In the southeastern corner of Mpumalanga lays the picturesque town of Mkhondo, once called Piet Retief, surrounded by beautiful plantations of Bluegum and Wattle trees. The town was established in 1883, but unfortunately was destroyed during the South African War. When the town was re-established, it was named after a Voortrekker leader and the choice fell on Piet Retief.
In 2010, the town was renamed Mkhondo, the name of the local river, meaning assegaai. The town is quite a hospitable place, where modern amenities and one of the country's most important timber industries is located. Visitors to Mkhondo can enjoy a variety of activities, such as bird watching, fishing, hiking and horse riding.
The town is situated on the N2 approximately 100 km from neighbouring towns of Vryheid and Ermelo. This is where travellers can relax before carrying on with their journey to Pongola and the north coast beaches of KwaZulu-Natal.
uMgungundlovu
Zulu histories record that the agreement reached at uMgungundlovu ('abode of the elephant', the site of Dingane's Kraal) between Zulu king Dingane and boer Piet Retief was made under duress; and faced with similar treatment handed out to Zulu leaders like Mzilikazi and Sekonyela, Dingane decided to eliminate the threat.
Boer historians claim that the treaty was negotiated fairly and that Dingane had no reason to attack. Either way, on 6 February 1838, Piet Retief, 69 compatriots and 30 coloured attendants were clubbed to death to the cry of 'Bambani aba thakathi!' ('Kill the wizards') on KwaMatiwane, the hill of execution. A memorial stands on the hill today, listing the names of the Boer victims.