Ndlela kaSompisi

Ndlela kaSompisi (died February 1840) was a key general to Zulu Kings Shaka and Dingane. He rose to prominence as a highly effective warrior under Shaka. Dingane appointed him as his inDuna, or chief advisor. He was also the principal commander of Dingane's armies. However, Ndlela's failure to defeat the Boers under Andries Pretorius and a rebellion against Dingane led to his execution. This made him a failure in the eyes of his people.

Career According to E. A. Ritter, Ndlela was a "Ntuli cannibal recruit" to Shaka's army. His name means "road" or "path". During the Ndwandwe–Zulu War, Ndela distinguished himself by his fighting ability, performing "incredible deeds of destruction" on Shaka's enemies. When his practice of promoting non-Zulus was questioned, Shaka is said to have replied, "Any man who joins the Zulu Army becomes a Zulu. Thereafter his promotion is purely a question of merit, irrespective of the road (ndlela) he came by", referring to the most famous of his adopted soldiers.

He served as Dingane's inDunankulu (chief adviser), Ndunankulu (Prime Minister) and uMkhuzi wamaButho kaZulu (Commander-In-Chief of the Zulu Army). He led a campaign against the Northern Ndebele in 1837, but the war was inconclusive. He allegedly persuaded Dingane to kill Piet Retief and crush the Boers.

Neither Shaka nor Dingane had children. Mindful of the lineage of the Zulu kings, Ndlela repeatedly defied Dingane's request that he assassinate Mpande, half-brother of Shaka and Dingane as he was a threat to Dingane's power. He argued that it would diminish his greatness and that, in any case, Mpande did not aspire to the throne. The Battle of Maqongqo where the forces of Mpande and Dingane clashed in 1840 culminated in Dingane calling Ndlela a traitor. A significant portion of Ndlela's army deserted to Mpande's general Nongalaza. Ndlela withdrew his remaining force rather than be overwhelmed. This resulted in a great loss for Dingane against his brother Mpande who had co-opted the Boers to fight on his side. Dingane ordered Ndlela's death through slow strangulation by cowhide thong.