The war between East Africa and the Republic of the Transvaal had ended, but the war in southern Africa continued. First, the 123rd Cavalry Division and 514th Infantry Division at Pretoria marched east to join Felix's forces and wage war against the Zulu Kingdom.
Conquering the Zulu Kingdom would not only yield abundant coal resources; more importantly, it would secure its eastern seaport. Port Richards Bay, one of South Africa's main coal-export ports in the previous life, lay there abandoned.
Taking this port was of great significance for East Africa's southern territorial security. After acquiring the Republic of the Transvaal, the Kingdom of East Africa had become a long, narrow stretch running north to south. The distance from East Africa's core region—the East African Federation of the previous life—to South Africa was simply too vast. But after taking the Zulu Kingdom, East Africa could use Port Richards Bay to move personnel and supplies by sea.
In the South African territories actually controlled by East Africa, Ernst did not intend to develop large-scale crop farming. Instead, he planned to develop vast grazing ranches similar to those in Northern Kenya.
The difference between here and Northern Kenya was that temperatures were lower. It had already entered the subtropical zone, with a cooler climate, making it among the finest pasture resources in East Africa's hands.
At the same time, Ernst considered that this place would eventually rely on its abundant mineral resources to develop industry. Industrial development could not do without water, yet South Africa's annual rainfall was even poorer than Zimbabwe's, especially in the interior, and fluctuated greatly. In some extreme years, it might be only a little over four hundred millimeters.
Water consumption was nothing more than residential use, agricultural use, and industrial use, of which agricultural use was the greatest.