Nontsikelelo KaDabulamanzi

A Zulu warrior queen who led armed resistance against British colonial forces in 19th century South Africa

Nontsikelelo KaDabulamanzi (1844-1898) was a Zulu military leader whose strategic brilliance and leadership made her a key figure in the Anglo-Zulu Wars. As wife of King Cetshwayo, she commanded 20,000 warriors in the 1879 defense of Ulundi against British forces. Her innovative use of terrain and guerrilla tactics delayed British advances during the Anglo-Zulu War. After Zululand's partition, she organized the Umkhonta weSizwe (Spear of the Nation) movement to resist colonial land seizures. Though often overshadowed by male leaders like Shaka and Cetshwayo, her 1888 victory at the Battle of Ndondakusuka remains legendary. Nontsikelelo's writings, preserved in the University of Witwatersrand archives, reveal her deep understanding of military strategy and Zulu sovereignty principles. Modern South African historians recognize her as the first female military commander to employ combined arms tactics in African colonial conflicts. Her legacy is commemorated in the annual Indlamu festival celebrating Zulu resistance leaders.