More about the Finest Canoe Club in the Whole Dam Universe
Dabulamanzi Canoe Club was founded by a group of paddlers who decided to set up the second canoe club in Johannesburg (after JCC), which would be more conveniently situated in the north of Johannesburg, in 1979. The founder members, realising that Emmarentia Dam was to be the premier Gauteng canoeing venue of the future, had the vision to establish a club, which today consistently has a membership of some 1000+ members, comprising world champions in various categories, SA National Team members, SA champions, a strong provincial representation and recreational (fish n’chips) paddlers.
Dabulamanzi Canoe Club derives its name from Dabulamanzi kaMpande (1839 – 1886) a Zulu warrior who commanded the Zulus at the Battle of Rorke’s Drift. His name is interpreted as ‘the one who conquers the waters.’ One of the founders of our club, Alan Witherden, was aware of the meaning of the name (although not, at that stage, its prestigious history). Thankfully his suggestion won out against competing names like The Whirlpool, Emmarentia Paddlers and Saxon Splashers. Chief Dabulamanzi’s father was the Zulu King Mpande, which made Dabulamanzi a half-nephew of the legendary Shaka and younger half-brother of Cetshwayo kaMpande, the last king of the Zulu Kingdom. After the defeat of the Zulus and the deposition of Cetshwayo, Dabulamanzi campaigned for the return of his brother to power. When Cetshwayo was restored in 1883, Dabulamanzi fought on to maintain the unity of the Zulu Kingdom.
Dabulamanzi blog posts
Dabs news – Winter Training
Snow fell in Jo’burg on Monday morning, for the first time in over a decade. It wasn’t heavy but it still created much excitement, and with this, winter really became real. It was so cold that Marky Mark couldn’t get out of bed for the Tuesday school. Without his...
Dabs News: Tripping, Biking, Berg and Sprint Stuff
Last Sunday was a cold winter’s morning, but that didn’t deter a bunch of our Dabs Darlings who went on a Vaal trip with some old river dogs. This was them before they set off: Gabby, Caren, Claudia, Renschi, Sarah, Pippa, Sylvia, Kevin, Gavin, Peter, Michelle,...
Dabs news: Surfski, TT & Punishment
Down in Durban, it was the King of the Bay race last weekend. It’s a race with a difference in that this is one of the few opportunities where one can paddle out of the Durban harbour mouth. Well done to Tex and Gary for flying the Navy’s flag and for coming second in...