KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Ms. Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa, was among government dignitaries attending the commemoration of the Battle of Isandlwana on Thursday, 22 January 2026 in the northern part of KwaZulu-Natal.

The event, officiated by Amazulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, seeks to consolidate unity, particularly between the Zulu nation and the British. The Zulu nation defeated the British soldiers in one of the bloodiest battles in history, claiming thousands of soldiers' lives. This war occurred on this day in 1879.

MEC kaMadlopha-Mthethwa said that she was pleased at seeing numerous women in various cooperatives selling vegetables along the main road leading to the Isandlwana Battlefields, adding that her Department must be involved in assisting cooperatives in agriculture, as many families in rural settings depend on it for their livelihoods. She has urged the people attending government events to support local farming cooperatives, thereby addressing food insecurity.