He typically sought to maintain Gcaleka independence by avoiding direct confrontation with the Cape Colony. This strategy initially worked, but as a nationalist and paramount chief of all the Xhosa, he was later drawn into conflict with the Cape by the neighbouring Ngqika Xhosa. His Kingdom's indirect aid to the Ngqika during the Seventh and Eighth Frontier Wars (1846–1853) was discovered and led to a temporary British invasion of Gcalekaland.