  Even before the town of Vryheid was created this rich
cattle area was very sought after. Already in 1838, the Boers during the great Trek,
fought the decisive battle of Blood River in this area. During the Anglo-Zulu war, the
major battles of Kambula and Hlobane happened here. Close by any hopes of resurrecting a
Napoleonic dynasty in France died on the 1st of June 1879, when the Prince Imperial was
killed by the Zulus. But Vryheid itself was created later. The Zulu King, Cetshwayo died
in Eshowe in February 1884 and his son, Dinizulu, could not succeed him because of the
constant infighting caused by the different Zulu chiefs. Then, Dinizulu called in the
Boers to his rescue. A group of 800 men responded to his call.
On the 22nd may 1884, at a place called Zalflaager, they proclaimed Dinizulu, King of the
Zulus. Obviously, they intended to get land in exchange of their services. Most of the
Zulu chiefs then submitted. But one, Zibebu, decided to carry on fighting. He was beaten
by Dinizulu and his new friends and on 16th August 1884, Dinizulu gave the Boers a huge
tract of land to establish a Republic. The town of Vryheid, Freedom in Afrikaans, was then
established on 23rd September 1884 and a President of the Republic, Lucas Johannes Meyer,
was elected.
The building of a Raadsaal began in November 1884, a residence which hosts now the Vryheid
Museum was built by Lucas Meyer and a goal with four cells for miscreants was built in
1887. Finally, the New Republic was incorporated into Transvaal on 20th July 1888. A
beautiful church was opened to the worshippers on 12th October 1894. During the Anglo-Boer
War, the Vryheid Commando fought at the battle of Talana, took part in the siege of
Ladysmith and captured the British guns at Colenso. If a small skirmish occurred at
Scheepersnek on 20th may 1900, it is a full scale battle which took place on the 11th and
12th December 1900 when the Boers decided to recapture Vryheid. They were unsuccessful.
Action was also seen at Bloedrivierpoort where the British were forced to surrender. At
the end the Anglo-Boer war, on 6th may 1902, Zulus attacked a Boer camp on the slopes of
Holkrans Mountain, killing 56 burgers.
After the Anglo Boer War, in 1903 the town was incorporated into the colony of Natal. The
Carnegie Library was opened in 1909 with money donated by the American Carnegie
Foundation. It is the Information bureau. The year 1910 saw the Natal Colony join the
Union of South Africa and in 1912 the town was granted municipal status. It gradually grew
and coal became commercially viable from 1908 onwards, with the construction of a rail
link to the coalfields and two big mines, Coronation and Hlobane, provided thousands of
jobs. The Inkamana Abbey was built in 1952 and is one of the best schools in South Africa.
The Grootgewacht, Bloemveld, and Klipfontein dams are excellent swimming and fishing
spots. Vryheid has also a beautiful Nature Reserve and the Klipfontein Bird Sanctuary
hosts 190 species of birds. |
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