AMAZWI OKUTHOKOZA
OMNTWANA MANGOSUTHU BUTHELEZI
ILUNGU LEPHALAMENDE
KwaPhindangene: 27 Agasti 2022
UMnu Mpikayise Buthelezi, oyiBamba-bukhosi lami eMkhandlwini kaMaziphathe weSizwe sakwaButhelezi; izinduna ezithwalisene naye umsebenzi woMkhandlu; indodana yami uMntwana uNtuthukoyezwe Zuzifa Buthelezi neNdlunkulu uMaMohale; kanye namalungu aqotho esizwe sakwaButhelezi asebenzela abantu ngenkuthalo; kanye nezihambeli zethu ezisemqoka. Izingane zami ezikhona nabazukulu bami; uBongimpilo noZakithi, uZamokuhle noNtandoyenkosi nabanye ebengingaziswanga ukuthi bazobakhona.
Kungithinta kakhulu ekujuleni kwezingxabo zenhliziyo yami lokhu eningenzele khona namuhla. Bengingakulindele ukuba ngihlonishwe ngaloluhlobo njengoba ngihlanganisa iminyaka yokuzalwa engamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nane (94). Uma ngicabanga ngakho konke eningenzela khona ngokuthwala umsebenzi eMkhandlwini kaMaziphathe kanye naseSizweni sakwaButhelezi, nenza okukhulu okungaphezu kokulindelwe yilokho umsebenzi wenu okudingayo, njengoba nenzile ngokuqoqa iminikelo ukuze kube nalomcimbi wokugubha usuku lokuzalwa kwami. Ngizwa nginokuthobeka ngempela. Ngiswele amazwi angase edlulise ukujula kwami kokunibonga.
Kuyadingeka ukuba ngikubalule ukuthi mina njengeNkosi yeSizwe sakwaButhelezi, ngibe ngobusisekile cishe iminyaka esondela emashumini ayisikhombisa, ngempela lesi okuyisikhathi esihlanganisa leso esabelwe isidalwa esingumuntu, ngibusiswe ngabantu abaqotho nabangisekelayo okungamaBamba-bukhosi ami kanye nezinduna, kanye nawobaba nabafowethu. Angikaze ngizifumane ngisethubeni lokukhathazeka nokuba nexhala ngokuthi sizobuswa kahle yini iSizwe sakwaButhelezi, ngoba ngaso sonke isikhathi ngethembele kini ukuba nenze lokho okuwubizo lwenu ukusebenzela abantu bakithi. Kuyinto engavamile ukuba noma yimuphi umholi ukuba abathembe ngokupheleleyo labo igunya lakhe lokuphatha ledluliselwe kubo. Isisekelo salokhu yikuthembana nokubumbu’bunye kubaholi beSizwe, izinduna kanye nomndeni weNkosi.
Emcimbini onjengalona, kangikwazi ukuba ngigweme ukuba ngicabange ngokuqala kohambo lwethu ekusebenzeleni iSizwe sakwaButhelezi kanye nokuthi sesihambe ibanga elingakanani kusukela ngaleyonkathi. Ngisakhumbula-nje ukuthi ngenyanga kaMashi ngonyaka ka-1953, ngenkathi iSilo Samabandla u-Cyprian Nyangayezizwe Bhekuzulu kaSolomon kanye namalungu eNdlunkulu, kumbandakanya nabangani bethu abaningi kanye namalungu eSizwe sakwaButhelezi, behlangene ngenkathi ngibekwa esihlalweni njengeNkosi yeSizwe sakwaButhelezi, sonke kwasishaqisa ukufumana incwadi yokubekwa kwami esihlalweni eyayivela eMnyangweni WokuPhatha Izindaba Zabantu (Department of Bantu Administration). Ngaphezu kokuba iSizwe sasiqonda ukuthi ngangingumholi ozalelwe lesikhundla, uMnyango wakubalula ukuthi bazokwazisa baphinde bakwamukele ngokusemthethweni ukungena kwami esihlalweni kepha njengeBamba-bukhosi. Ngamanye amazwe lokhu kwakusho ukuthi ngisahlolwa ukuthi kungifanele yini noma akungifanele ukuba yiNkosi. Ngangiqala ukuzwa ukuthi ikhona yini iNkosi yoMdabu engabekwa kuthiwe iyiBamba-bukhosi.
UKhomishani weziNdaba zaBantu (Bantu Commissioner) ngaleyonkathi wangixwayisa ngalawamazwi, “Ungumuntu ofundile. Kepha ngiyakweluleka ukuba ubahloniphe abadala bohlanga lwakho. Bazise abantu asebehambile ngeminyaka ngoba banobuhlakani.” Ngiyakucabanga lokhu njengamanje, ukuba ubesadla amabele uKhomishana, ubengahle agculiseke ukuthi sengicoshe ubuhlakani obuyimiphumela yokukhula ngeminyaka.
Kodwa-ke ngajeziselwa ukuba semzabalazweni wenkululeko ngenkathi ngisafunda eNyuvesi yase-Fort Hare (KwaNokholeji). Uhulumeni wombuso wobandlululo wawukuqonda ukuthi ngisondelene kangakanani neNkosi u-Albert Luthuli njengoba yayingumvivisi wami ngenkathi ngisaseThekwini, ngaphambi kokuba ngibuyele eMahlabathini ukuyothatha indawo yami njengeNkosi yeSizwe saKwaButhelezi. Eqinisweni kwaba ngenxa yokululekwa yiNkosi uLuthuli ukuba ngiyeke umsebenzi engangiziqokele wona, ukuwufundela ukuba ngibe nguMmeli esikhundleni salokho ngamukele imisebenzi yokuba yiNkosi yeSizwe sakwaButhelezi.
Nakuba kunjalo ngenkathi ngiseyiBamba-bukhosi ngangena ngathi shi enkonzweni yokusebenzela iSizwe sakithi kwaButhelezi. Ngangiqula amacala emiphakathi kanye nawokwephula imithetho, ngaphinde ngakufumuna kuwusizo olukhulu ukuthi izifundo zami zomthetho engazifunda enyuvesi zangisiza kakhulu. Kwathatha iminyaka emine ngaphambi kokuba uHulumeni wobandlululo ungamukele ngokupheleleyo esihlalweni njengeNkosi yeSizwe sakwaButhelezi ngokugcwele, kepha ngangilokhu ngiqashwe ngeso lokhozi kangangokuthi yileso naleso sinyathelo engisithathayo wayebikelwa ngaso ukusuka nokuhlala uhulumeni wobandlululo.
Angamukelwanga esihlalweni sokuba yiNkosi kwaze kwafika uSepthemba 1957 ngamukelwa ngokupheleleyo ukuba ngiphathe iSizwe sakwaButhelezi. Kwakungeyona into elula neze ukuphatha izindaba zeSizwe sakwaButhelezi. Kwakukhona amalungu eSizwe ayekuqonda ukuthi ohlangothini lukahulumeni ngangingeyona intandokazi yakhe uhulumeni. Abanye bakhuthazwa ukuba baqashe abammeli ukuba ngimangalelwe kanye nokuphikisa izinqumo zenkantolo ngodaba lwami. Kepha zonke lezicelo zokudluliswa kwamacala zaphunza.
Ngisalukhumbula udaba lwecala lukaMnu Mafumbatha Dlamini weSigodi saseMantungweni. Indodakazi yakhe yayengwa yibhungu, kepha ngenxa yemithetho yomdabu ukushona kwengane eyazaleka ngokuyengeka yenza ukuba isigilamkhuba sitholakale singenacala. UMnu Dlamini walidlulisela phambili icala eNkantolo kaKhomishana waBantu (Native Commissioner’s Court). IMantshi yeNkantolo yanquma ukungasibeki icala isigilamkhuba ngokuhushulwa kwesisu. Ngaleyonkathi uMnu Dlamini wanquma ukudlulisela phambili icala eNkantolo ePhakeme yeZindaba zaBantu (Native High Court). Lelibhungu lacabanga ukuthi njengoba ingane yabe isishonile ngakho lona angeke kulindeleke kulo ukuba likhokhe izindleko zamademeshe. Kepha njengoba wayethembise enkantolo yami ukuthi uyakuwakhokhela amademeshe, iNkantolo ePhakeme yeziNdaba zaBantu (Native High Court), yavumelana (yabambelela) esinqumeni sikaMnu Dlamini sokudlulisela icala phambili, isukela ekutheni lelibhungu lenza isibophezelo ukuthi liyakukhokha amademeshe njengokwethembisa kwalo ngaphambi kokuba ingane yedlule emhlabeni. Ngamanye amazwi udaba olumqoka kwaba yikuthi lelibhungu lase livele lethembisile ukuthi liyakuwakhokhela amademeshe. Lesinqumo seNkantolo Enkulu sayethusa iMantshi, yaqala ukuba iqaphelisise ingakaziphikisi izinqumo zenkantolo yami yeSizwe.
Umsebenzi wokuphatha iSizwe wawusinda kakhulu. Ngalesosikhathi sasihamba amabanga amade, mina ngigibela ihhashi futhi kwakungeyona into elula neze ukuhambela izindawo kuzo zonke izinkalo ngobubanzi bendawo yeSizwe sakwaButhelezi, ezinye izingxenye zezwe kwakungelula ukufinyelela kuzo ngoba kwakungenamigwaqo. Esikhathini esiningi sesiphindela emuva kwasekuhlwile, sikhanyisa iziketekete zikaphalafini. Lezindawo zaziyibanga elide impela kudingeka ukuba sihambe nasebusuku. Kwakuyinto enzima kabi emalangeni eSizwe sakwaButhelezi okwakudingeka ukuba banqamule ukhalo beyothamela izigcawu zamacala kusempondo zamnenke, bekhanyisa izihlonti zikaphalafini ukuze bakwazi ukubona indlela. Besuke cishe ngaseNgome ezinqeni zezwe lakwaButhelezi beza lapha KwaPhindangene.
Uma sengiqula amacala ngangiqopha ubufakazi ngokububhala phansi ngepeni. Esikhathini esiningi kwakungena mpheme noma uphahla esingakhosela ngaphansi kwalo ngenkathi amacala esaqulwa. Ngafumana ukuthi uma kuna izulu, imvula yayikucima konke engangikubhalile. Eqinisweni ngakubalula lokhu ngosuku lokubekwa kwami esihlaweni sokuba yiNkosi yakwaButhelezi, ngaphinde nganxusa kumalungu eSizwe sakwaButhelezi ukuba bacabangisise ngokwakhiwa kwenkantolo yesizwe. Ngaleyonkathi sasingekho ngisho esisodwa isakhiwo owawungasifanisa ngokhalo lapha eMahlabathini ukuba sifeze lomsebenzi, ngisho kuzo zonke izizwe ezazingaphansi koMbuso weSizwe sikaZulu.
Ngakho akumangazanga nje emva kwesikhashana ukuba uMnyango wokuPhathwa kweZindaba zaBantu (Department of Bantu Administration) wakhele iSilo Samabandla inkantolo u-Cyprian Nyangayezizwe Bhekuzulu kaSolomon (ngisho uBhusha). Emva kwalokho kwalandela ngokuba uMnyango wakhe ezinye izinkantolo ezimbalwa. Lokhu kwenzelwa izizwe kanye naMakhosi amukela uMthetho kaMaziphathe waBantu ka-1951, owawucaba ukuba kugcine kunoHulumeni waKwaZulu, izizwe naMakhosi benxenxwa ukuba bawamukele lomthetho.
Ngaba nokuziqhenya ngenkathi iSizwe sakwaButhelezi sithatha isinqumo ukuba enkeceni yentela lapha eSizweni kukhokhwe irandi (ishumi) njengenkece eyengeziwe ukuze kwakhiwe ihhovisi leSizwe kanye nenkantolo. Ngaleyonkathi sasivele sesikholelwa emgomeni wokuzisiza kanye nokuzethemba. Sakwazi ukuqoqa inkece eyaneleyo sabe sesixhumana nenkampani i-Froise and Co. ukuba isakhele inkantolo eyayinehhovisi.
Ngokuvamile uma kuvulwa ngokomthetho isakhiwo saloluhlobo, yizikhulu zikaHulumeni ezivame ukubakhona ukuzokwengamela lowomcimbi ngokomthetho. Noma kunjalo odabeni lwethu, ngamema iSilo Samabandla, iNgonyama u-Cyprian Bhekuzulu kaSolomon ukuba azosivulela ngokomthetho lesi sakhiwo. Kwaba wumcimbi wenjabulo yodwa futhi saba nokuziqhenya ukuthi akukho ngisho nendibilishi eyodwa vo! esayikhokha ukuba kwakhiwe lesakhiwo eyaqhamuka emithombeni kaHulumeni wasePitoli.
Sawuqala kanjalo-ke umkhankaso womgomo wokuzethemba. Sikhombisa ikhono lokuthi siyakwazi ukuzenzela izinto kanye nokuzigqaja.
Isisekelo somsebenzi wethu kwakuyisibopho sokuzinikela ekubeni yizisebenzi zabantu bakithi. Ngaleyonkathi akukho inkece eyiholo eyayicoshwa yizinduna njengoba kunjalo manje. Lokhu uhlobo lwezinsiza izinduna ezaziluhlinzeka emphakathini zazikwenza lokho zingalindele nkokhelo, kepha ziqhutshwa yuthando lokusebenzela isizwe nokusithuthukisa. INkosi yeSizwe yayicosha lokhu esisakwamukela nanamuhla okuyisibonelelo. Nakuba umuntu ekwazisa ukuthi namuhla izinduna kukhona ezikucoshayo okuyinkece, umuntu akumthokozisi neze lokhu ngoba lena yintuba uhulumeni ophethe okwazi ukungena ngayo ngenhloso yokugxambukela agamanxe ezindabeni ezimayelana nokubusa kwamakhosi ezindaweni zawo. Ukuhlinzeka isibonelo, izinduna zisebenza ngaphansi kwaMakhosi, kodwa noma kunjalo nxa kunezingxabano ngodaba lolibo ekutheni ubukhosi bufanele ukuya kuyiphi iNdlu, uNdunankulu weSifundazwe uzibona kuyilungelo lakhe ukuba angene agamanxe kulezindaba.
Uma umuntu ecabanga aphinde abuke ububanzi beSizwe sakwaButhelezi, kwaba nesidingo ukuba ngiqoke iBamba-bukhosi ukuze likwazi ukusiza ekuqulweni kwamacala nasekuxazululeni izinkinga nezingxabano zeSizwe ngaphesheya kweMfolozi. Ngaphezu kwalokhu abantu babevame ukuhamba ngezinyawo amabanga amade, ukuyokwethamela amacala eNkantolo kaMaziphathe weSizwe sakwaButhelezi. Abanye kwakudingeka ukuba bawele umfula iMfolozi ngaphambi kokuba bafinyelele enkantolo, okwakuyinto enobungozi ikakhulukazi uma umfula ugcwele udla izindwani.
Kwaba yinto ephusile kithi ukuba sakhe eyesibili iNkantolo yeSizwe laphayana kwaNondayana, lapho iBamba-bukhosi lami liyakusingatha khona amacala. Kuyo yonke iminyaka lelisu liwusebenzele kakhulu umphakathi owakhele iSizwe sakwaButhelezi. Ngale kwalokho njengoba sikhuluma njena manje uHulumeni weSifundazwe wenze konke okusemandleni ukugxambukela ezingxabanweni ezadalwa yikho belu ukugxambukela kwakhe kuzo.
Imisebenzi yami noma kunjalo yaqala ukwanda ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Ngonyaka ka-1970 ngaqokwa kwaNongoma ukuba ngibe yisiKhulu eSiphezulu, uMengameli kwelaKwaZulu (Chief Executive Officer) kuMaziphathe wabantu baKwaZulu (Zulu Territorial Authority) kanye neSizwe sikaZulu. Emva kweminyaka emibili, ngaqokwa njenge-Chief Executive Councillor (iLungu lesiGungu eSikhulu / uMphathi oMkhulu / uNdunankulu) kwisiShayamthetho saKwaZulu, kanti ngonyaka ka-1976 ngaqokwa njengoNdunankulu kuHulumeni waKwaZulu.
Kwacishe kwaba yinto engenakufezeka kunoma ngubani owayekulesikhundla ukuba aqhubeke enze umsebenzi wakhe njengokujwayelekile nsukuzonke odabeni lokuphatha uMkhandlu kaMaziphathe weSizwe sakwaButhelezi, ngakho kangifunanga ukuba kube nesikhathi lapho amalungu eSizwe abone sengathi awanakiwe noma ayazitshwa nokuba kube nethuba lapho ecabanga ukuthi ubulungiswa buyazitshwa ngokuhudula izinyawo kunoma yisiphi isimo. Ngase ngibeka uMsizi weBamba-bukhosi (Acting Inkosi) kanye neBamba-bukhosi ukuba bobabili basebenzele iSizwe sakwaButhelezi. Ngabe sengiqokelwa nokuba nguSihlalo weSifunda sakithi eMashonangashoni.
Ngeshwa emva kweminyaka eminingi yokusebenzela iSizwe salahlekelwa yilabo ababeqokelwe lezikhundla, abadlula emhlabeni belandelana ngokushesha. Ngase ngibeka uMnu Mpikayise Khayalakhe Buthelezi njengeBamba-bukhosi ukuqula amacala aseNkantolo yeSizwe kwaNondayana.
UMnu Mpikayise Buthelezi usebenze ngokwethembeka isikhathi esicishe sihlanganise ishumi leminyaka, futhi ngifisa ukuthokoza kuye ngakho konke akwenzile esebenza kulesikhathi egameni leSizwe sakithi sakwaButhelezi. Ngempela ngithokoza kakhulu kuye ngaphezu kwengingazama ukuba ngimkhokhele njengesikwenetu sokusebenza ngokwethembeka, ngokuthwala imisebenzi esinda kangaka egameni lami, aphinde ahambele izinkantolo zesizwe esuka kulena eqonde kuleya. Kuthe kungagula uMnu Mtshali, wasala yedwa. Lomsebenzi uwenze ngokuzinikela nangobuqotho, ubengakwenzeli nzuzo, noma mhlawumbe ngoba elindele ukukhokhelwa ngawo. Kuyinto eyisimanga impela ukubona umuntu oqotho ngaloluhlobo. Uma ubengenawo amabhizinisi okungawakhe, ubengeke akwazi ukufinyelela ezingeni lokusebenzela iSizwe sakwaButhelezi ngokuzinikela kanye nokuzidela okungaka.
Ngempela ubuqotho yibona obube yuphawu lokusebenzisana kwethu neZinduna kuyo yonke leminyaka kanye namaBamba kanye neBamba-bukhosi. Kungenxa yobukhona benu ukuthi iSizwe sakwaButhelezi kanye noMaziphathe waso ukuthi niphethe ngeqiniso, ngobulungiswa nokwenza izinto ngesikhathi. Namhlanje yize nizohlonipha mina, ngifisa ukuzwakalisa izwi lokunihlonipha, yilowo naloyo ophakathi kwenu. ISizwe sake saqoqa nentela yokuzama ukwakhela izinkomo zeSizwe sakwaButhelezi.
Nibewusizo kimi nangithwalisa kulomsebenzi. Ningisizile nangenza ngakwazi ukusebenzela izwe lakithi iNingizimu Afrika, nangenkathi ngisebenza njengoNgqongqoshe weziNdaba zaseKhaya nangenkathi ngiseyiBamba likaMengameli weZwe laseNingizimu Afrika. Nikuqinisekisile ukuba ngikwazi ukwenza umsebenzi wami njengeShansela leNyuvesi yaseZululand (oNgoye) nanjengoNdunankulu woMdabu weNgonyama kanye neSizwe sikaZulu. Konke engiphumelele ukuba ngikwenze njengeNkosi yeSizwe sakwaButhelezi kube ngenxa yenu ngokuba nithwalisane nami lomsebenzi, engingaholi lutho ngakho konke.
Ngakho-ke ngiyathokoza kini namuhla futhi nginethulela isigqoko ngalokho.
Phambi komndeni wami, ngifisa ukuthokoza kini, ngoba ngokungithwalisa lomsebenzi niwuhlinzeke ngethuba lokuba ukwazi ukuba kanye nami ngezikhathi ezithile, obekuyinto ebingeke yenzeke ukuba kwakungenjalo, uma umuntu ecabanga nangemisebenzi enyinyithekayo, engike ngayithwala. Ukwazi nje ukuthi iSizwe sakithi sakwaButhelezi besiphethe kahle kunginika ukuthula emphefumulweni. Mhlawumbe lesi yisipho esikhulu kunazo zonke eningase nicabange ukungipha sona ekuhlanganiseni kwami iminyaka engamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nane ngidla amabele.
Ngiyathokoza ngalomgubho, ngakho konke enikwenzile, kanye nakho konke enisaqhubeka nokukwenza ekusebenzeleni abantu bakithi.
