This thesis studies the impact of the terminal illness and awareness of undergoing the dying process and inevitable death, at the KwaZulu Government hospital Ngwelezana, at Empangeni in the Lower Umfolozi District. A case study, drawing both upon nursing and social anthropology, was conducted to establish the experiences of death and dying of Zulu patients, their families and caregivers. The basic trend reflected in the findings is the need to discuss dying with patients, the lack of skills and knowledge on the part of caregivers, lack of recognition of patients' cultural beliefs. The study does not claim to deal with a complete spectrum of the experiences of death and dying of all Zulus but is a meaningful and significant innovation into an unresearched area of patient care. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1989.