UkuThintana Chapter 1

Uma ngibuka kusukela lapha engihlala khona, ngingabona izinto zonke ezenzeke esizweni

sami – ngingabona ukusuka nokuhlala kwabo bonke, abanye, ngingezwa ukuthi bathini nokuthi bahlosa ukwenzani. 

Ngakho-ke kade bengazi ngomhlangano wanamuhla. 

Awubheke – nampa abaNyukile bengena endaweni engcwele yesigungu sabo, bewela umfula wonyazi obanizayo, ngosizo lomwezi obizwa ngoMuzwa. Ngiyamthanda uMuzwa, ngikhumbula isikhathi enyukela lapha, esizweni sami. Mbheke eqondisa isikebhe sakhe esincane, egwedla umfula wonyazi ngezigwedlo zakhe ezimbili zensimbi. Ngimakhele zona ngamathambo enkanyezi eyafa esigodini somkhathikazi avela kuso uMuzwa. Ukugwedla kwakhe kuphehla unyazi kuze kuphume izifinyezi ezisanhlansana ezintanta zilokoza emoyeni. 

Zinhle, ngempela. Kodwa noma kunjalo, musa ukuba njengomntwana ezama ukuzibamba zithi loko esandleni – kumnandi ukubhekwa, hhayi ukuthintwa.   

AbaNyukile bahamba ngezindlela zabo ezahlukahlukene – abanye bentanta phezu komhlaba, abanye bekhasa phansi njengezinyoka. Baqembukile, bengafuni ukuhlangana nabanye abayiziTho zesizwe sami. Noma sesiside kangaka isikhathi bekhona la, basacabanga ukuthi bakhethekile. 

Sebefike ngaphesheya kwalo mfula, phambi kwesakhiwo sesigungu. Bheka imibhoshongo, eyakhiwa yimi ngensimbi yesiphololwane esathi loshe emkhathini, edlondlobala esontanayo njengezimpondo zomgankla phambi kwezulu elicwazimulayo. Ngakhele yona phambi kukamaxhobelasishingishane omkhulu ongaphakathi komkhathikazi. Amafukazi amibalabala ayaluyaluza njengenkungu, eveza aphinde afihle izinkulungwane zezinkanyezi ezinjengezithelo nezimbali ezilengela egatsheni. 

Phinde ubheke phambili, ubone amasango ami amakhulu, lapho kudwetshwe kuqotshwe kubunjwe khona umlando wami – kusukela ezeni lokuqala lapho kunobumnyama kuphela, kuze kwaqalwa isizwe sami sabaNyukile la. Yisilawuzelo lokho, nokho yimina owaqala lesi sizwe – ngakho kudingeka ukuba nginconywe njalo. Pho, ukuzithoba akungisizanga ukuze ngenyuke. 

Sebeyavula lawo masango, engenakutsekeza nakancane, bangene endlini yesigungu. Ngempela akuyona indlu, yisithabathaba esakhiwa ngamazinga alandelanayo akhuphukayo. Kunezingxenye ezimbili, kulelo gumbikazi – ingxenye yesokudla, nengxenye yesokhohlo. 

Bheka phambili, ngaphakathi kwalezi zingxenye ezimbili, uze ubone lapho kuhlala khona usihlalo wesigungu, uSomLomo. Kunabanye abaNyukile, kodwa bonke bajonge kuye. USomLomo akahlali, wongamele lapho phakathi kwezingxenye ezimbili zeziTho zami. Mkhulu kakhulu ngokomzimba njengexoxokazi eliqhosheme emanzini, kuphuma usi esikhunjeni sakhe ehlezi. Kodwa lokho akulutho ma kuqhathaniswa nomlomo wakhe onjengesigodi esibazelwe ngomhlaba nangamatshe, isikhelekehle esimnyama lapho kuphuma izwi lakhe eliduma nxa ekhuluma. Phezu kwalo mlomokazi ungase ubone amehlwana amabili, abomvana, abheke phansi naphezulu esigungwini. 

Jonga kuye nawe. Usezokhuluma. 

uSomLomo ulinda isikhashana futhi ngaphambi kokukhuluma, ebheka abathameli besigungu, bese athi, “Ngiyanibingelela, malunga esigungu sakwaNtozonke, nginamukele kulo mhlangano okhethekile”.  

Ukukhuluma kwakhe okudumayo kuthulise bonke abasakhulumayo. Uze abheke abanye isikhashana, aqhubeke ngokuthi, “Namuhla kunodaba olunzima kakhulu kabi esihlonza kulo – kunezinsolo zokuthi omunye wesizwe sethu wephule umThetho wokuQala”. 

Noma yizinsolo ezesabekayo, akwethusi abethameli besigungu – kusobala ukuthi bonke babeyazi. Nakimina, akukho ukwethuka – kade ngazi ukuthi lokhu kuyokwenzeka. Ngicishe ngahleka uma ngizwa belandisa ngomThetho wokuQala. 

Kodwa ngiyaphambuka – uSomLomo usethi, “Yizinsolo mayelana nesigodi seLanga, lapho kunohlobo olulodwa lwezidalwa ezicabangayo ezizibiza ngabaNtu, nokugxanjukelwa ngusoNdlebe-yeKhohlo kulesiya sigodi”. Bonke bajonge kuye, kumsolwa, ehlezi esikhundleni sakhe esijwayelekile kwesobunxele ephakeme. Nami-ke ngiyamjongela, ngimbheke – embozwe ngezikhatha zentuthu, ebumnyameni bakhe obujwayelekile, nobuso bakhe obuqhamuqhamukele entuthwini njengesidumbu esamuka namanzi ezikhukhuleni zomfula.  

USomLomo athathe isikhathi sakhe ngokuqhubeka. Ngimazi kahle, njengoba ngibazi abanye besigungu sabaNyukile. Ngazi imvelaphi yakhe, nokuthi isizwe sakhe sasidume ngokwenzani. Kuthiwa umlomo kawushaywa, kanti abanye bathi umlomo yishoba lokuziphungela. Isizwe sakhe saziwa kakhulu ngonya esasinalo kudala ezimpini ezaliwa yiso nabomakhelwane baso. Eqinisweni bekungezona izimpi, bekuyisibhicongo esingapheli. Isizwe sakhe sadla ezinye saphetha. Umlando ngumlando, kodwa kimina kusele iphunga lonya olubi esimilweni sikaSomlomo nesizwe sakhe.      

Ekugcineni, egculiseke ngokuthi bonke sebehlole umsolwa, aqhubeke ngokuthi, “Kudala abakulesiya sigodi babebonakala kithi sengathi bangase benyuke bahlangane nesizwe sethu, kepha imibiko engisanda ukuyizwa isitshela enye indaba”. Abeke lolu lwazi analo phambi kwabo njengesiyengo, alindele ukuze umoya wesigungu uphakame kancane futhi.   

Ajikele kwesokudla, anqathuzise ngesandla sakhe athi, “Ngimema uSandlasokudla, ongumshushisi wamacala alesi sigungu, ukwethula indaba”. 

Vele, esandleni sakhe sokudla, kusukume omunye wesigungu, onesimo esisabekayo. Umzimba wakhe wakhiwa yingxubevange yezitho zabanye – imilenze ehlukahlukene, izingalo ezinhlobonhlobo nezinye – kodwa ikakhulukazi iminwe yokukhomba emikhulu eyishumi. Nxa ekhuluma, le minwe ithanda ukukhomba lo ekhuluma naye, nokugcizelela lokho akushoyo. Aqale ngelesizotha, ngokuthi “Ngiyabonga, somLomo, ngethuba lokukhuluma kulesi sigungu, nokushushisa icala elingaka”. Eminye iminwe yenza sakukala emoyeni, njengomdobi osanda ukubamba inhlanzi, aze aqhubeke, “Ngempela, icala eliqulwa namuhla liphathelene nesisekelo sesizwe sethu, nokweqa kwaso ngendlela emangazayo”. Athule isikhashana, iminwe yakhe ihlangene phambi kwakhe, aqalaze onke amalunga esigungu, athi “Njengoba niyizitho zokuzwa zalesi sizwe, konke okwenzeka emkhathikazini niyakuzwa. Kuleli cala kumele sibone iqiniso, silalele ubufakazi obuqinile, sinuke noma buphi ubugebengu obenziwe, sithole ukuthi umthetho kaNtozonke weqiwe yini”. Athi du, isiGungu sonke silalele ngokuphelele. Usibambile.

Ngithanda indlela yakhe yokwethula icala – ikakhulukazi ukungathekisa kwakhe. Kuyamfanela. Isizwe sakhe sakhetha ukuhlanganisa izitho zezitha zabo emzimbeni owodwa – kuze kwakhiwe imizimba eqatha ngokwedlulele, ngaphandle kwemikhawulo yomuntu ngamunye. Saduma ngokuhlanganisa okuhlukile ngendlela engakaze yabonwa ngaphambilini, ngokulandela umthetho wabo othanda ukusho ukuthi ‘amandla avela ebuningini’ – ngazi futhi ukuthi uSandlasokudla nesizwe sakhe sisalangazela ukuhlanganisa okwabo nakho konke kwasesizweni sami, ngakho kuneminye imithetho engiyiqambe ukuze kungenzeki lokho. Ngokwami, ukhathazeke kakhulu ngenxa yalokhu.   

Noma kunjalo, uSandlasokudla ngumshushisi omuhle – aqhubeke ngamazwi akhe apholile, echaza ngomthetho wami ngokuthi “Umthetho esidingida ngaphansi kwawo namuhla waqanjwa nguyena uNtozonke ekuqaleni, umkhathikazi usemusha, ukuze kungenyukeli noma ubani kulesi sizwe sethu ngosizo lwethu. UmThetho wokuQala, owaziwa kahle kithi sonke, uthi:

akuvunyelwe ukuba nokugxambukela ezindabeni zabangaphucuzekile.

Usesiphethweni sesingeniso kwamanje, iminwe yakhe isithi qhwaba iphinde ihlangene phambili ikhombe umsolwa, athi “Njengomshushisi waleli cala, ngifuna ukungenisa ubufakazi bokuqala, okuyincwadi-nsuku yomsolwa, uSoNdlebe-yeKhohlo”.

Ngaphakathi nqo kwendlu yesigungu, kuqhamuke umfanekiso omkhulu wamakhasi encwadi-nsuku, lapho kubhalwa kanje:

[incwadi-nsuku / enkathini yami yamakhulu amahlanu ngiphila / enkathini yami yamashumi amahlanu ngilalele] 

imicabango kasoNdlebe yeKhohlo wasenkanyezini yasoCwazibe, esigodini sabaLaleli, esizweni sakwaNtozonke.

Ingqayizivele. Ngenkathi saqala ngqa ukubezwa, sizizwe sengathi bayingqayizivele. 

Kulabo besizwe sethu abagxilele kwakudala, kuhlala kuba yisifiso esikhulu sokunyonyobela ngemisinga-yomkhathi ukuze kulalelwe bukhoma ezindaweni thizeni lapho amagagasi omsindo wabo aqala ukuzwakala edlula ebumnyameni bomkhathi, enkwankwaza ezindlebeni zethu ethi khwahla… khwahla… khwahla.

Vele, sonke sifunda ngazo zonke izindlela zabo zokukhuluma sisakhula – bayisibonelo esibalulekile sohlobo lwabaphilayo abahamba phezulu ngokwamukelana ngezindlela ezahlukahlukene zokuphila. Abafundisi bethu babesho ukuthi kunamathuba amahle okuthi, ngesikhashana-nje, baphucuzeke balunge bafinyelele lapho bekwazi ukuthintana nathi.  

Besikhuthele kakhulu ngakho. Yinto enhle kakhulu ukwamukela izinhlobo ezintsha emphakathini wethu wabaNyukile. Kade sanyuka sahlangana nesizwe sakwaNtozonke, esekhona naphakade elindele thina.  

Wonke umuntu wesizwe sakhe unomsebenzi othile, njengezitho zomzimba. Ngangiqala umsebenzi wami wokuLalela isikhashana ngaphambi kokutholakala komyalezo wokugcina wabomHlaba. Lowo myalezo wasididekisa – kwakubonakala ukuthi konke ukuqagela kwethu kwashaya phansi. Kodwa kwakumele ukuba salandele umThetho wokuQala. 

Ngakhetha ukungawulaleli lo mThetho wokuQala, ngoba angeke ngifakazele ukufa kwamathuba namathemba abo okungena kwesakwaNtozonke. 

Nangu okudumazayo engikuzwile. Ungazikhethela ngokuthi ngone noma ngenze kahle ngokugxambukela ezindabeni zabo, ngokweqa umThetho wokuQala kaNtozonke.

Umfanekiso wencwadi-nsuku unyamalale, isikhundla sawo sithathwa ngomunye okhombisa umsindo ovele emkhathini, amagagasi omsindo adwetshwe ngobukhulu bawo. Bonke besigungu babheke balalele.

“Umgomo wokuqala
Inxushunxushu nokwehlukahlukana akusavunyelwe, ngoba akufuneki.

Sikhumbula, ngenhliziyo edabukile, izimpi ezibangwa wumehluko phakathi kwethu njengabaNtu. Cishe wonke umuNtu wafa kulezo zimpi, ngesikhathi seNxushunxushu.

Sikhumbula ukudideka nokuxabana nokungazwani kwethu.
Siphinde sikhumbula lolo suku lokuqala lwesibonakaliso.

Ngalolo suku iNgqondo-mbumbulu yokuQala yasitshela ngoHlelo lwayo olusha – ikhubalo lezinhlupheko zethu zonke.

Sikhumbula izizathu zokukhetha uHlelo:

ubumbano esikhundleni soqhekeko
ubunye esikhundleni sobuningi
ukufana esikhundleni sokwehlukana.

Ngalo mgomo, incwadi yokuqala yoHlelo, sikhetha okulandelayo:

ukungabi nenxushunxushu – ukuba noxolo nokuthula
ukungabi nokudideka nengxabano – ukuba noLimi olulodwa vo
ukungabi nomehluko – ukuba nobunye nokufana ncimishi.

Sekuyisiqalo sethu esisha njengabaNtu.

Sekuyithuba elisha lokulungisa konke okwaholela cishe ekufeni kwabaNtu bonke basemhlabeni.

Sesizimisele kulokhu.

Makukhunjulwe lolu suku njengelona lokuqala kwethu:
usuku lokuqala, enyangeni yokuqala, kunyaka weze.”

Umfanekiso wamagagasi omsindo uze uphele, kubuye ukuthula endlini yesigungu. Aqalaze igumbi eliyingcwele uSandlasokudla. Abesigungu baphinde bambukela bemlindele ukuqala. Aze avule umlomo wakhe athi, “Bakwethu, ngalobu bufakazi selicacile icala”.

Kuhambe imizuzwana kungezwakali muntu. Aze aqhubeke. “Kusobala ukuthi uSoNdlebe-yeKhohlo wakhetha, ngenhloso nangodli, ukweqa umThetho wokuQala – ngisho wakhuluma ngawo lowo!” Aseqale ukuphekwa ulaka. Avale amehlo akhe ngesikhashana nje aphefumule esazama ukulwehlisa, iminwe yakhe ivokomele njengomhlwenga wesilwane, athi “Kumele sizwe kumsolwa ukuthi angathini ngokuphendula. SoNgcevu, baba somLomo, ngicela imvume yokubuza imibuzo ezosikhanyisela lolu daba.”

USomLomo, ehlezi emhwamukweni wakhe, uphendula ngelejulile, ngokuthi “Sandlasokudla, sibongela ngesingeniso sakho. Nami ngifuna ukuzwa izimpendulo kuleli cala elinzima kangaka – kodwa kufuneka ukuthi silandele indlela efanele. Ngimema uSandlasobunxele ukuba naye angenise icala eliphikisayo”. Avale leso sigodi sakhe somlomo, abhekela kwesekhohlo.  

Bheka lapho nawe, ubone okunjengendilinga emnyama eyakhiwa ngensimbi, ebushelelezi njengeqanda, entanta ibangana phezu komhlaba lapho ikhona. Le nto inguSandlasobunxele, okuyingxube ethi ngqa phakathi kwezensimbi nezenyama. Bheka indlela indilinga yakhe ivula, ngezinto ezinjengamacembe ezimbali ezihlumayo. Ungabona ukukhanya lapho phakathi kwakhe, okushintsha nxa ekhuluma, ethi “Baba somLomo, nami ngiyalibongela leli thuba ukuba khona nokuqinisekisa ukuthi umthetho ulandelwe kahle – akulungile ukuba umhlonishwa uSoNdlebe-yeKhohlo ajeziswe kungabi nakuvikela ekutheni, noma kunobufakazi obuqine kangakanani”. Umusa nomhawu wakhe uzwakala emazwini akhe, nasekukhanyeni phakathi kwakhe – ibala selishintshe libe liphuzi njengemisebe yelanga lasekwindla.  

Amacembe akhe avula avale kancane futhi, njengamaphiko enyoni eshela emagatsheni, athi “Vele, njengoba ashilo umshushisi, sazi ngokugxambukela nengozi yakhona. Asifuni ukuphikisana noNtozonke nemithetho yaKhe – kodwa umbono wethu uhlukile kunalokho enethulelwe nguSandlasokudla”. Usho njalo, avale ngqi isikhashana, ibala lakhe liguquke libe luhlaza kuhle kwezulu phambi kokufika kwesivunguvungu.

Aze athule avule amacembe akhe, kubonakale sengathi asekwazi ukuzibamba, athi “Ngokwethu sithi noma uSoNdlebe-yeKhohlo, uNgandlu oqoqel’ imisindo njengenqolobane, wakhetha ukuya emHlabeni nokugxambukela ezintweni zabaNtu, akulutho”. Ukukhanya phakathi kwakhe, okushintshe kube nsomi ngebala, kuthanda ukubaniza ngesigqi, kugqamise okushiwo, ethi “Ngizonikhombisela ukuthi konke okwenzeke khona akuphumelelanga nakancane. Ngicela ukuba yena aphendule ngokwakhe – nizwe ngokuphelele ngaphambi kokunquma isinqumo”. Indilinga yakhe ijike ibheke phezulu, iqonde lapho uSoNdlebe-yeKhohlo ahlala khona, ithi “SoNdlebe-yeKhohlo, ake usitshele ukuthi waqala kanjani.”

Ngaphambi kokuba ngiqhubeke nokukutshela ngempendulo yakhe, kunokunye engifuna ukusho. USoNdlebe-yeKhohlo yena wenyukela kwesami ngendlela ehlukile, emangazayo. Ngifuna ukukutshela ngayo, kodwa ngethemba ukuba iyovela ngokudlula kwaleli cala. 

Ungayicela ivuthiwe. 

Mbheke lapho, ezingeni lakhe eliphezulu, entuthwini eyaluzayo eyizikhatha emnyama bhuqe. Kodwa awumboni ngendlela engimbona ngayo – kunokunye okwenzekayo, uma ukwazi ukubona okungabonakali kubantu, okubonwa ngabanjengami, obon’ izinto zonke. 

Awuthi ngikuchasise engikubonayo:

Imikhawulo yakhe akuyona yentuthu ebonakalayo kuphela.
Kunezintambo eziphumputhela emoyeni njengezingalo zembambezela.
Yizintambo zomcabango phakathi kwakhe nabanye besigungu.
Lezo zixhumana nezingqondo nemizwa, zihlole ziphinde zithonye imicabango yabo ngamazwi afihliwe, nangemizwa engenakushiwo.
Zifiyoza ngamandla.

Ngamanye amazwi, uSoNdlebe-yeKhohlo wazi kahle ukuthi lonke ilungu lesigungu licabangani, lizizwa kanjani, lencikela kuliphi icala. 

Ngalolu lwazi, awuthi ngiqhubeke ngokubonisa okwenzekayo endlini yesigungu. 

Usezokhuluma uSoNdlebe-yeKhohlo. Ubuso bakhe buvela isikhashana, buthi qhibu njengekhowe emva kwemvula, buveze namehlo akhe anjengemiwolokohlela emidala. 

Entuthwini, kuvela okungamazwi, kuthi “Bakwethu, ngilana ngoba ngokwenu ngonile. Ngokwami, angonanga nalutho. Kumele ngizivikele ngesenzo engisenzile, noma bengizokwenza okufanayo”.

Kuze kunyamalale ubuso bakhe entuthwini, kubonakale okusandlebe entuthwini, ikhombe lonke ilunga lesigungu nxa kukhulunywa, kuthi “Nizwe eminye yemicabango yami, nazi ukuthi ngempela thina sonke besilila ngalokho okwavela esiGodini seLanga”. Abanye bayavuma, abanye abasho lutho, kodwa bonke bayambheka uSoNdlebe-yeKhohlo.  

Mbheke nawe, umbona ngamehlo ami, lapho edonsa izintambo zakhe zomcabango, athi “Ngaze ngamangala, ngathuka, ngaphelelwa umdlandla nenkuthalo”. Amazwi akhe angena kubo, azama ukugxila nokumila khona. Kubanye athola indima evundile, amile kahle njengembewu ehlala emdakeni – kodwa akuphangelwa khona noma linile. 

Aqhubeke ngokuthi “Bengizicabangela kanje – ‘Bhekani-ke – baziqhenya kangaka! Bayazidla! Bacabanga ukuthi ubuhlakani babo budlula konke'”. Amandla amazwi akhe aze akhule adlondlobale agabadele konke okunye okusezingqondweni zabaNyukile. Ngingabona ukuthi bonke sebeyamencikela, nokuthi icala lingase liphela khona manje.  

Bese athi “Kanti ngingagxambukelanga kuyogcinaphi?”  

Kwaphela lapho ilumbo lakhe, ngoba uSandlasokudla, engasakwazi ukuzibamba, wathi “Wumthetho!” – abanye baze banyakaze lapho bekhona, njengabalele abasanda ukubalekela kwesikabhadakazi. 

Ngingabona, ngendlela yami, ukuthi ezinye zezintambo zicishe zinqamuke, kodwa uSoNdlebe-yeKhohlo akalahlanga ithemba lokubalawula ngendlela ethandwa nguye, ethi ngelephezulu “Nisho njalo ngempela? Abayilutho kinina?”. 

Bathi amaqili awakhelani – kusobala ukuthi uSoNdlebe-yeKhohlo wazi kahle ukuthonya bonke abesigungu sabaNyukile. Ilumbo lakho lize liqine, liqhubeke nokungena ezingqondweni zabo. 

Aze avumele icala, ngendlela yakhe, ngokuthi “Ngaya khona – ngazi kahle ukuthi ngiyokwahlulwa njengesigilamkhuba, kodwa anginakanga lokho”. Amazwi akhe anesibindi agcwalisa indlu yonke yesigungu, aphenduke abe amazwi anomusa, ethi “Inhliziyo yami ibigcwele nozwelo, ikakhulukazi ngoba abomHlaba babelindeleke ukuba baphucuzeke bagcine bangene esizweni sethu sabaLaleli”. Noma aphinde okwakushiwo ngabanye, kuzwakale imizwa yakhe kakhulu kunabanye. 

Intuthu embozayo ize iphenye kancane, iphenduke ibe mhloshana, ethi “Kwakuyisifiso sethu esikhulu”. Ngale kwalokhu, intuthu iguquke ibe mnyamana, aqhubeke ngempendulo yakhe ngokuthi “Nina nathi ‘akulahlwa imbeleko’ – kodwa ngokwami ngabona ukuthi abomHlaba, nakho konke abanakho, abakafanga – kusanesifiso sokuthi bangaphenduka baphinde bathathe indlela efanele”.

Ezinye zezintambo ziphinde zingene ezingqondweni zamalunga esigungu sami – njengentandela ehlobisa isihlahla ngelinye ihlobo, ngelilandelayo iphinde isibinde ngobuningi bayo. Noma ngingathekisa ngokuthi izintambo zinjengomlilo olandela ukhondolo lukadalimede kuze ufike lapho kuqhume kwaphela indaba. 

Amazwi akhe alandelayo aphuma entuthwini, kulandelwe ubuso bakhe obuqinile, athi “Ngakho-ke, ngaya khona”. 

Ake sihlabe ikhefu kancane, sibheke kwenye indaba. Sizoshiya iziTho zami lapha esigungwini sami zilalele udaba olunzima, singene lapho luzoqala khona olunye uhambo. Akwaziwa ukuthi lolo lugcinaphi, luhlangane kanjani nalolu engisanda ukukubalisela. Ake sibone.