João Albasini

Albasini set up trade routes and infrastructure that reached from the port at Lourenço Marques far into the mainland.

By contrast, Albasini would not give guns or ammunition to any tribes other than the Tsonga people, due to his lack of trust.

In 1858 Albasini was appointed Vice Consul of Portugal in South Africa and was married to Gertina Maria Petronella, daughter of “Trekker” Janse van Rensburg.

After the destruction of Schoemansdal by the Venda King Makhado in 1867, all whites left the area and moved south, where they established the town of Pietersburg, 100 km away.

João Albasini remained as stubborn as ever and was the only white person left in the Schoemansdal district.

João Albasini and Coenraad de Buys were the only two Europeans in the Transvaal and indeed, in the whole of South Africa, to rule Africans as their Chief or leader.

In the same year N'wamanungu of the Siweya Clan took over the throne of Kingship of Vatsonga until 1901–1902 at Klein Letaba River where he was shot dead by James Alfred Taylor, Shiel and Phephu Ramabulana.