1838 in South Africa
Encyclopedia
February
- 4 February - The Zulu King, Dingaan signs a deed of cession to cede land to the voortrekkers led by Piet Retief
April
- April - Battle of ItaleniBattle of ItaleniThe Battle of Italeni was a battle that took place at in what is now KwaZulu Natal province, South Africa, between the Voortrekkers and the Zulus during the period of the Great Trek.-Background:...
where Zulus repulsed the VoortrekkersVoortrekkersThe Voortrekkers were emigrants during the 1830s and 1840s who left the Cape Colony moving into the interior of what is now South Africa...
. - April - Voortrekker leaders Piet UysPiet UysPetrus Lafras Uys was a Voortrekker leader during the Great Trek.He was born in Swellendam, the third son of Jacobus Johannes Uys...
and his son Dirkie UysDirkie UysDirkie Uys was a Voortrekker hero during the Great Trek.After the massacare of Piet Retief and his men by Dingaan on 6 February 1838, a number of Voortrekker camps were also attacked by the Zulu impis. These Voortrekkers appealed to other treks, particularly those of Piet Uys and Hendrik Potgieter...
die in battle at the hands of the Zulus.
December
- 4 December - British forces occupy DurbanDurbanDurban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
. - 16 December - The Battle of Blood RiverBattle of Blood RiverThe Battle of Blood River, so called due to the colour of water in the Ncome River turning red with blood, was fought between 470 Voortrekkers led by Andries Pretorius, and an estimated 10,000–15,000 Zulu attackers on the bank of the Ncome River on 16 December 1838, in what is today KwaZulu-Natal,...
, Voortrekkers under Andries PretoriusAndries PretoriusAndries Wilhelmus Jacobus Pretorius was a leader of the Boers who was instrumental in the creation of the Transvaal Republic, as well as the earlier but short-lived Natalia Republic, in present-day South Africa....
defeat the Zulus. - 22 December - Potchefstroom is established
Unknown
- A municipality is formed covering the Green Point-Sea Point areas in Cape TownCape TownCape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
- The Voortrekkers establish Republiek of Natalia with PietermaritzburgPietermaritzburgPietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
as capital
Deaths
- 6 February - Voortrekker leader Piet RetiefPiet RetiefPieter Mauritz Retief was a South African Boer leader. Settling in 1814 in the frontier region of the Cape Colony, he assumed command of punitive expeditions in response to raiding parties from the adjacent Xhosa territory...
and his men are murdered by the Zulus under the command of DingaanDinganeDingane kaSenzangakhona Zulu —commonly referred to as Dingane or Dingaan—was a Zulu chief who became king of the Zulu Kingdom in 1828...
.