John Robert Dunn

John Robert Dunn was born in Port Alfred, South Africa in ca.1833, son of Robert Newton Dunn and Ann Biggar, and in 1836 the family moved from Port Alfred to Port Natal. In 1847 Dunn's father was killed and, after his mother's death in circa 1851, Dunn and his brother and sisters moved to Cape Colony.

In 1856 Dunn took part in the battle of Ndondakusuka, where he fought on Mbulazi's side against Cetewayo. On a later hunting expedition in Zululand Dunn met Cetewayo for the first time and, even though Dunn had been on his opponent's side, Cetewayo was impressed by the enterprise and fearlessness Dunn had shown during the battle and he persuaded Dunn to settle in Zululand as his advisor. Cetewayo allowed Dunn to choose an area over which he would have autonomous power and in 1857 Dunn selected the uninhabited region of Ngoye.

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