Hope Punishment Act is passed and states that after crossing the Orange River the Voortrekkers are not totally out of reach of the Cape judiciary. They are liable for all crimes committed south of 25 degree latitude, which falls just below the present-day Warmbaths in northern Transvaal.
1836
A Boer commando led by Andries Hendrik Potgieter attacks Mzilikazi and his Ndebele on their path northwards, but Mzilikazi retaliates and the Boers retreat to their main laager at Vegkop.
1837
January: The Boers attack Mzilikazi’s stronghold at Mosega with the help of a small force of Griqua, Kora, Rolong and Tlokwa and successfully drive the Ndebele further north.
November: Mzilikazi flees north and the Voortrekkers occupy all the land between the Vet and Limpopo Rivers.
1838
The estimated African population in Natal is 11 000.
1838
The Voortrekkers declare the Republic of Natalia.
1838
Mzilikazi’s Ndebele tribe had split into two after repeated assaults by a Boer commando and the Rolong, the Zulu forces under Dingane and Kora-Griqua forces. The group under Gundwane Ndiweni that contained many of Mzilikazi’s wives and his heir, Nkulumane, settles near the Malungwane hills east of the Matopo Mountains in Zimbabwe.
1838
May-June: Some Boers remained in the area above the junction of the Caledon and Orange Rivers instead of moving north into Natal. These Voortrekkers start moving north-east. A pioneer among them, Jan de Winnaar, settles in the Matlakeng area at this time.
1838
December: Governer Sir George Napier sends his military secretary, Major Samuel Charters, to occupy Port Natal.
1839
Mzilikazi’s Ndebele tribe had split into two after repeated assaults by a Boer commando and the Rolong, the Zulu forces under Dingane and Kora-Griqua forces. The group under Gundwane Ndiweni that contained many of Mzilikazi’s wives and his heir, Nkulumane, settles near the Malungwane hills east of the Matopo Mountains in Zimbabwe.
1839
The other group is led by Mzilikazi himself and in mid-1839 he learns the position of the other Ndebele group and joins them.
1840
The Ndebele move to south-west Zimbabwe as a result of Zulu expansion.
1841
In the Republic of Natalia a simple system of governance was established with Andries Pretorius as President. He was assisted by a people’s assembly or volksraad of 24 members and local governement. In this year an adjunct council was established at Potchefstroom with Potgieter as Chief-Commandant.
1842
23 May: Captain Thomas Charlton Smith attacks the Boer camp at Congella. The Voortrekkers fight back and besiege the British camp.
1842
June: A British relief force under the leadership of Lieutenant-Colonel Abraham Cloete arrives at the Congella siege and crushes the Boer resistance.
1842
15 July: The Boer Volksraad at Pietermaritzburg signs the conditions of submission to the British forces after being subdued at Congella in June of the same year.
October: Jan Mocke and his Boer followers erect a beacon at Allerman’s Drift on the banks of the Orange River and proclaim a republic.
1843
The Republic of Natalia is annexed by the British and the official African population of the area is estimated to be between 80 000 and 100 000.
1845
Hendrik Potgieter founds the town of Andries-Orichstad in the eastern Transvaal.
Hendrik Potgieter concludes a peace treaty with Sekwati, the chief of the Pedi. The precise terms of the treaty are unknown.
1846
July: Seeking support against the Zulu Mswati, chief of the Swazi, grants all land bounded by the Oliphants, Crocodile and Elands Rivers to the Boers.
1847
Mzilikazi of the Ndebele’s stronghold in Zimbabwe is attacked by a Boer force, but as all the captured cattle were returned by an Ndebele pursuit party.
1848
Hendrik Potgieter founds the town of Soutpansberg, which later became Schoemansdal, in the eastern Transvaal.
1852
17 January: The Sand River Convention takes place between the British and the Boers, which results in the recognition of Boer settlements north of the Vaal River or the Transvaal.
1854
February: The Bloemfontein Convention takes place and results in the British-Boer agreement of independence for the Orange Free State. The British renounce all sovereignty of the area.
1868
Mzilikazi of the Ndebele passes away.
1890’s 
The British South African Company defeats Mzilikazi’s Ndebele.

Collections in the Archives

Transformation in Southern Africa Timeline 1700-1800
Grade 10 - Topic 4: Transformations in southern Africa after 1750