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Umlilo Wezinhliziyo Abavikeli
bomphakathi
bayoyizekela
okungamaphoyisa
amagwababa
echobana
amasosha
impicabadala
kanye
nezicimamlilo
egilwe
ngumphakathi
wasendaweni yaseNtanzini namuhla. INtanzini ayiqhelile esizweni samaNtungwa esingaphansi kweNdlovukazi yasemaNtungweni. Kuthe ngezithuba zehora lesibili kwesikabhadakazi kwabizwa izicimamlilo ngenxa yesikole ebesivutha amalangabi. Izicimamlilo
zizamile
ukuphuthuma
zizolwisana
nalomshophi
kodwa
zafika
umonakalo usuvele udalekile, into ezibambezele kakhulu kube ngumgwaqo wobhuqu waseNtanzini omigodigodi kanye nezinguzunga zamatshe ebezigqishwe emgwaqeni kuvalwe ngazo. Izicimamlilo zithe zisakhombisa amangwevu azo nobuchule zicima esikolweni basebewuhlabile umkhosi esigodini esingaphesheya ngenxa yomtapo wolwazi obusha ungqongqa nawo. Kube esifanayo futhi njengoba izicimamlilo zivinjwe ngamatshe emgwaqeni, imoto yezicimamlilo ipoqoke yaphela ngenxa yombokodo abebedilizwa iqulu lezinsizwa ebezisesicongweni sentaba zikhuza izaga. Kuwo lowo mnyama kuqubuke amakhulu amalangabi kwaqhuma isililo emizini emithathu eqhelelene kanye kanye; okungowekhansela eliphethe, neselazibeka phansi izintambo kanye nowenkosi yesizwe uFuze. Sekusemini bebade nelanga linsizwa, ngiboshwe isandla sami sahlanganiswa nesandla sikaNgwazi ngamasongo, ngaphambi kwequlu lamalungu omphakathi elibhekene ngeziqu zamehlo nabavikeli bomphakathi, abahlome bayizingovolo. ****
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Ngangikhona ngonyaka we-1994, mhla iNingizimu Afrika entsha futhi ekhululekile isingatha ukhetho lokuqala ngqa olukhululekile. Ngangineminyaka eyishumi nesishiyagalolunye ngaleyo nkathi. Kusempondo zankomo ngayikhahlela ingubo ngageza sakuzicwala ngachopha ingqakala yami ngase ngibhinca ibheshu nembatha lami, ngesandla semfene ngabamba isihlangu sami sakusithwala ngivika ilanga elalinsizwa esibhakabhakeni kungekho nafu linye. Zonke izinto zazishintshile ngaleya mini ngoba imini yendlu emnyama yase ifikile isiphila phakathi kwethu kuhle komlobokazi wekhethelo emzini. Ngahosha isikhwili sami esisha ceke engangisibaze ubusuku bonke ngasinika igama likaMpumelelo, kanti isihlangu sona sathola elikaNtuthuko okwase kuyintshumayelo eyayisedosheni labaholi bendlu yakithi. Ngangena emgwaqeni ngasina ingoma yenjabulo eyayisamkhuleko wokubonga
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ukufika
kwemini
eyayizolinganisa
omhlophe
nomnyama,
ibuyise
isithunzi
nokuziqhenya ensizweni nasentombini empisholo. Ngazibona sengihudula ujenga lomshungu olwaluvunule luconsa lusina kanye nami sibheke esikoleni samabanga aphansi; iNtanzini Primary School. Lapho sasiyoshaya isiphambano eceleni kwekhanda elalibonakala liqukethe zonke izethembiso esasizilambele. Eceleni kwalelo khanda kwakugqama impumelelo nezethembiso zomlomo walo ezabe seziphumelele yize zingakaqali. Indlela
engasina
ngayo
yangethusa
kakhulu
ngoba
kwabasengathi
sekungokokugcina ngiphila, kwakungazathi umphefumulo usuyaphuma kowami umzimba. Kwathi nxa kudedelwa imiphumela ayangangimmangaza ngoba ibala elinsundu ilona elalinqobile. Kwaphela inyanga yonke isithupha sami singathintwa lutho olusaketshezi ngithokozele leli bala lo-inki onsundu owawukuso. Waqala umshikashika wentuthuko nokufeza izethembiso, ngaba vule msakazo wami welahle kwakhulunywa ngentuthuko. Ngaba thenge phephandaba kwakhulunywa ngohlahlomali oluhlelelwe intuthuko. Kwaphela iminyaka emine kubanjwa kuyekwa kwelakithi
singaboni
kwenzakalani.
Kwabizwa
umhlangano
kwathiwa
iyeza
intuthuko, kwathiwa kuyeza ukukhanya kodwa kuzoyoqala koNdabezitha uFuze. Kuzoqedwa uthuli emgwaqeni ngetiyela kodwa kuzozibulwa ngomzila obheke koNdabezitha iQadi elikhulu. Kwazitshwa kubhekiwe izintambo nezigxobo zikagesi zidabula phakathi kweNtanzini nezigodi zayo ezine ubheke ngaphesheya komfula uMziyonke endaweni iZanyana enezigodi ezimbili. Kwakhanya ngaphesheya sahlalela ethembeni nganeno nentuthu yamalongwe ethu. Amehlo ethu agcwala uthuli samuka nemifula nganeno, ngaphesheya koMziyonke yayinhle impilo. Kwathiwa asivote ngoba nakithi kuyeza okuhle eminyakeni emibili njengoba umkhumbi
unyakaza
ngaphesheya
nje,
kwathiwa:
sambandaza, ubufakazi
sangundaza,
bungaphesheya
iminwe
bayikhomba
koMziyonke
esigodini
sikaNdabezitha. Sagqugquzeleka sathutheleka ezikhungweni kuhle kukaZulu eya eMakheni siyobeka iziphambano eduze kwekhanda elalithwelwe ngeqoma. Emva kweminyaka emibili sizibophe ngevoti kwadabula amapayipi amanzi ebheke ngaphesheya koMziyonke kuyofakwa amanzi eZanyana esigodini sikaNdabezitha kuphela. Sabukana emehlweni siyiNtanzini. Kwakhiwa inkantolo nomtholampilo kwesikaNdabezitha isigodi yalibaleka indaba yethu ebesithenjiswe ugesi netiyela.
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Sezibheke ehlandleni lesithathu likahulumeni wentando yabantu, imizi ethize yafakelwa izindlu zangasese eminye yasala ibambe ongezansi, nami ngasala nginkemile
ngoba
angilitholanga
kodwa
angikhathazekanga
neze
ngoba
kwasemandulo angikaze ngiliswele. Kwathiwa asishone ezikhungweni siyovotela uMongameli wethu sabuza ukuthi njengoba silokhu siyiphakamisa nje lendoda, isidonsa nini yona kulo mgodi omnyama esikuwona. Kwathiwa ngowezi-2010 wonke umuntu uyobe eqhafaza imbungulu ugesi usufikile. Sashona khona sagcwala izinkalo siyothembeka kuleli bhungu elisisikaza ngomgcagco ube ulivela kancane kangaka.
Zaqala
izidubedube
abantu
bebhikishela
ukugqoza
kwentuthuko
koNongoma, eThekwini, eMlazi, kwaMashu. Saqala sazishaya amakhala ngobaba wethu esimvotele, sithe sesidumela emasumpeni isigaba sesine sokhetho kwatheleka amaloli ethwele amapayipi nezixaxa, waqala umshikashika kumbiwa imisele, kwakhiwa amathangi amanzi. Ngeviki elandulela elokhetho kwatheleka izinqokonqoko zamaloli amade sabusiswa ngamapakana empuphu, kwathiwa asishone khona okhethweni isifikile intuthuko ezovula imisebenzi iphumelelise umphakathi waseNtanzini; savota sesithokozile. Saba fese sangaqashwa, noma kuqashwa kuqashwe ngendlela ehlukanisa umphakathi kabili ishiye imibuzo kwabaningi. Wagaleleka wadlula unyaka wesethembiso okwakungowezi-2010; eNtanzini lutho amanzi, lutho ugesi, lutho itiyela kwamathoyilethi ayefakiwe awasabonwa nangalukhalo. Kwathiwa asilinde owezi-2014 okuyilapho sonke sizobe sesinogesi ngoba iMbazo Project isiqale ukwakha isiteshi esisha sikagesi; isiteshi esizowuphehla siphinde siwusabalalise njengoba lesi esinye singeke sibe namandla okuphakela iNtanzini yonke. Kwasondela ukhetho lwakulonyaka (2014) zaqala izinto kwangathi ziyakhanyakhanya eNtanzini; kwagxunyekwa izimpompi, sisammangazwe ilokho kwambiwa imigodi emizini yethu sakhelwa izindlu zangasese. Sabukana sodwa siyiNtanzini, izindonga zemizi yethu zalotshwa izinombolo. Kwathiwa ngezikagesi, zaqala izihlathi kithi zavakashela amehlo; injabulo yazinza ezinhliziyweni, kwagxunyekwa
yasina
emiqondweni
izigxobo
zikagesi
yethu.
Kwakhethwa
yakhanya
lemizi,
imizi
eyisithupha
salindiswa
kuthiwa
bekusaqedelwa ibhajethi yanyakenye. Kwathiwa asiphikelele okhethweni ngoba inkulu indaba ezayo ngolomhla zingama-27 kuNhlaba. Salinda kwaze kwanqundeka amehlo silinde umnyama ongenanhlansi njengoba sigojela uMandulo namuhla kungenzeki
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lutho.
Umphakathi
ubhekene
ngeziqu
zamehlo
nabezokuvikela
asebezibambe baziqinisa izinhlokohlela zabo imibhobho eminingi ibheke kumina njengoba sengivele ngathi qekelele ngenxa yokuhlehla kwabantu ebengizabalaza nabo ngaphenduka umholi walomshungu ocekele phansi izingqalasizinda. Kodwa-ke akukho nokuncane ukuzisola enhliziyweni yami ngalesi senzo ebengingakaze ngisicabange senzeka ikakhulu nami ngimdibimunye naso, kukodwa kuphela engizisola
ngakho,
lokho-ke
okokuvotela
ubala
kuze
kuphele
iminyaka
engamashumi amabili. Kulamaphoyisa ami ngaphesheya ahlome ayizingovolo kunyomuke elilodwa eseliqinile nokho liza nombhobho. “Uxolo bakwethu.” Likhuza umsindo walo mshungu osungiphendule umholi. “Uxolo bo.” Liqhubeka likhuza. Kube
sengathi
libabanga
kakhulu
labantu
ukuthi
bangalilaleli.
Ngivele
ngizimoyizelele kancane nje kuhle kwentombi ibona isoka. Kusondele elilodwa ilungu lomphakathi linginike umbhobho, ngishaqeke okwesikhashana. Ngesikhathi sengithi ngiyaqala ngiyakhuluma uNgwazi abe esesiqalile isaga ethi bafuna umongameli wezwe azifikele yena mathupha azozixazulela loludaka lwakhe olungasaxoveki lana eNtanzini. Zishaya lesi saga nje ziyagida ezaseNtanzini ungafunga
ukuthi
zisemqhudelwaneni
wengoma
manje.
Ngikhenyeze
ngidondolozela ngiye ngakulo leli phoyisa, ngifike ngilidlule ngiye ngiyoyama ngeveni yawo
amaphoyisa,
lamaphoyisa
ngikhokhe
ayeselindele
umoya,
oyedwa
lapho-ke
ozoqala
ngase
adubule
ngizibonela
bese
kuqedwa
ukuthi ngami
ngezinganono; senginexhalana kodwa ngiziqinisa. “Bakwethu, asixoxisaneni. Angizimisele ukugcina ngenze lento esikhishelwe yona mina.” Kukhuluma leli phoyisa embhobhweni. “Yenze! Yenze! Yenze!” uNgwazi ememeza eshaya ihlombe wenanele nomphakathi. Lithukuthele lithelwe ngamanzi leli phoyisa uma libona ngihleka nami. “Ave ixaka indlela ‘uhulumeni’ wethu asebenza ngayo, ngoba kulezi zinyangana ezidlule ubesigeza izinyawo, eguqe lana phambi kwethu esinxusa, esincenga
ukuba
simuvotele,
nxa
sesimuvotele
usephenduka
esiswini
okwamambawu, lawa athumela nina ukuthi nizowachitha kowami umuzi uthi asibulawe. Ave zimhlophe izandla zikahulumeni wethu njengoba ezenu zivuza igazi nje nina bakwasidlodlo.”
Nginyomuka kulamaphoyisa ngiye kwezohlobo lwami
izinkabi kwazise uMsamariya akadlelani noMjuda. Ngikhalise lombhobho okwemoto yamaphoyisa
ngihamba
phambi
kwezohlobo
lwakithi.
Kuthulakale.
Ngicime
umbhobho wami bese ngikhomba iphoyisa ngilinika ithuba. “Ngiyabo...” ube usushilo ngengila umbhobho wami ngize ngiwuphakamisele phezulu. Lapho izandla zalezi
zimpethu zendlovu ezimi ngemuva kwami besezindiza phezulu bebhiyoza kukhala amakhwela kuqhuma umkikizo wena owabona kungene igoli enkundleni enkulu egcwele phama. Ngiphakamise isandla bese behlisa baze bathule. “Uxolo. Bengisakuthulisela bona wena womthetho.” Ngikhulume maqede ngigoqe izandla, umbhobho uncike ehlombe. “Nibhikishelani umgwaqo...
bakwethu?” indelelo...
leli
phoyisa
ukubukelwa
lehlisa
phansi...”
umoya. leyo
“Ugesi...
ngeminye
amanzi... yemibono
engayicaphuna njengoba ezami zazikhuluma kanye kanye nje. Ngithule ngilinde baze bathule bonke. “NginguMzilikazi kaMashobane mina wena wakwasidlodlo.” Ngibingelela
ngokwakophoyisa.
“UNdlovu
lona.”
uNdlovu
ehlehla
kancane.
“Ngonyama! Nxa ubheka nje ngeso lakho wena waseNgonyameni, yini lena ebhikishelwayo lana eNtanzini?” ngiwubambe sakuchoma umbhobho wami. “Anginalwazi olungako ngalo mbhikisho wenu Mbulazi ngoba mumva nje senabhikishela nokuhlushwa ngamagundane emizini yenu, ingakho-ke ngicela ningichazele kancane.” “Gatsheni! Uma kungafika intombi kuwe oyithembile noyithanda kakhulu ikunike ucu bese ikuthembisa izulu nomhlaba ungenzenjani? Ungaluthatha lolocu?” “Yebo Mbulazi.” uNdlovu ekhuluma evikile ngokusasihlangu. “Uma lentombi iqoma ngaphesheya kwakini kuze kumiswe neduku bese ibuya kuwe ikunika isizathu esiphathekayo sesenzo sayo ungasilalela?” uNdlovu azinwaye ibunzi esindwa ilombuzo. “Uma lentombi eyakunika ucu ikuvakashela umzuzu owodwa kuphela enyakeni bese ivakasha iminyaka emine yonke esokeni langaphesheya ungaphatheka kanjani, njengoba umphefumulo wakho uboshelwe kuyona?” “Ngingadabuka kakhulu Mtungwa.” uNdlovu ngeliphansi. “Mpongo kaZingelwayo, mingaki iminyaka lakhululeka lelizwe lakithi?” “Ingamashumi amabili nengxenye yonyaka.” “Kunjalo impela Boya benyathi. Lokho kuchaza ukuthi nentuthuko kumele engabe isiphindaphindwe izikhawu ezingamashumi amabili kulendawo. Kukhona okuqaphelayo okufakazela lokho lana eNtanzini?” Ngilungisa isigqoko sami engasishiyelwa ikhehla elingizalayo. “Akulula ukuqagula Mtungwa, ikakhulu njengoba usungqongqise isikole nomtapo...” “Izinkukhu zazingakehli emthini kungena zonke lezinto ozibalayo Mpongo.” Ngisho ngifela phansi maqede ngikhahlele inhlabathi ngigqibe. UNdlovu aqalaqalaze. “Ngibona amathoyilethi, nanka amanzi kumpompi, nansi imizi inogesi. Kufunwani kanti? Ninikwa isandla nifuna ingalo yonke.” uNdlovu enikina ikhanda. Nginyuse amakhala. “Usale kanjani
ke lompompi ngoba besibasumpula nje? Ngicela wena phoyisa omi lapho ngasempompini uyakaze leso sigujana bese ukhelela uGatsheni amanzi.” Ngikhomba. Lithathe isigujana likhongozele iphoyisa livule impompi. “Empeleni uyayivala uma wenze njalo wakithi.” Ngisho ngokunganaki. Lidideke iphoyisa. “Ayaphuma?” Ngifulathele ngiphinde ngiphenduke. Linikine ikhanda iphoyisa. “Ingoba uyivalile mnumzana. Vula impompi bo, wonyiwe uNgonyama.” Ngiqinisa amehlo. Linikine ikhanda liyivule, lutho amanzi. Liyivale liyivule futhi kungabi namehluko. “Isonto lesihlanu-ke Gatsheni leli kunjena...” “Ikhona nje i-waterkan.” uNdlovu edla ulimi.
Ngiphenduke
ngibheke
emuva
kuhhomuzele.
“Asiwazi
lowo
mhlola
osikhulumela wona Zingelwayo.” Ngikhumula isigqoko ngisibuka. “Ilemoto enilethela amanzi.” “Yeyi, siyazi ukuthi yini leyonto kodwa ayikaze yafika lana!” uNgwazi esefudumele. “Nogesi lona owukhombayo Gatsheni, ufakwe emizini eyisithupha kuphela njengoba iNtanzini indlaleke kangaka. Akuyona indelelo leyo kubantu? Kulogesi kunezinto okungamele uzisebenzise njengegiza, isitofu esimapuleti mane nokunye nje. Ugesi onjani lowo?” Ngibone uNdlovu enikina ikhanda. “Kunetiyelana elingenayo kulo mgwaqo eningene ngawo niza lana, kodwa liphelela obala nje, nilibonile nani. Iyishumi nesikhombisa iminyaka liqhethe kanjalo kulokhu kuthiwa akulindwe. Intuthuko leyo? Eminyakeni eyishumi nambili edlule sike sahlaselwa izinkanyamba, kwafika umasipala wazosisukela wasibhalisa wasithembisa imixhaso, ukhona nje owubonayo Mpongo? Gatsheni, lentuthuko oyibona lana iyifanele na iminyaka engamashumi amabili?” ngixhuma inqawe yami emlonyeni ngizulazula. Athule uNdlovu. “Ngisho izinsuku ezimbili ziyifanele ‘lentuthuko’ yethu futhi seziningi kakhulu nazo, amahora amabili anele, alingana nayo...” “Yebo!!!” ngiphazanyiswa ilomshungu wami. UNdlovu anikine ikhanda. “Manje njengoba senishise imizi yabantu, yini indaba, owani lomlilo?” uNdlovu eneka izandla. Ngihleke kancane ngizinwaya onceshaneni, emva kwami kuthulakale. “Anikhombisi nokuzisola ngesenzo senu esinobulwane kangaka?” uNdlovu engibukisisa. “Angizisoli nakancane mina mfokaGatsheni, kodwa-ke kumele ngikucacise okokuthi angikaze nangelilodwa ilanga ngibone kufinyelela kulesi sigaba, ngamafuphi nje ngisashaqekile kodwa ngithokozile. Lo mlilo
oshise
yonke
lento
ngumlilo
wengcindezelo
nenkohliso
yeminyaka
engamashumi amabili ebeyimbeswe isikhumba senkululeko, udalwe ngumasipala
nohulumeni
qobo
lwakhe
thina
sakhwezela.
Lona
ngumlilo
wezethembiso
ezingafezekanga. Lo mlilo owemigwaqo emigodigodi okuthi nxa linile kubhajwe okungamakalishana ethu, nompompi abaswele amanzi, nemisebenzi yamathenda ededelwa
ngokwenzelela
lana
eNtanzini.
Lomlilo
ngowomehluko
phakathi
kweNtanzini neZanyana. Lomlilo ngowenhliziyo Gatsheni, inhliziyo ekade kwasa iphulwa kodwa ilokhu imnene, ibekezela, ilindile kukho konke lokho.” “Mtungwa, intukuthelo yenu ngiyayizwa futhi ngizwelana kakhulu nani kodwa-ke mathathu amacala aphezu kwakho ‘njengomholi’. Awukusoconga, awukuzama ukusoconga nawokucekela phansi impahla yomphakathi, ngalokho-ke uzolala endlini emnyama Mzilikazi.” uNdlovu esondela kancane. Ngithi ukuhlehla kancane ngime isikhashana ngiqalaze izinkalo zaseNtanzini, ngizwe umshungu wami ukhumuka kimina bese ngizibamba ngenhla kwedolo lapho sekunkenketha khona ngenxa yensimbi abangifaka yona esibhedlela ngesikhathi ngikade ngikhalakathele emseleni walamapayipi aseNtanzini angaphumi manzi. Ngiphumule ngamandla. “Nginike amasongo kaSigonyela Ngonyama.” Ngibeka phansi umbhobho. Badideke abantu emshungwini wami osuvule igebe elikhulu phakathi kwami nawo yize ngihlehlile. UNdlovu awaphose amasongo, ngiwanqake. Ngithi ngisafake isandla esisodwa abe esefikile uNgwazi afake isandla sakhe kwelinye isongo. “Hhowu wakithi, wenzani manje?” ngishaqekile, ngibheke uNgwazi eziqwini zamehlo. UNgwazi athathe umbhobho ekade sengiwubeke phansi. “Akukwazi ukuthi ungavalelwa wedwa Mashobane, yize uGatsheni ecabanga ukuthi kumele. Lomlilo akuwona owakho, awudalwanga nguwena. Nxa bebopha wena, kuzomele basivalele sonke ngoba lomlilo... ngowezinhliziyo.” uNgwazi edla imihlathu. “Yebo!!!” usondela wonke lomshungu.
Iyaphela!!!