In 1881, the son of Langalibalele’s enemy, Mpande, was imprisoned on the farm Oude Molen, which adjoins Uitvlugt. It is well documented that Cetshwayo visited Langalibalele who was not permitted to leave the farm and they spent many hours taking long walks and hunting jackals, rabbit and birds together on the land that we now know as Pinelands.
Cetshwayo, born in 1826, was grandson of Shaka who was assassinated two years later by his half-brother and successor Dingane. After Dingane himself was assassinated, Cetshwayo’s father, Mpande, became King. In 1872 Mpande died and was succeeded by his son Cetshwayo as the Zulu King.
By 1878 Cetshwayo and the British forces were at war. After many well-known battles he was defeated at the battle of Ulundi. He was brought to Cape Town by sea in 1879 and was first kept at the Castle with five attendants, four women from the Royal Household and an Induna. When Bishop Colenso visited him in 1880, Cetshwayo was unaware that a few months after he was arrested his eight child was born.
On January 15, 1881, he was transferred to the farm known as Oude Molen. Unlike Langalibalele, Cetshwayo was not permitted to have family, nor was he given any information about them. While Langalibalele was strictly kept on the Uitvlugt farm, Cetshwayo was taken in a carriage around the Peninsula and was permitted to use the trains.
Among the other visitors he first received were Prince Albert, Prince George (later King George V) and Selous (the great scout and hunter).
On July 12, 1882, Cetshwayo set sail for England to meet with Queen Victoria. He returned briefly to Oude Molen before being sent back to Natal where he was restored to his throne in 1883. However, this led to a war with his rival Zibhebhu. He was forced to flee to the British Resident Commissioner in Eshowe where he died in 1884.
In 2016 statues of Langalibalele and Cetshwayo were unveiled at the Castle along with Sekhukhue and Doman all of whom were kept as prisoners at the Castle. Even this event was controversial as the Minister of Defence referred to King Langalibalele the second as Chief, causing the King to leave the ceremony.
