Despite being a small country, Zimbabwe has produced an incredible number of some of the finest athletes and sports stars in the world. But because they come from Zimbabwe, many of them have not received as much recognition as they should. So here is my list some of the best sports personalities that Zimbabwe and Rhodesia has produced over the years:

Cricket

• Andrew Flower - Current England National Coach,He played 63 Test matches for Zimbabwe, scoring 4,794 runs at an average of 51.54 and taking 151 catches and 9 stumpings, and 213 one-day internationals, scoring 6,786 runs at an average of 35.34 and taking 141 catches and 32 stumpings. He holds the Zimbabwean records for the most Test career runs, the highest Test batting average, and most ODI career runs. He is the only Zimbabwean in the ICC’s Top 100 All-time Test Batting rankings at Number 24, putting him in the company of Brian Lara (ranked 19), Sachin Tendulkar (20), Steve Waugh (23) and Rahul Dravid (25 in September 2006).
• Duncan Andrew Gwynne Fletcher OBE – former captain of the Zimbabwean cricket team and former coach of the English cricket team and is largely credited with rejuvenating the fortunes of the then flagging English team, with the team rising from bottom of the Test rankings to second under his tenure as coach.
• Graeme Ashley Hick MBE – Born in Salisbury, Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe), he played 65 Test matches and 120 One Day Internationals for England. He scored more than 40,000 first-class runs and he is one of only three players to have passed 20,000 runs in List A cricket (Graham Gooch and Sachin Tendulkar are the others).
• Heath Hilton Streak – Born in Bulawayo, is the only Zimbabwean bowler to have taken over 100 Test wickets and one of only 2 Zimbabwean bowlers to have taken over 100 ODI wickets (the other being Grant Flower). There is little doubt that he is the best bowler to have played for Zimbabwe
• Henry Khaaba Olonga – holds the record for the best bowling in a one-day international by a Zimbabwean, with figures of 6/19 against England at Cape Town in 2000.
• Murray William Goodwin - Born in Salisbury (Harare), played 19 Tests and 71 One Day Internationals for Zimbabwe. He holds the Sussex record for the highest individual innings with 344* against Somerset in 2009, beating his own record of 335* set in 2003

Diving

• Evan Stewart – two medals at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada, Gold Medal in the 1m Springboard at the 1994 World Championships in Rome.  He is also the son of former field hockey player Anthea Stewart, who won the gold medal in the women’s competition at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Soviet Union.

Football / Soccer

• Benjani Mwaruwari -  Zimbabwean footballer who used to play for Portsmouth and who currently plays for Manchester City as a striker. He was born on the 13 August 1978 in Zimbabwe and is the current Zimbabwe national team captain.
• Bruce Grobbelaar – Was actually born in Durban, South Africa but played as goalkeeper for Zimbabwe and also most notably Liverpool F.C. during their dominant period in the 1980s.
• Peter Ndlovu – born on February 25, 1973 in Bulawayo played for Coventry City, Birmingham City, Sheffield United as well as for Zimbabwe.

Golf

• Anthony Alastair Johnstone – Born in Bulawayo, he won six times on the European Tour and finished a career best seventh on the European Tour Order of Merit in 1992. His most prestigious win came at the 1992 British PGA Championship.
• Denis Leslie Watson – Born in Salisbury (Harare) in 1955, finished second in the 1985 U.S. Open, missing out on forcing a playoff by one shot, having incurred a two-stroke penalty earlier in the tournament.
• Mark William McNulty - Born in Bindura and was one of the leading players on the European Tour from the mid 1980s to the mid 1990s, and cracked the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 83 weeks from 1987 to 1992, finished 2nd in the 1990 Open Championship.
• Nicholas Raymond Leige Price -  Professional golfer from Zimbabwe, 3 times a Major winner and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, Price reached number one in the Official World Golf Rankings. Born 28 January 1957 in South Africa, but emigrated to Zimbabwe

Hockey

• Zimbabwean Womens Hockey team – Gold Medal at the Moscow Olympics. Liz Chase provided the pass and Pat McKillop scored the goal to seal a 4-1 victory over Austria as Zimbabwe wrote themselves into the record books as the first winners of the women’s Olympic hockey gold medal.  Team members: Audrey Palmer, Linda Watson, Sue Hugget, Gill Cowley, Sonia Robertson, Sandy Chick, Pat McKillop, Brenda Phillips, Maureen George, Sarah English, Arlene Boxhall, Trish Davies, Chris Prinsloo, Helen Volk, Anthea Stewart, Ann Gran, Liz Chase.

Karate

• Samson Muripo – 2009 world Karate Champion

Motorsport

• James Albert Redman MBE – Six-time World Champion motorcycle road racer and six time Isle of Man TT winner. Awarded the MBE for his achievements, born August 11, 1931 in London, England – Emigrated to Zimbabwe (Rhodesia)
• John Maxwell Lineham Love – He participated in 10 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on December 29, 1962. He achieved 1 podium, and scored a total of 6 championship points. Born in Bulawayo, December 7, 1924 – died April 25, 2005
• Sam Tingle – Racing driver who participated in 5 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, his fist on December 28, 1963. Born in Manchester on August 24, 1921, Emigrated to Zimbabwe (Rhodesia), died December 19, 2008

Rugby

• Adrian Garvey “Turbo Prop” – Played 28 tests for the Springboks during the 1990’s all at Tight-head Prop, scoring 4 tries. He also played for Zimbabwe and won his first cap in the 1991 World Cup. Born 25 June 1968 in Bulawayo, he went to Plumtree School. First Test: 9 Nov 1996 against Argentina at Ferrocarril-Oeste Stadium, Buenos Aires, last Test: 10 Oct 1999 against Spain at Murrayfield, Edinburgh.
• Andy MacDonald (Andrew WilliamMacDonald) – Played 5 Tests for the Springboks during the 1960’s as a Tight-head Prop and played for Rhodesia. Went to Milton High School in Bulawayo. First Springbok Test: 19 Jun 1965 against Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney. Last Test: 18 Sep 1965 against New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland
• Ben-Piet van Zyl – Born in Gweru (Gwelo) on 1st Aug 1935, died 10 Mar 1973 (Age 37), played 1 Test for the Springboks as a right winger scoring 2 tries in the 24-8 win over Ireland on the 13 May 1961 in Newlands, Cape Town
• Bobby Skinstad (Robert Brian  Skinstad) -  Born in Bulawayo, played for the Springboks, 42 times, scoring 55 points (11 tries). He also captained the Springboks and played as a flanker and Number eight. Born 3 July 1976 in Bulawayo, Rhodesia
• Brian Mujati -  South African rugby union player who is still playing and now has over 12 Springbok caps. Born in Bulawayo, went to Peterhouse school in Marondera. His first test was on the  7th  Jun 2008 against Wales at Free State Stadium,in Bloemfontein he plays as a prop.
• Chris Rogers – Played 4 tests as a hooker for the Springboks in the 1980’s. Born in Masvingo (Fort Victoria) on 10 Oct 1956, went to Milton High School, Bulawayo. First Test: 2 Jun 1984 against England at EPRFU Stadium (Boet Erasmus), Port Elizabeth. Last Test: 27 Oct 1984  against South America at Newlands, Cape Town
• David Pocock – Currently plays flank for the Australian Wallabies and currently has 6 test caps at the time of writing. Born on the 23rd April 1988 in Messina, South Africa, he emigrated to Zimbabwe. He made his Australian Debut as a substitute against the Barbarians on the 3rd December 2008.
• David Smith – Played 4 tests for the Springboks as a center all against the British Lions in 1980. Born on the 9th Nov 1957 in Bulawayo, he went to Hamilton High School in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia)
• Des van Jaarsveldt – He only played 1 test for the Springboks as a flanker, but was captain and he scored 1 try on the 30th Apr 1960  against Scotland at EPRFU Stadium (Boet Erasmus), Port Elizabeth. When he was made captain, the ‘Transvaler’, a newspaper, announced: “It is an evil day for South African rugby when the country has to seek its rugby captain from beyond its borders in a strange land and may be the reason why he never played again. “He also played for Zimbabwe (Rhodesia). Born on the 31st March 1929, he went to Plumtree School, just outside Bulawayo.
• Gary Teichmann -  Zimbabwean born South African rugby union player and was the captain of the South African national team, the Springboks, between 1995 and 1999. He played 42 Tests, scoring  6 tries at number eight (eighthman) . Born 9 January 1967 in Gwelo, Rhodesia/ Zimbabwe. First Test: 2 Sep 1995 against Wales at Ellispark, Johannesburg. Last Test: 10 Jul 1999 against New Zealand at Carisbrook, Dunedin
• Ian Robertson – Played 5 Tests for the Springboks as centre or fullback in the 1970’s. Date of birth: 28 Apr 1950 in Harare (Salisbury), Zimbabwe, he went to Prince Edward School. First Test: 23 Nov 1974  against France at Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse. Last Test: 18 Sep 1976, played Full Back against New Zealand at Ellispark, Johannesburg
• Kennedy Tsimba – First capped for Zimbabwe against Ivory Coast in 1998, has played provincial and Currie Cup rugby in South Africa for the Vodacom Blue Bulls and the Free State where he broke the record for the most points scored in a season (228), a feat which earned him the Currie Cup Player of the Year award in 2002
• Leon Greeff – Born March 9, 1975, in Kadoma  – Has played 6 tests for Zimbabwe as a lock/loose forward has made a name for himself playing in the Premiership side, Worcester Warriors, and can also add value to the team.
• Ray Mordt – Born on the 15 Feb 1957  in South Africa, but emigrated to Zimbabwe and played for Rhodesia as well as 18 tests on the wing for the Springboks, scoring 12 tries. First Test: 26 Apr 1980 against South America at Wanderers, Johannesburg. Last Test: 27 Oct 1984 against South America at Newlands, Cape Town He went to Churchill High School in Harare.
• Ronnie Hill – Born on 20 Dec 1934in South Africa, but emigrated to Zimbabwe and went to Bulawayo Technical High School. Played for Rhodesia and Played 7 tests as a hooker for the Springboks in the 1960’s. First Test: 3 Dec 1960 against Wales at Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), Cardiff. Last Test: 24 Aug 1963 against Australia at Ellispark, Johannesburg
• Ryk van Schoor – Born in South Africa, but emigrated to Zimbabwe (the Rhodesia) and played for Rhodesian and 12 tests for South Africa as a centre scoring 2 tries. First Test 13 Aug 1949 against New Zealand at Ellispark, Johannesburg. Last Test: 26 Sep 1953 against Australia at Crusaders (St George’s Park), Port Elizabeth
• Takudzwa Ngwenya – Plays for the USA (Eagles). He caused a sensation with the ‘Try of the Tournament’ with his run against South Africa’s Brian Habana in the 2007 Rugby World Cup.  He can run the 100m dash in 10.5, meaning that he is only slightly slower than Tonderai Chavhanga who played for the Springboks. Born July 22, 1985 and went to Vainona High School in Harare and now plays his club rugby for Biarritz in France.
• Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira – Zimbabwean-born South African rugby union player with over 16 Springbok caps (still playing) and who also plays for the Sharks in the Super 14 competition. Tendai Mtawarira plays as a prop and is fondly known by friends and fans as “The Beast”. Born 1 August 1985 in Harare, Zimbabwe, went to Peterhouse School in Marondera. First Test: 14 Jun 2008 against Wales at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria.
• Tonderai Chavhanga – Played 4 Tests for the Springboks on the right wing, scoring 6 tries. Born 24 December 1983 in Masvingo, Zimbabwe he went to Prince Edward School in Harare and can run the 100m in 10.27 seconds, a time he achieved when he was just 16. He is possibly is possibly the fastest rugby player in South African rugby history, according to Jake White, the former springbok coach. First Test: 11 Jun 2005 against Uruguay at Basil Kenyon Stadium, East London. Last Test: 14 Jun 2008 against Wales at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria.
• Tonderai Chiutare – (zim 21 2002, Allenton Rugby Club (New Zealand), mid-canterbury province 2003- current (New Zealand)
• Victor Olonga – former Zimbabwe rugby captain played professional rugby in England for Penzance & Newlyn

Swimming

• Kirsty Leigh Coventry – Zimbabwean swimmer with 2 Olympic gold medals, 4 Silvers and a Bronze from the Athens and Beijing Olympics, 7 World Championship gold medals, 5 silvers and a bronze, 1 Commonwealth games gold medal,  7 All Africa games gold medals and 3 silvers and is also a multi world record holder. Born September 16, 1983 in Harare, Zimbabwe

Tennis

• Cara Black – Professional Tennis player ranked world number 1 in doubles, born in Salisbury (Harare) Zimbabwe in 1979. Winner of five Grand Slam women’s doubles titles in her career: Wimbledon 2004, 2005, and 2007, Australian Open 2007 and US Open 2008. She has won 3 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles in her career, 2 of them partnering with her brother Wayne: the 2002 French Open & the 2004 Wimbledon Championships (they reached the final at the 2004 French Open and they reached the semifinals at the 2003 French Open & 2003 U.S. Open),and the most recent one with Leander Paes of India : 2008 U.S. Open. She also reached the 2000 U.S. Open doubles final with Elena Likhovtseva.
• Byron Black -  Became world no. 1 in doubles in February 1994 and also won the 1994 French Open partnering Jonathan Stark. Black was a doubles finalist in three other majors, the 1994 and 2001 Australian Opens and 1996 Wimbledon.
• Kevin Ullyett – Born in Salisbury (Harare) in 1972,  he has won 24 doubles titles, including the 2001 US Open and the 2005 Australian Open, both with Wayne Black.
• Wayne Black – Won two men’s doubles Grand Slam titles (2001 U.S. Open and 2005 Australian Open) with Kevin Ullyett and two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles (2002 French Open and 2004 Wimbledon) with sister Cara. As a junior Wayne played league tennis for Highlands Sports Club in Harare.

Help me add to this list

I am sure I have missed out a whole bunch of people that should be on this page, please comment below on anyone that you can think of and I will add them.

The Zimbabwe U19 Rugby team recently beat defending champions Namibia 39-7 in the final played at the Rugby Football Union of East Africa yesterday, to become the new Africa Rugby Confederation Under-19 champions.

The Zimbabwean coach Byron Chivandire said, “They are a very good team (Namibia). We were under no illusion about what they were capable of doing had they got the rhythm. Our plan was to shut them down and leave them with no option to run the ball, run in phases and eventually spread the ball wide.”

Zimbabwen full-back Danny Robertson was also named as the most valuable player of the one-week tournament.

Chivandire urged the organisers to consider revising the format. “Teams need more time to play each other especially at this age. We played only three games and would have loved to play against the other teams for exposure,” he said.

Zimbabwean player, Brendan Chapman said “This was a sweet revenge, for Last years lost to Namibai. We expected it to be a close game and had planned to defend in every department, lock up their forwards and play in the space. Namibia did not give up but exerted pressure upto the last minute. I think they were shocked after we led 17-0. It was also unlucky that their kicker Johan Deysel who had been very accurate in the past matches was not on form today.”

The match was played at a high pace and Zimbabwe barely gave Namibia a chance to settle. Chapman opened the scores in the eighth minute and Farai Mupasiri converted. Zimbabwean lock Schalk Ferreira was yellow-carded by Tunisian referee Bahroun Heykel in the 10th minute but Namibia could not make the numerical advantage count.

Mupasiri who was in a fine kicking form drilled over a drop goal in the 22nd minute to stretch the lead 10-0. Tafadzwa Chitokwindo then scored Zimbabwe’s second try in the 32nd minute and Mupasiri converted for the half time score of 17-0.

In the second half, Namibia were quick off the starting blocks and took only three minutes to make their presence felt when substitute winger Chase Dirgaard broke through to score. A change of kickers saw fly-half Zirk Coetzee slot the conversion from a difficult angle.

It was another seven minutes before Zimbabwe exploded into action and Terrence Kuvarega went over from a good run by the backs. Mupasiri who was in a fine kicking form slotted the conversion.

Schalk Ferreira who had been yellow-carded in the first half then showed surprising speed sprinting past the Namibian backs to score near the post. When Namibian eighth-man Royal Otto was sin binned in the 14th minute of the second half, Mupasiri was on the spot kicking over another penalty to stretch the lead 32-7. Chitokwindo then completed his brace in the 70th minute and Mupasiri converted.

Final score

Namibia 7 Zimbabwe 39 (Half-time: 0-17)

Scorers

Namibia: Tries: Chase Diergaard; Conversion: Zirk Coetzee.
Zimbabwe: Tries: Brendan Chapman, Tafadzwa Chitokwindo (2), Terrence Kuvarega, Schalk Ferreira; Penalties: Farai Mupasiri; Drop goal: Farai Mupasiri; Conversions: Farai Mupasiri (4).

Line ups

Namibia: 15 Johannes Tromp, 14 Richard Ockhuizen, 13 Ashwin Walters (22), 12 Johan Deysel, 11 Russel Van Wyk (21), 10 Zirk Coetzee, 9 Pieter Jansen (20), 8 Royal Otto, 7 Waldo Schaefer (captain), 6 Jaco Wiese, 5 Arne De Klerk, 4 Munee Tjiueza (19), 3 Henk Roets (17), 2 Daniel Van Vuuren (16), 1 Grant Kurz (18); Replacements: 16 Karel Van Heerden, 16 Franklin Bertolini, 18 Gert Henning, 19 Jacob Mare, 20 Pandeni Ueitele, 21 Chase Diergaard, 22 Gift Kamundu.

Zimbabwe: 15 Danny Roberts, 14 Tafadzwa Chitokwindo, 13 Mathew Swales, 12 Johnathan McWade (22), 11 Terrence Kuvarega, 10 Farai Mupasiri, 9 Graham Kaulback (20), 8 Biselele Tshamala, 6 Brendan Chapman (captain), 5 Sasha Halloway, 4 Schalk Ferreira, 3 Richard Sainsbury (18), 2 Tatenda Karuru, 1 Simba Msarurwa (16); Replacements: 16 Tapiwa Rabwi, 17 Brian Makamure, 18 Dimitri Zaverdinos, 19 David Watson, 20 Charles Jiji, 21 Lungile Tshuma, 22 Daniel Turner.

Yellow Cards
Schalk Ferreira (Zimbabwe)
Royal Otto (Namibia)

The Rhinoceros is one of my favourite animals and I have had some truly excellent experiences with them. As a guide working on a reserve in South Africa that had a large population of White Rhinos, they always provided me with excellent sightings for both me and my guests. However mostly because of poaching they, especially the Black Rhino are highly endangered.

Save the Rhino Campaign

Bud Cockcroft’s “Run Rhino Run” was the theme tune for the very successful “Save the Rhino” Campaign  in Zimbabwe in the 1980’s that brought the black rhino back from near extinction. The song brings back loads of memories for me, as it was often played on  ZTV’s “Sounds on Saturday”. This video below was filmed back in 1998 at “The Inn Place” at the Holiday Inn, in Harare Zimbabwe, in 1988:

Go to www.budcockcroft.com for more information and to buy Bud Cockcroft’s music including Sunrise in Zimbabwe (the old Air Zim ad), Run Rhino Run music video, and the Dreaming about Zimbabwe.

Len Strydom
The lead guitarist, who you catch a glimpse of playing the awesome guitar solo about halfway through the song was called Len Strydom. On a personal note: I used to have guitar lessons with him in his flat in Harare in the early 90’s, If he ever reads this, I would just like to thank him for all his patience and for creating calluses on my fingers that are still with me today! I’d love to hear how he is doing, if anyone knows.

Zimbabwe Black Rhino Conservation

Zimbabwe is home to the fourth largest population of the  black rhinos in the world.
Unfortunately with the collapse of the economy and just about everything else, there has also been a massive increase in poaching. Poaching of black and white rhinos in Zimbabwe has more than doubled in the past year and organized poaching gangs may have literally been getting away with murder.  Not only do the poachers slaughter rhinos, but they have also been firing on the people who try to protect them. According to Save the Rhino, the London-based organization which supports on-going rhino conservation through financial and in-kind support, the combined population of black and white rhinos was about 830 at the end of 2007, but by December 2008, the numbers had fallen to about 740, despite good birth rates. Already in 2009, 18 rhinos have been slaughtered by poachers who kill the one- ton animals for their horn.  Because of collapsing law-enforcement efforts, not a single Zimbabwean rhino poacher has been sentenced in a court during the past three years.

By the end of 2008, eighty percent of Zimbabwe’s black rhinos and half of its white rhinos were located in the lowveld. These large tracts of land, converted from cattle ranches to wildlife management areas, were created to safeguard the rhino.  Despite recent losses, the lowveld conservancies, monitored by the Lowveld Rhino Trust and linked with Zimbabwe’s Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, still hold 360 black rhinos and provide the best hope for their survival.   >> More Information

Volunteer Program
If you would like to help save the rhino, you can get involved by working as a volunteer on Real Gap’s ‘Black Rhino Conservation Project.’ This ‘save the rhino’ project is based in the beautiful Midlands of Zimbabwe and is endorsed by the WWF. Volunteers help save the rhino by helping out with important day-to-day tasks such as monitoring the local black rhino population out in the field and recording relevant data. The type of people working on this ‘save the rhino’ projects ranges from local Zimbabweans through to other volunteers and respected conservationists. As well as doing your bit to save the rhino it’s also a great way to experience ‘real’ African culture and meet both local people and other like-minded fellow travellers.

The efforts of ‘save the rhino’ campaigns such as this one in Zimbabwe will hopefully help stabilise the black rhino population. However the fight to save the rhino is very much an on-going process and there is no room whatsoever for complacency. By getting involved with this fantastic project you can do your bit to save the rhino for future generations of visitors to Africa.  >> More Information

Other Wildlife Volunteer Programs in Africa

If you are interested in volunteering with wildlife, take a look at my guide to Volunteering Wildlife Work in Africa on the Safari Guide website.

White Rhino and a young calf. I took this photo whilst working at Welgevonden Game Reserve in South Africa

Charles Coventry equaled the highest individual one-day international score but could not prevent Zimbabwe losing the series against Bangladesh.

Fourth one-day international, Bulawayo:
Bangladesh 313-8 (47.5 overs) bt Zimbabwe 312-8 (50 overs) by four wickets

Coventry fired an unbeaten 194 from 156 balls to equal the total set by Pakistan’s Saeed Anwar in 1997. Coventry fired 16 fours and seven sixes as he equalled Anwar’s feat with his maiden international ton. But with his Zimbabwe side managing 312-8 from their 50 overs, Bangladesh reached 313-6 with 13 balls to spare. The win gives Bangladesh an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series with one match still to play.

Video Coverage of Coventry’s unbeaten 194 from 156 balls:

>> Read Full Story

With Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira rapidly becoming a folk hero amongst Springbok rugby supporters, I thought I would take a look at which other players who are or were from Zimbabwe and have played for South Africa.

Zimbabweans with Springbok Caps

• Adrian Garvey “Turbo Prop” – Played 28 tests for the Springboks during the 1990’s all at Tight-head Prop, scoring 4 tries. He also played for Zimbabwe and won his first cap in the 1991 World Cup. Born 25 June 1968 in Bulawayo, he went to Plumtree School. First Test: 9 Nov 1996 against Argentina at Ferrocarril-Oeste Stadium, Buenos Aires, last Test: 10 Oct 1999 against Spain at Murrayfield, Edinburgh.
• Andy MacDonald (Andrew WilliamMacDonald) – Played 5 Tests for the Springboks during the 1960’s as a Tight-head Prop and played for Rhodesia. Went to Milton High School in Bulawayo. First Springbok Test: 19 Jun 1965 against Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney. Last Test: 18 Sep 1965 against New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland
• Ben-Piet van Zyl – Born in Gweru (Gwelo) on 1st Aug 1935, died 10 Mar 1973 (Age 37), played 1 Test for the Springboks as a right winger scoring 2 tries in the 24-8 win over Ireland on the 13 May 1961 in Newlands, Cape Town
• Bobby Skinstad (Robert Brian  Skinstad) -  Born in Bulawayo, played for the Springboks, 42 times, scoring 55 points (11 tries). He also captained the Springboks and played as a flanker and Number eight. Born 3 July 1976 in Bulawayo, Rhodesia
• Brian Mujati -  South African rugby union player who is still playing and now has over 12 Springbok caps. Born in Bulawayo, went to Peterhouse school in Marondera. His first test was on the  7th  Jun 2008 against Wales at Free State Stadium,in Bloemfontein he plays as a prop.
• Chris Rogers – Played 4 tests as a hooker for the Springboks in the 1980’s. Born in Masvingo (Fort Victoria) on 10 Oct 1956, went to Milton High School, Bulawayo. First Test: 2 Jun 1984 against England at EPRFU Stadium (Boet Erasmus), Port Elizabeth. Last Test: 27 Oct 1984  against South America at Newlands, Cape Town
• David Smith – Played 4 tests for the Springboks as a center all against the British Lions in 1980. Born on the 9th Nov 1957 in Bulawayo, he went to Hamilton High School in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia)
• Des van Jaarsveldt – He only played 1 test for the Springboks as a flanker, but was captain and he scored 1 try on the 30th Apr 1960  against Scotland at EPRFU Stadium (Boet Erasmus), Port Elizabeth. When he was made captain, the ‘Transvaler’, a newspaper, announced: “It is an evil day for South African rugby when the country has to seek its rugby captain from beyond its borders in a strange land and may be the reason why he never played again. “He also played for Zimbabwe (Rhodesia). Born on the 31st March 1929, he went to Plumtree School, just outside Bulawayo.
• Gary Teichmann -  Zimbabwean born South African rugby union player and was the captain of the South African national team, the Springboks, between 1995 and 1999. He played 42 Tests, scoring  6 tries at number eight (eighthman) . Born 9 January 1967 in Gwelo, Rhodesia/ Zimbabwe. First Test: 2 Sep 1995 against Wales at Ellispark, Johannesburg. Last Test: 10 Jul 1999 against New Zealand at Carisbrook, Dunedin
• Ian Robertson – Played 5 Tests for the Springboks as centre or fullback in the 1970’s. Date of birth: 28 Apr 1950 in Harare (Salisbury), Zimbabwe, he went to Prince Edward School. First Test: 23 Nov 1974  against France at Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse. Last Test: 18 Sep 1976, played Full Back against New Zealand at Ellispark, Johannesburg
• Ray Mordt – Born on the 15 Feb 1957  in South Africa, but emigrated to Zimbabwe and played for Rhodesia as well as 18 tests on the wing for the Springboks, scoring 12 tries. First Test: 26 Apr 1980 against South America at Wanderers, Johannesburg. Last Test: 27 Oct 1984 against South America at Newlands, Cape Town He went to Churchill High School in Harare.
• Ronnie Hill – Born on 20 Dec 1934in South Africa, but emigrated to Zimbabwe and went to Bulawayo Technical High School. Played for Rhodesia and Played 7 tests as a hooker for the Springboks in the 1960’s. First Test: 3 Dec 1960 against Wales at Millenium Stadium (Cardiff Arms Park), Cardiff. Last Test: 24 Aug 1963 against Australia at Ellispark, Johannesburg
• Ryk van Schoor – Born in South Africa, but emigrated to Zimbabwe (the Rhodesia) and played for Rhodesian and 12 tests for South Africa as a centre scoring 2 tries. First Test 13 Aug 1949 against New Zealand at Ellispark, Johannesburg. Last Test: 26 Sep 1953 against Australia at Crusaders (St George’s Park), Port Elizabeth
• Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira – Zimbabwean-born South African rugby union player with over 16 Springbok caps (still playing) and who also plays for the Sharks in the Super 14 competition. Tendai Mtawarira plays as a prop and is fondly known by friends and fans as “The Beast”. Born 1 August 1985 in Harare, Zimbabwe, went to Peterhouse School in Marondera. First Test: 14 Jun 2008 against Wales at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria.
• Tonderai Chavhanga – Played 4 Tests for the Springboks on the right wing, scoring 6 tries. Born 24 December 1983 in Masvingo, Zimbabwe he went to Prince Edward School in Harare and can run the 100m in 10.27 seconds, a time he achieved when he was just 16. He is possibly is possibly the fastest rugby player in South African rugby history, according to Jake White, the former springbok coach. First Test: 11 Jun 2005 against Uruguay at Basil Kenyon Stadium, East London. Last Test: 14 Jun 2008 against Wales at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria.

Zimbabweans who have played rugby for other countries

• Takudzwa Ngwenya – Plays for the USA (Eagles). He caused a sensation with the ‘Try of the Tournament’ with his run against South Africa’s Brian Habana in the 2007 Rugby World Cup.  He can run the 100m dash in 10.5, meaning that he is only slightly slower than Tonderai Chavhanga who played for the Springboks. Born July 22, 1985 and went to Vainona High School in Harare and now plays his club rugby for Biarritz in France.
• David Pocock – Currently plays flank for the Australian Wallabies and currently has 6 test caps at the time of writing. Born on the 23rd April 1988 in Messina, South Africa, he emigrated to Zimbabwe. He made his Australian Debut as a substitute against the Barbarians on the 3rd December 2008.
• Thom Evans – born 2 April, 1985 in Harare, Zimbabwe is a Scottish international rugby union player. He currently also plays on the wing for Glasgow Warriors in the Magners League.
• Max Evans (born 12 September 1983) is a Scottish rugby union footballer. He plays in the centre for Glasgow Warriors and the Scottish national team. He earned his first cap for Scotland against Canada in November 2008.

Other Notable Players

• Karl Mudzamba – Played or still plays for Hawke’s Bay in New Zealand, I think.
  
• Kennedy Tsimba – First capped for Zimbabwe against Ivory Coast in 1998, has played provincial and Currie Cup rugby in South Africa for the Vodacom Blue Bulls and the Free State where he broke the record for the most points scored in a season (228), a feat which earned him the Currie Cup Player of the Year award in 2002
• Leon Greeff – Born March 9, 1975, in Kadoma  – Has played 6 tests for Zimbabwe as a lock/loose forward has made a name for himself playing in the Premiership side, Worcester Warriors, and can also add value to the team.
• Tonderai Chiutare – (zim 21 2002, Allenton Rugby Club (New Zealand), mid-canterbury province 2003- current (New Zealand)
• Victor Olonga – former Zimbabwe rugby captain played professional rugby in England for Penzance & Newlyn

Help Me Add to this List

I am sure I have missed out many players, so please leave a comment if you know of any others and I will add them.

References:
Springbok Rugby Hall of Fame

With this years Formula One championship shaping up to being one of the most exciting ever, I thought I would take a look at Zimbabweans involved in Motorsport.  Zimbabwe has a very strong  heritage in motor sport, with a number of Zimbabweans doing well in many different disciplines all around the world (more to follow), but I wonder how many of you know that there once were two Zimbabweans (Rhodesians) who drove in F1 as well as a multiple MotoGP world champion (motor cycle racing).

John Maxwell Lineham Love

Not only did John Love race in Formula One, but he was involved in one of the most interesting stories in it’s history, he was born in Bulawayo, Rhodesia (Now Zimbabwe) on December the 7th 1924 and sadly died recently on April 25th 2005. His first formula 1 race was the 1962 South African Grand Prix held at East London on December 29, driving a Cooper-Climax where he finished 8th, the Two time world champion and father of Damon Hill, Graham Hill went on to win the race.  >> For more on this very interesting story, check out my post on John Maxwell Lineham Love.

Sam Tingle

The only other person from the then republic of Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe to successfully enter a Formula One race, was Sam Tingle. He was actually, born in Manchester, England on August 24th, 1921 and sadly like John Love recently passed away on December 19th 2008, in Cape Town, South Africa.

He raced for the then Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, taking part in five Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, as well as several non-Championship F1 races.  His first was on December 28th 1963.  During his brief career, he did not manage to score any championship points.

Clive Puzey

A third very talented driver from Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) was  Clive Puzey,who came close, but failed to pre-qualify in his attempt to drive in the 1965 South African Grand Prix.

Taken from “This is our land” by Frank Clements
How Karoi Began

KAROI IS NOW  one of the greatest tobacco- growing areas in the Rhodesias (This article was written before Zimbabwe’s Independence), but for very many years it was regarded as being outside the range of settlement. The two farming pioneers of the area were the brothers Leroux, who settled on a farm they called Karoi (after the nearby river) during the mica boom which made Miami a flourishing settlement in 1921. These brothers were remarkable men; and many are the stories told about them. Carl Leroux, when he knew he was stricken with a fatal disease, ordered his brothers to dig his grave, and calmly sent. into Sinoia for his coffin. After Carl’s death, the farm was abandoned in 1928.

It was ten years later that C.P., better known as “Robble” Robertson, was attracted to the area. A descendant of the 1820 settlers, he settled in Rhodesia and learnt his tobacco growing, alongside the former Prime Minister, Mr. Winston Field, while working for 0. C. Rawson. He was at first refused a land grant on the grounds that the area was too ridden with tsetse fly to be suitable for settlement, but, as was the old Rhodesian custom, he sat In the Minister’s office, until . . . although not in so many words . . . he was told to push off and help himself.

He set the boundaries of his own farm, next to the Leroux’s original property and called it Buffalo Downs. Although game then abounded, the name came from his favourite of three dogs, called Jumbo, Hippo and Buffalo. “Robbie” Robertson planted his first crop of 100 acres of tobacco in 1939, and his crop in 1940 caused such a sensation that it was mentioned in Parliamentary debates. His yield was over 1,000 Ibs. to the acre-almost double the then normal-and sold for the price of 8d. a lb. over average.

Apart from a wry comment by the then Minister of Finance that a special supertax should be introduced for that sort of thing, the authorities were quick to see how this pioneering effort could be turned to the national advantage. A few other farmers were granted land during the war years, and the whole area previously believed as being too unhealthy an area for farming was surveyed.

Karoi came to be one of the most successful land settlement areas immediately after the war and its real opening up began in 1947. First known as the Urungwe Area, it appropriately became called Karoi, after the Leroux’s original farm, which, also appropriately, “Robble” Robertson later added to his own property, as a result of an accidental meeting in a bar with Leroux’s executor.

Were it not for the pioneering example of the two old Leroux brothers, and the persistance and immediate success of the man who followed them, Karoi with its over three hundred successful farmers might still be one of the undeveloped instead of one of the most prosperous and enterprising areas.

PURSUIT OF LOBENGULA
by W.D. Gale (1958)

Major Allan Wilson

With only his burning kraal to signify his recognition of defeat, Lobengula had sought the safety of the boundless veld, and with him were his impis. They had been worsted in their encounters with the white men, but they had not acknowledged their conquest.

As long as they had the unifying influence of their king they would never bow the knee and they would continue to be a menace to white civilization. It was essential, Dr. Jameson reasoned, that Lobengula be captured and brought to acknowledge his victors. And the sooner the better, before he had time to reorganize his forces and attempt to regain his kingdom.

It was the worst time of year for such a campaign. The rains had broken, malaria would soon be rampant and the waterlogged veld would make progress difficult. Nevertheless the attempt had to be made, unless Lobengula could be induced to come in to Bulawayo by a message instead of an army. On November 7 Jameson wrote him the following letter:

“I send this message in order, if possible, to prevent the necessity of any further killing of your people or burning of their kraals. To stop thus useless slaughter you must at once come and see me at Bulawayo, when I will guarantee that your life will be saved and that you will be kindly treated. I will allow sufficient time for this message to reach you and return to me and two days more to allow you to reach me in your wagon. Should you not then arrive I shall at once send out troops to follow you, as I am determined as soon as possible to put the country in a condition where whites and blacks can live in peace and friendliness.“

The letter, which was written in English, Dutch and Zulu to ensure that it would be understood, was carried by a Cape Colony native named John Grootboom who tracked the fugitive king until he found him in the Shiloh area some thirty miles to the north of Bulawayo. Lobengula had no missionaries or traders to interpret for him now, but with him was a Coloured man, John Jacobs, with sufficient education to know how to read and write. He wrote down Lobengula’s answer:

“I have heard all that you have said, so I will come, but let me to ask you where are all my men which I have sent to the Cape, such as Moffett and Jonny and James, and after that the three men – Gobogobo, Mantose and Goebo – whom I sent. If I do come where will I get a house for me as all my houses is burn down, and also as soon as my men come which I have sent then I will come.“

This ungrammatical ambiguity was no answer. After waiting the two extra days Jameson decided to send a strong patrol to reconnoitre the country between Inyati and Shiloh and if possible bring Lobengula back a prisoner. His call for volunteers met with a good response and the force of 320 men was composed of volunteers from the Salisbury and Victoria Columns and 150 men of the Bechuanaland Border Police and Raaff’s Rangers who had reached Bulawayo ahead of the main body of the Southern Column.

With three maxims and two hundred native carriers and with Major Forbes in command, they rode out of Bulawayo shortly before sunset on November 14.

The first two days and nights it rained almost continually and the horses, which were in poor condition after the main campaign, found the sodden country heavy going. Forbes made for the London Missionary Society’s station at Inyati, which had been established before the days of Thomas Baines, and found it a sorry sight. Its normal occupants had abandoned it at the beginning of the invasion and it was now occupied by a party of Matabele in charge of a large herd of cattle. They fled. The Matabele had vented their wrath on the missionaries’ houses, which had been wrecked in an orgy of destruction. The veld was littered with torn books, broken furniture and ruined personal belongings.

Leaving a force of eighty men to garrison the station, Forbes went on with the remainder. This part of the country had been heavily populated and in the numerous kraals they found cattle and grain. The grain was a welcome addition to their meagre diet. The force had left Bulawayo before the arrival of the main Southern Column with its food supplies, and their rations, small enough when they had started on the pursuit, were by now almost exhausted. They had kept going with what they could find in Matabele corn bins, but now this source was almost at an end. When they reached the last of the kraals and realized that the further they went the shorter they would be of food, many of the men became discontented. They considered that the pursuit should be postponed until the food position was corrected and did not see why they should have to endure hardships that could be avoided.

Major Forbes saw their point of view, but knew that if they gave up the chase now they would never overtake Lobengula. He paraded his force and ordered the malcontents to step forward. Most of Raaff’s Rangers and the Salisbury Horse did so, but the Victoria Column stood firm. The detachment of Bechuanaland Border Police, being regular soldiers, was not consulted. Forbes thereupon sent a messenger to Bulawayo asking for food and instructions and received a reply from Dr. Jameson that reinforcements and wagons carrying more ammunition and what food could be spared were being sent to Shiloh. There Forbes reorganized his force.

The new provisions were suflficient to provide three-quarter rations for three hundred men for twelve days and to see the disaffected section back to Bulawayo. Forbes composed his new force of Captain Borrow and twenty-two men of the Salisbury Horse, Major Wilson and seventy mounted and a hundred dismounted men of the Victoria Column, Captain Raaff and twenty men of the Rangers and Captain Coventry and seventy-eight men of the Bechuanaland Border Police.

Soon after leaving Shiloh the scouts found Lobengula’s wagon tracks and followed them for eight miles through thick bush. There were other signs that they were hot on the trail – camp fires whose ashes were still hot, pots and calabashes hastily abandoned, the charred remains of two of the king’s wagons which had broken down and been destroyed. It was evident that Lobengula and his warriors were making for the Shangani river.

The further they went the more difficult conditions became. They were drenched by storm after storm, and the veld became so waterlogged that the oxen pulling the wagons carrying their provisions gave up the struggle and collapsed. Forbes decided that the wagons were a hindrance. Forming a flying column of a hundred and sixty men, he sent the rest with the wagons to a place called Umhlangeni to await their return.

The flying column pushed ahead with greater speed. On the evening of November 30, Johan Colenbrander, who had been scouting, brought in an induna he had known when he had lived at the king’s kraal. The induna said the Matabele had become dispirited through defeat, starvation, exposure to the constant rain and the ravages of smallpox and most of them wanted to surrender. But remnants of three of Lobengula’s best regiments, the Insukameni, the Ihlati and the Siseba, were still loyal to the king and were covering his retreat.

On December 3 the column reached the bank of the Shangani river. They were very close on the king’s heels now. Across the river they could see a number of natives frantically driving the last of their cattle in the wake of an impi. They had evidently only just crossed, for on the column’s side was evidence of a Matabele encampment with the fires still smouldering. But had the king himself crossed the river or had he gone further along the bank? It was essential to know. Forbes decided to form a laager on open ground about two hundred yards back from the river while a small patrol went across the river to reconnoitre the further bank. He selected Major Allan Wilson, commander of the Victoria Column, to lead a patrol of twelve men.

When Wilson and his men had disappeared into the bush on the other side, Forbes interrogated a captured native. From him he learnt that Lobengula was ill and that with him were some three thousand warriors from different regiments who were determined that he should not be taken prisoner. If reports that the Matabele morale was low were correct, Forbes planned to make a rush the next day, capture the king and at once turn back for Bulawayo. They had now been out for nine days, their rations were dwindling and if they were to get back to their wagons and food supplies in time they would have to move swiftly.

He expected Wilson and his men to return in a couple of hours, but the afternoon wore on and darkness came without a sign of the missing patrol. In the meantime Forbes had received a report that the bulk of Lobengula’s warriors, under his chief induna, Mjaan, had turned back and intended to attack the column that night.

It was a dark night and rain fell at intervals. At about nine o’clock an alert picket heard the sound of horses and aroused the laager. Two men rode in who told Forbes that the patrol had followed Lobengula’s wagon spoor for some five miles and that Wilson considered the prospects of capturing the king were so good he had decided not to return that night. He wanted Forbes to send more men and a maxim in the morning. Two hours later Captain Napier and two troopers reached the laager and reported that the patrol had got close to the bush enclosure protecting the king and his wagon but had had to retreat to prevent themselves from being surrounded and had taken up a position in the bush to wait for daylight.

On neither occasion did Wilson state exactly what he wanted, although Napier said he thought he expected the rest of the column to cross the river and join him so that they could make a daylight raid on the enclosure at dawn. This Forbes refused to do. He expected a Matabele attack on his position, and he could not endanger his whole force by crossing the river in darkness, cutting off his retreat and presenting his back to the enemy. He did not want to recall Wilson since he was obviously in a good position to capture Lobengula, and if this opportunity were lost it would never recur. He compromised by sending Captain Borrow and twenty men to reinforce the patrol, and thus made his mistake. The patrol was now too large to be merely a reconnoitring force and too small for the dangerous task of trying to capture the king in defiance of the Matabele impis. But it strengthened Wilson’s resolve to undertake his suicidal mission.

At daybreak Wilson and his thirty-two men approached Lobengula’s enclosure. The wagon was still there, but when Wilson called on the king to surrender there was no answer. In the ominous silence they realized that during the night he had continued his flight. All hope of capturing him had gone.

Major Allan Wilson (third from left) and some of the men of
his patrol

Then came the development they had all been expecting and dreading. In the half-light they heard the clicking of rifle bolts and from behind a tree stepped a warrior wearing the induna’s headring. He fired his rifle. It was the signal for a scattered volley which intensified as more warriors came running through the bush. Most of the shots went over their heads, but two horses went down. A trooper, Dillon, ran to them, cut off the saddle pockets carrying ammunition and regained his horse as Wilson gave the order to retreat to an antheap behind which they had sheltered the previous night.

They reached it without losing a man. As horses were shot down their riders jumped up behind men still mounted or ran alongside holding the stirrup irons. The volume of Matabele fire steadily increased and the exposed position of the antheap became untenable. Wilson ordered a retirement into the trees, and as they went the rearguard, firing with cool accuracy, kept the Matabele at bay. But the Matabele were in no hurry. They had the white men at their mercy and could take their time.

Several men had been wounded and a number of them were dismounted. Wilson grouped these in the centre and started off slowly for the river in the hope that some at least might reach the main Column. For nearly a mile they marched without harm, their progress dogged by warriors keeping pace among the trees. Then they saw that their path was barred by a line of warriors waiting for them to come closer. An attempt to break through that barrier would mean sacrificing the wounded. That was unthinkable. They would face it together.

Three men, however, got away. An American and two Australians galloped unscathed through the Matabele line, threw off their pursuers by doubling on their tracks and reached the bank of the Shangani in safety. Shortly after leaving the patrol they heard heavy firing and the shouting of hundreds of warriors as they attacked Wilson and his men. When they reached the river they saw that there was no hope whatever for the patrol. Heavy rains upstream had swollen the waters of the river and now it was in flood, and rising every minute. They managed to get across only with the greatest difficulty.

The subsequent fate of the Wilson patrol, whose bones now rest beneath their memorial on the Matopo hill on which Cecil Rhodes lies buried, was gathered afterwards from Matabele sources. They had selected a clearing among the trees for their last stand and, some standing, some kneeling, poured a hot fire in all directions. The Matabele had the advantage of better cover and took time to aim accurately and make their shots tell. But so calmly and steadily did the patrol fight back that in spite of the bush and the trees they took a heavy toll of the enemy.

At one stage in the fight, said the Matabele, they had offered the white men their lives provided they laid down their arms and surrendered. Their offer was scornfully rejected. There would be no surrender.

The patrol used their dead horses as cover, but their number steadily dwindled. Many were killed outright, and the wounded went on fighting until they lost consciousness. The fight went on until late in the afternoon. Just before the end the few surviving white men staggered to their feet, sang a few bars of “God Save the Queen”, shook hands with each other, and waited for the end. It was not long in coming. The Matabele charged them with their assegais, and gave no quarter. One last man escaped for a few precious minutes, gained the top of an anthill a few yards away and shot down several Matabele before a bullet smashed his hip. He was still firing a revolver as the assegais ended his life.

There were no survivors, and this is the proud epitaph on their memorial. No one knew of their fate until two months later, when James Dawson, the trader, was led to the spot by a party of natives and found their skeletons. The trees all round were scored by bullet marks. The Matabele spoke of them reverently and had been so impressed by their bravery that they had refrained from mutilating their bodies and had left them where they fell. Dawson dug a large grave and gave them temporary burial close to a tree on which he cut a cross and the words, “To Brave Men”. Their bones were later interred at Zimbabwe, since they had all come from Fort Victoria, and in 1904 removed to the Matopos, to the hilltop “consecrated and set apart for ever for those who had deserved well of their country.”

The night before this fateful day of December 4, 1893, Lobengula, accompanied by three of his sons, some of his wives and a few faithful indunas, including Mjaan, lumbered northwards in his wagon. He no longer feared pursuit, but he was a broken man, sick in body and soul, and with his kingdom destroyed he had no will to live. They got to within forty miles of the Zambezi, and there they ran into a belt of tsetse fly. The oxen perished and in that inhospitable country they were stranded. Lobengula died towards the end of January, and the evidence found on his grave site when it was officially discovered and examined in 1946 suggests that he took poison.

So passed the last of the great native despots of Southern Africa, son of the founder of the Matabele nation. And as he died one wonders whether he remembered the prophetic words he had uttered to Thomas Baines more than twenty years before: “You may promise fairly now, but in future time when you are strongly established you may forget your promise and exceed the liberty I have given.” He knew then that, inevitably, his way of life was doomed .

When the reinforcements had left to join Allan Wilson’s patrol, Major Forbes reorganized his laager and waited for the expected Matabele attack. It did not come. When daylight came he prepared to move down to the river bank and cross the Shangani to the help of Wilson, but as they were nearing the bank they came under fire from bush some three hundred yards to their left. They were pinned down for more than an hour, when the enemy fire slackened. They retired slowly until they reached the shelter of a strip of bush six hundred yards back, where they were able to dig in while the medical officer attended to five men of the Bechuanaland Border Police who had been wounded. At intervals during the fighting they had heard the sounds of battle on the other side of the river, but realized that the rising Shangani made it impossible for them to go to the rescue.

They remained in their new position all day, and when darkness fell two troopers were sent with a verbal message from Forbes to Dr. Jameson telling him that the Column was retreating to the main drift on the Shangani river and asking for more food and ammunition. Shortly after dark a storm burst over them and they spent a miserable night. During the height of the storm their slaughter oxen, on which they depended for their main food supply, were terrified by the thunder and stampeded into the bush.

Next morning the Column began its retreat and the Matabele did not impede its going. But their main enemy now was the threat of real hunger. Their rations were almost exhausted and the loss of their slaughter oxen meant that they had no reserve. Many of the men, also, were suffering from malaria. Their clothes were in rags and their boots, constantly wet, were falling to pieces. Their horses, also, were weakened by lack of adequate grazing and were almost useless for work. The men had to manhandle the maxims across difficult stretches.

Groups of Matabele were dogging their progress. On December 10 they were struggling through broken country of rugged hills, thick bush and long grass when they entered a deep dry gully. It gave good cover for the horses and Forbes decided to let them rest and graze. After a few minutes they came under a heavy fire. Warriors had crept up through the grass until they got close to the horses, and several animals were stabbed to death before the Column could take action. It was difficult to see the enemy in the long grass and all the troopers could do was to take pot shots at the smoke puffs rising above the grass. After about an hour of desultory firing the Matabele withdrew. The Column lost eight horses but only one man – a Bechuanaland Border Police sergeant who was shot dead while sitting near his maxim.

Two miles further on they reached a small valley lying across their path. The men manhandling the guns were halfway down a steep bank when a party of Matabele among rocks on their right flank opened fire. They dragged the guns back to the top again while the rest of the Column returned the fire, but a heavy thunderstorm put an end to the fight. Night was coming on and Forbes decided to laager where they were.

Their plight was desperate. The Matabele could harass them at will in this difficult country, made infinitely worse by the rains. Men and horses were steadily becoming more exhausted from the strain of a forced march on empty stomachs. Their hunger became so compelling that they were forced to slaughter some of the horses, which they ate with a seasoning of wild root with a garlic flavour.

It was Johannes Raaff, drawing on his considerable experience of native warfare, who found a way out of their predicament. Twenty of the most useless horses were left behind, and a tree trunk was propped under a bush to resemble a maxim. The gun carriages were abandoned and the dogs with them were quietly knocked on the head. With each of the maxims balanced across the saddle of a horse and a man holding it on either side, they started at about ten o’clock that night to move quietly down the slope and along the valley. The men were so worn out that whenever there was a halt they promptly fell asleep and when dragged to their feet again went on mechanically. When dawn came they were clear of the bush and hills and could see the Shangani river in the distance.

Raaff’s ruse was effective. The Matabele wasted a good deal of ammunition and several hours before they found that their victims had escaped. They overtook them the following day and there was a sharp engagement in which two policemen were wounded. This was the final encounter. The Column avoided possible ambushes and after two more days and nights of forced marching, in the last stages of exhaustion and despair, they were found by two scouts of the relief force which had set out to look for them. With the relief were Rhodes and Dr. Jameson. Their ordeal was over. Three days later they reached Bulawayo, and here Johannes Raaff paid the price of fatigue and exposure. He imprudently ate a heavy meal,was taken ill and died on January 26, 1894.

With active campaigning at an end the Matabele drifted back to their villages. One of them reported that before Forbes’s Column reached the Shangani, Lobengula had decided, in a last effort to halt the pursuit, that if they would not stop for anything else, they might stop for money. He had accordingly sent two messengers, Petchan and Sehuloholu, with a box of sovereigns and orders to intercept the Column. They were to say that the king admitted he had been conquered, and that the white men were to take the money and turn back. The two messengers met the Column the day before it reached the Shangani, hid in the bush until it went by and then followed and gave the money to two men in the rear guard. This incident had not been reported by any member of the Column.

Suspicion fell on two men, Daniels and Wilson, both officers’ servants who had not been members of the rear guard that day, though it was possible that they had dropped to the rear. Soon after the Column’s return they had been seen to be in possession of large amounts of gold. Daniels explained that he had won the money at cards and Wilson said he had brought his money with him. They had both bought farm rights from various members of the invading forces and had paid for them in cash.

A point in favour of the two men was a statement by Sehuloholu that the man to whom he had given the money could speak his language well. Neither Daniels nor Wilson knew Sindabele. The only man knowing the language who had been in the main body of the Column that day was the hospital orderly, and he had never been in the rear guard.

Indignation over this report ran high. It was generally considered that had the receipt of the money, and Lobengula’s message, been reported Forbes might have been induced to turn back on reaching the Shangani, and the tragedy of the Wilson Patrol would have been avoided. The circumstantial evidence against Daniels and Wilson was too strong to be ignored. They were tried by the Resident Magistrate and four assessors at Bulawayo, found guilty and sentenced to fourteen years’ imprisonment with hard labour.

But the High Commissioner’s legal experts pointed out that the magistrate’s powers did not entitle him to pass sentences of more than three months’ imprisonment. They also considered that the conviction was against the weight of evidence. The sentences were afterwards quashed and the men released. The identity of the Sindebele speaker alleged to have received the money was never established, nor, beyond the Matabele statements, was it ever proved that there had been a box of sovereigns, which, of course, could have been part of the payments for the Rudd Concession. It is inconceivable that the Matabele would have invented the story, and Lobengula’s unflattering view that the white men might stop for money rings true. The whole incident remains a dark blot on the pages of Rhodesia’s story.

A question that intrigued the pioneer population when the fate of Allan Wilson’s patrol became known was why so many officers were permitted to accompany him across the Shangani river. Major Forbes had granted him the privilege of picking his own men, and it was only natural that the officers of the Victoria Column – many of them his own personal friends, men he had known in civilian life – should clamour for the honour of helping him to capture Lobengula. Dr. Jameson paid Allan Wilson a tribute when he reported officially on the Shangani episode.

“Major Allan Wilson was one of the most gifted leaders of men I have met. Personally brave to rashness, yet extremely careful and considerate of the men under his command, it followed that the men would go anywhere with him. It is to this hero worship of Wilson, so well deserved, that I attribute the large number of officers who accompanied him on that last fatal reconnaissance.”

Jameson’s first task, now that hostilities were finally over, was to secure the complete surrender of the Matabele and to establish suitable conditions for white and black to live together in amity. The main need was to impress on the Matabele the fact that they had been conquered, that their military system could no longer be allowed to exist and that their impis must be disbanded. The first essential was to compel them to surrender all the weapons in their possession, especially their rifles and ammunition, not only to impress on them the fact of their defeat but also to ensure the safety of the white population. Jameson sent messengers round the kraals to announce that only those who surrendered their arms would be allowed to return to their villages and proceed with the cultivation of their crops.

At first the response was good but after a few weeks the Matabele seemed to be holding back. As long as the fate of Lobengula was unknown (and it was not discovered until a long time afterwards) and as long as the impis with him remained in the field, there was the hope that he might try to regain his kingdom. And as long as this hope existed the Matabele wanted to retain their weapons. This reasoning compelled Jameson to see that a sufficient police force was organized to maintain law and order and to hold what had been won. His appeal for volunteers met with a good response and he formed a civil police force of a hundred and fifty men in addition to four hundred Bechuanaland Border Police who were posted for duty in Matabeleland. Garrisons were established at Inyati and on the fringes of the Matopo Hills, and patrols supervised the task of disarmament and took possession of cattle belonging to Lobengula, which were confiscated by the Company. These cattle were subsequently returned to the Matabele for custody pending a final settlement of the cattle question.

But the men on the spot were not allowed to handle their own affairs. In Britain the “Exeter Hall” party, led by Henry Labouchere, editor of “Truth” and a member of the House of Commons, which had long been vehemently critical of the British South Africa Company and all its works, was roused to new heights of clamorous indignation by the invasion of Matabeleland. Jameson’s order that they would not be allowed to cultivate their crops until they had surrendered their arms was seized upon as an example of oppression. The Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord Ripon, instructed the High Commissioner, Sir Henry Loch, to notify the Company that the surrender of arms was to be construed “in a very liberal spirit”.

Jameson was compelled to countermand his instructions for the disarmament of the Matabele. They therefore buried their rifles and ammunition and assegais and waited for the day when they would attempt to re-establish their old savage way of life. That day, when it came less than three years later, subjected the pioneer settlers of Rhodesia to the severest test that could have been devised.

Zimbabwean / Rhodesian Military History Books (before 1960):
	Sunshine and Storm in Rhodesia By Frederick Courteney Selous (Author) is a firsthand account of the Second Matabele War (also known as the First Chimurenga). An unabridged reprint of the the 1896 edition. Originalally published in 1896: Excerpt: CHAPTER III "Now this murder of a native policeman on the night of Friday, 20th March, was the first overt act of rebellion on the part of the Matabele against the Government of the British South Africa Company, and I will therefore relate exactly what occurred. On the evening of the aforementioned day, eight native policemen, acting on instructions of Mr. Jackson, arrived at the town of Umgorshlwini, situated in the hills near the Umzingwani river. Being accompanied by several boys carrying their blankets, etc., they formed quite a little party, and so camped outside the town. They were sitting talking over their fires after the evening meal, when a number of Matabele came up, and ranging themselves in a line in front of them, commenced to dance. These men all carried knob-kerries, and were led by a man named Umzobo, who had held a post of importance at Bulawayo in Lo Bengula’s time." Available on Amazon.co.uk Available on Amazon.com
	No Insignificant Part: The Rhodesia Native Regiment and the East African Campaign of the First World War The is the first history of the only primarily African military unit from Zimbabwe to fight in the First World War. Recruited from the migrant labour network, most African soldiers in the RNR were originally miners or farm workers from what are now Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, and Malawi. Like others across the world, they joined the army for a variety of reason, chief among them a desire to escape low pay and horrible working conditions. Written by Timothy J. Stapleton has been a post-doctoral fellow at Rhodes University, a senior lecturer in history at the University of Fort Hare, South Africa, and a research associate at the University of Zimbabwe. Available on Amazon.co.uk Available on Amazon.com
	The Matabele Campaign: 1896 By Robert Baden-Powell is his account of the Campaign in Suppressing the Matabele Rising in the Matabeleland and Mashonsland in 1896. Available on Amazon.co.uk Available on Amazon.com
	Zulus and Matabele: Warrior Nations Written by Glen Lyndon Dodds who grew up in Matabeleland and covers the rise and fall of the Zulus and Matabele nations. This account begins with the characters who spurred the people to greatness and nationhood, continues with the wars and battles which afflicted them and ends with an assessment of their role in the history of Southern Africa. Available on Amazon.co.uk Available on Amazon.com