50–60 men of the 94th Regiment[4][6][3]30 European volunteers[7][8][12]43–50 men from the Transvaal Mounted Police[7][8][9]Total: 5 killed The siege of Marabastad was a siege of Fort Marabastad, in present day Limpopo, South Africa, carried out by the Boer Republic of Transvaal, starting on 11 January 1881, and ending with British surrender on 2 April 1881.

In early 1880, British forces in Transvaal decided to build a fort in the village, due to its remoteness from other British South African forts, with it being 165 miles (266 km) from Pretoria.

[20] Following the British defeat at Bronkhorstspruit on 20 December, Lieutenant Jones received orders to prepare for siege.

On 11 January, Commandant Barend Vorster requested Captain Brook to stop taking corn from the village, effectively beginning the siege.

On 19 January, a British patrol of 15 Transvaal Mounted Police under Thompson and ten volunteers were sent to scout the Boers at Sand Spruit.