Alfred Nzo Dsitrict History

The history of the district of Alfred is best appreciated when seen against the background of the first quarter of the Nineteenth Century.One should visualize that area between the Umzimkulu (Great Home of all Rivers) and the Umtamvuria (The One that cannot be Reaped) rivers stretching up from the Indian Ocean Seaboard to the Cape border running across the back of the Ingeli mountain (7442 feet) (meaning the Broken Precipice) disecting the Umtamvuna river in its upper reaches, and meandering in an irregular line to the confluence of the Ibisi (Large herd) and Umzimkulu rivers. This is an area approximately 30 miles broad at the eastern and western ends and about 60 miles from the sea inland. A rugged countryside flowing down from -a lower escarpment of the Drakensburg range to the sea, embracing a central plateau falling away to the North and the South to the deep valley-chasms of the two rivers mentioned. The coastal belt was typical; as it is today of a sub-tropical climate with its lush growth rising rather rapidly over rolling hills intersecting the central plateau. Here a moderate climate existed, and the well-grassed and wooded terrain stretched back to the Ingeli mountain, the approaches to which were particularly well wooded with valuable indigenous trees in the Impetyeni and Zuurberg forests, such as stinkwood and yellow-wood, The area was well watered with streams, rivulets and larger rivers, either as tributaries to the two great rivers forming the boundary, or flowing independently into the ocean. Sixteen rivers flow down to the sea in this distance of 30 miles – the Umbango . (the Disputed One), the Iboyiboyi (a species of river grass), the Izotsha (the Home of the Izotsha clan) the Umhlangi (the River of Reeds) the Ivungu (an onomatopoeic sound made by the wind), the Inkhongwenl (the Place of Enchantment), the Ibilanhlola (the Marvellous Boiler) the-Umbizana (the Place of Little Pots), the Umkhobi (the Place of the Wild Vines), the Umhlangankhulu (the Place of the Big Reeds), the Impenjati (a type of reed); the Inkhandanhlovu (the Place’of the Elephantfs Head) the Inthoqgosi (named after the headman Thongosi of earlier tribal days), the Irtsandlundu (Like Unto a Home) and a few others.