Iminyaka Yobusotja Besihlengeleni I-Robben Island

Ukwakhiwa Kwendlu Yamasotja Kokuthoma

©Roger de la Harpe
Iminyaka kusukela ku-1936 kuya ku-1960 bekungowokuziqhenya esihlengeleni kodwana esikhathini esinengi bewumumbi. Le kwakuminyaka yamasotja, lokha amasotja ahlala e-ishlengeleni avikela izwekazi ekuhlaselweni bantu beJarimani.
Ngonyaka ka-1933, uAdolf Hitler wathatha iskhundla sokubusa eJarimani wafaka loke iphasi emtlhagweni wephasi loke, ewarholela ekulobeni kwabantu iimpilo ngesibanga sepi ebizwa –world war II. Emuva eSewula Africa ukuthembeka kwabantu kurhulumende gade kuhlukile. AMangisi gade angehlangothini le-Britain, kuthi amaBhuru, endimenabo athanda amaJarimani.
Lokhu kwenza bona kubenehlanganohlangano kurhulumende phakathi kwaka- J.B. Herzog wehlangano ye-Nationalist Party kanye no-Jan Smuts wehlangano ye-South African Party. Ngeskhathesi ihloko yokuzivikela gade kuyi-Nationalist lokuqina ibizo lalo ekwakungu-Oswald Pirow, wasebenzisa ukungezwani kwenhlangano ze-Northern Hemisphere njengendlela yokusekela amajoni wokuvikela weSewula Africa. Kobana isiquntwesi wasesenza ngethemba lokobana amaJarimani azokuhlasela nanyana alungisele ipi yesikhaya ezokulwisana namangisi kubudisi ukutjho.
UPilow wamemezela bona isihlengele se-Robben Island’s ngendlela sihlezi ngayo kungarhonakala bona kubelisango elingena e-Table Bay okwakwenza bona kube yindawo ehle yenkampa yamajoni etja, wamemezela nokobana ishlengele soke kube yindawo yamajoni. Isigidi se-battery sathunyelwa khona sivela e-Signal siya esihlengeleni i-Robben island ngebanga lokutlukutleka okwakubangwa kudutjhulwa lizwekazini okwakubanga bona amavesidiri aphuke e-Green Point. Amaqhinga angezelelweko enziwa yokubana kukhuliswe ukukhulisa zevikeleko zesihlengelesi.

Ikampa Yamajoni Yesihlengeleni se-Robben Island

©Roger de la Harpe
Ipi yathoma ngokusethethweni ngonyaka ka-1939. Lapha imikhumbi ye-Japan beyihlala igade e-Indian Ocean nokuthuselwa okungabonwako kwenkepe ezithusako zaJarimani e-Antlantic Ocean kwakubalulekile bona iKapa ihlale ivikelekile. Njeke i- Department of Public Works yalayelwa bona iqinise ivikeleko leshlengelesi.
Kwalethwa amatani ama-150 000 wezinto zokwakha esihlengelenesi alethwa ngemikhumbi ekhamba elwandle iinsebenzi zathoma msinya zakha iindlela,iinkoponi zamasotja, amadoyelo wemphaphamtjhini, amathawa wokugada, ama- outlooks,iindawo zokuzingela okuthunyelweko,nezinye izinto ezitlhogakala epini. Imakhiwo eminengi yagirizwa, kwathi iinsalela zayo zasetjenziselwa ukwakha indawo lapha kungeniswa khona imikhumbi e-Murray‘s Bay. Ekugcineni kwatjwalwa istjalo esisikhupha itjwayi wmanzini welwandle ukuqeda umraro wokutlhogeka kwamanzi esihlengelenesi.
Iingidi ezimbili ze-battery ezafakwako zangezelela iingizi ezima-calibrezomhlobo we-6 "kanye ne-9.2". I Battery lomhlobo we-Cornelia laqaliswa ngehlangothini le- Blouberg channel, i-De Waal Battery yavikela isango le-Table Bay. Ngesikhathi sepi, iingidi ezine zobukhulu obuma-3.7” kanye nama-40mm Bofors Guns zangezelelwa e-arsenal, zikhambisana ne-dummy battery eyayisebenza njenge njengokukhanya. Namanye ama-battery ase-Simonstown and Llandudno, kwakuthenjwa bona ivikeleko le-coast leli lizokuqotjha abahlaseli abanekani kwabekwa nama-cable phasi elwandlwe ukwenzela bona azwelele iinkepe ezizako.
Khange kubenokuhlaselwa eKapa begodu nengidezo khange khezadutjulwa epini Zadutjulwa kwaphela lokha nabazilingako, nanyana kunjalo ngelinye ilanga zatuka umuthi wehlobo le-Bluegum zedala umlilo omkhulu.

Ikhaya Lamasotja Ahlomileko Amanengi

©David Fleminger
Ngesikhathi seminyaka yepi nangemva kwawo, amasotja amakhulu enza i-Robben Island kwabasekhaya. Abaphathi bengidi,ama-engineers,amafundisi, amasotja,amabutho welwandle we-Britain neweSewula Africa woke asebenza e-Robben Island, asebenza nanyana lokha athwasiswako. Ukungezelela, amasotja wama-coloured wehlangano egade itlanywe ngabutjha ebizwa Cape Corps, namasotja abafazi wehlangano ye-Women’s Auxiliary Army Service (WAAS), Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) kanye nehlangano ye-South African Women’s Auxiliary Naval Service (SWANS) asetjenziswa ukuqinisa ipi yenarha le lokha amasotja wamadoda wamakhuwa nagade atlhogeka.
Kuthe ipi nayiphelako ngonyaka ka-1945, amasotja amanengi asuswa e-Robben Island. Kodwana amasotja abambelela embuthweni loyo kwaze kwabamunyaka ka-1960. Kanye nomakhiwo osebenzileko egade bawakhe njenge-Coastal Artillery School. Izindlu ezinengi zamasotja, ama-outlooks, iposi yokuzingela nokunye kwesijoni zange kusasetjenziswa kodwana umphakathi omcani wabahlali abahlalela futhi bathoma bahlala e-Irish Town’ yakade benza isigogesi indawabo. Abantu abambalwa sele batlole ngokobana kwakujani bakhulela eshlengelenesi bathi kwakuphephile kodwana kukude nabanye abantu, lapha into egade bayenza nanyana bayibona kokobana mhlokho babone amasotja adlula, nokuqhuma kwe-ngidi zamabattery egade zidunyuzwa lokha nabadrilako.

Translated by Busisiwe Skhosana