Bloody end to second Zulu Civil War, how many times can you get knocked down in one boxing fight, Africa dwarfs most continents

Did you know that . . .

Africa is the second-biggest and second-most populous continent after Asia. It is so big that it can fit the US, China, India, and most of Europe within its borders simultaneously, with room to spare. Its immense size is often underestimated due to the Mercator map projection, which distorts areas near the poles, making continents like Europe, appear larger than they really are.

On this day in history: December 2

1856 The 2nd Zulu Civil War culminates in the Battle of Ndondakusuka on the banks of the Tugela River as two half-brothers do battle over who will be heir to the throne of their father, Mpande. More than 5 000 warriors are killed and thousands drown in the Tugela, or are taken by crocodiles as Cetshwayo’s 20 000 warriors rout Mbuyazi’s 5 000. Six of Mpande’s sons, including Mbuyazi die in the slaughter (the mouth of the Tugela became known as Mathambo (place of bones) due to the number of bodies washed down). Following the battle, Cetshwayo became the de facto ruler of the Zulu Kingdom, eventually becoming the last independent Zulu king after Mpande’s death from natural causes in 1872.

1875 Reverend Pambani Jeremiah Mzimba is ordained as the first South African-trained black Presbyterian minister. Remembered for helping found African independent churches.

1877 The Battle of Mzimtsani takes place during the Ninth Border War. Seventy men of the Prince Alfred’s Guard unit are attacked by the Galeka, but ward off the attack.

1927 Author Jan Jacobus van der Post, who lived as a boy with the San people for several years, is born in Rehoboth, South West Africa. He learns the ways of the San, who would feature prominently in his books. He is fluent in 12 languages – Afrikaans, English, German, Herero, Nama, Portuguese, two Ovambo dialects and four San dialects.

1950 South African World bantamweight champion Vic Toweel sets a record for knockdowns title fight against Danny Sullivan in Joburg; Sullivan is floored 14 times.

1994 On a cruise from Italy to South Africa, the Achille Lauro sinks off Somalia. Before that, she was hijacked by the Palestine Liberation Front, had two serious collisions and four fires or explosions, the last of which sank her. Onboard, South African musician Moss Hills finds himself helping passengers to safety, three years after doing the same thing on the Oceanos, when it sank off the Wild Coast.

1994 ‘Hollywood Madam to the Stars’ Heidi Fleiss is found guilty of running a call-girl ring.

2023 Flooding and landslides in northern Tanzania kill 63 people, amid ongoing massive El Niño flooding throughout East Africa.

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