SHEILA MHLONGO
Isizwe samaZulu sigubhe iminyaka engu-40 yoMkhosi Womhlanga eSigodlweni eNyokeni, KwaNongoma, ngoMgqibelo womhlaka 14 Septhemba. Amalungu kahulumeni wesifundazwe eholwa nguNdunankulu uThamsanqa Ntuli nawo abe ingxeye yokuzogubha lo Mkhosi oqhakambisa amasiko namagugu amaZulu.
Umgubho walo nyaka ubuhlanganisa uhlelo oluzojula ekuhlomiseni amatshitshi ngamakhono emisebenzi ngenhloso yokuwahlomisa ngamathuluzi adingekayo ukuze abhekane nezinkinga zomphakathi ezithinta intsha.
UMkhosi woMhlanga wasungulwa yiSilo Samabandla esakhothama uZwelithini kaBhekuzulu eminyakeni engu-40 eyadlula ngenhloso yokuvuselela isiko lokukhuthaza ukuziphatha kahle kwezintombi, lokhu Isilo sakwenza ngokubambisana neNdlovukazi eseyakhothama uMantfombi Ka Sobhuza. LoMkhosi waphinda wavuselelwa ngonyaka ka 1984 kulokhu ugcizelela ukubaluleka kokuziphatha kahle kwezintombi, kanti uMkhosi usukhule kakhulu kusukela wasungulwa lapho waqala uhanjelwa izintombi ezibalelwa ku 500 kuze kube kuleminyaka njengoba sesikhule kakhulu isibalo sabantu nezintombi ezihambela lomgubho safinyelela ku 35,000.
Sethula inkulumo yaso Isilo uMisizulu kaZwelithini sibonge bonke abantu abebethamele lomcimbi wokugujwa koMkhosi womhlanga. Isilo siphinde semukela izicubuthwane kanye namaKhosi abevela ezingxenyeni ezahlene zezwe kanye nasezwenikazi lase Afrika.
Isilo sithe kusemqoka ukuthi sikhumbule iminyaka engamashumi amane siphinda emuva lapho sikhumbula khona ukuthi singobani ngamasiko ethu singuZulu, akukho thina esikuswele konke sinakho, konke lokhu kwenzeka ngesikhathi Ilembe libumba isizwe esisodwa esikholela osikweni olulodwa.
“Sibaningi esifisa ukuthi sibe munye kanti siyazi ukuthi sehlukene ngokwesikompilo kodwa okubalulekile kumele siphokophelele ukuthi sibe munye.” kusho Isilo.
UNdunankulu waKwaZulu-Natali uMnu Thami Ntuli wethule inkulumo yakhe phambi kwezihlwele lapho ethembise khona Isilo ukuthi bazokwenza konke okusemandleni benguhulumeni wesifundazwe ukuthi baqede izinkinga eziningi abazifice zikhona, lapha ebala izinga lobugebengu eliphezulu, ukubulawa kwamakhosi nezinduna, kanye nokubulawa kwabesifazane nezingane.
“Ezinsukwini ezi-11 uhulumeni wakho engiwuholayo SILO uzoqopha izinsuku ezilikhulu. Lezi bekuyizinsuku ezimqoka zokubheka isimo esisificile kepha okumqoka kakhulu ukuqhamuka nezixazululo ezinkingeni ezisikhungethe njengesifundazwe.” Kusho uNdunakulu.
“Kuzintombi zoMhlanga ezikhona namuhla, egameni leSILO ngiyabonga kini nakumindeni yenu ngokuba yingxenye yalokho okuyifagugu lethu. Ukwanda kwenu minyaka yonke bungubufakazi bokuthi nizalwa ngobani. Nina nizalwa ngamaqhawe esilisa nabesifazane.
Njengohulumeni weSILO siyazibophezela ekutheni yonke leminyaka ezayo loMkhosi woMhlanga sizoweseka. Namuhla uneminyaka engama-40 sizowuphakamisa ufike kweminye iminyaka engama-40.” Kuphetha uNdunankulu uNtuli.
