When Mpande was chieftain of the Nyandwini clan, Nongalaza commanded his forces against the invasion by Robert Biggar and rebel Zulus, successfully destroying them at the Tugela River in 1838.
Nongalaza encountered Dingane's army before the Boers arrived, and decided to attack immediately.
At the Battle of Maqongqo Nongalaza crushed Dingane, and when Mpande arrived he was installed as king.
[1] Under Mpande's rule, Nongalaza continued to enjoy the king's support, and was enriched with land and cattle.
[1] The trader and hunter William Clayton Humphreys reported that Nongalaza was "exceedingly kind" to him during his trip into Zululand in 1851.