Experiences Heritage Experiences Sandile’s Grave
| Sandile’s Grave |
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Sandile’s grave is an interesting historical monument situated about 16kms from Stutterheim on the King Williams Town road, at the foot of Mount Kemp (Isidenge Mountain). A bronze plaque erected at the grave site in 1941 reads as follows: Sandile Chief of the Gaikas. Born about 1820. The grave site has now been fenced. A tombstone in memory of the chief was laid by Paramount chief A.M. Sandile in 1972. Sandile was buried between the graves of troopers A. Dicks and F. Hillier, who were killed in the same war. Sandile (A.A. Mgolombane) was the son of the famous Paramount Chief Ngqika Gaika, founder of the Ngqika or Gaika Tribe. Ngqika died in 1829 when Sandile was still a minor and in 1840 Sandile became chief of the Ngqika Tribe. He was captured during the War of the Axe in 1847 and on his release he was granted land in “British Kaffraria” for his tribe. He supported Kreli in a war against the Cape Colony. On 29 May 1878 Sandile was mortally wounded in a skirmish with a detachment of Fingo troops under the command of Captain Massey-Hicks. Sandile died a few days later and his body was brought to a nearby military camp. He was given a military funeral at which his body was carried on eight rifles by Fingo pall-bearers. It is said that he was buried with a British soldier on either side to convince his followers that his spirit would not roam. |