Dr Peter Magubane na madzolonga ya Soweto

© Dr Peter Magubane

June 16th hi kantima na kobasa

Siku akuri 16 June 1976. Loko siku leri ringa se fika, akuri na xiyimo lexi axi fikelele ndzhawu leyi. Rito se ari hangalakile na ndzhawu hinkwayo tani hi ritshwa. Vantshwa va vantima ava xihlayisile xihundla lexi. Hambi mathicara ya vona kumbe vatswari avanga tivi nchumu hi makungu yaku kombisa kuvilela loku a ku kunguhatiwile.

Tiko hinkwaro ari ta hlamarisiwa eka mixo lowu wotitimela, loko mahungu yaku kombisa kuvilela mayelana na Bantu education ya pfuta xikan’we no dyondzisiwa hi ririmi ra Afrikaans. Swi sungula e Soweto, swihangalaka kuya e Alexandra, kulandzela Pretoria (leyi sweswi kunga Tshwane), na malangavi yandzilo yakurise sweswo.

Loko vateki va mahungu vasiveriwa kunghena e Soweto, Dr Peter Magubane se ari endzhawini yoleyo a lulamele ku tirha ntirho wakwe. Socha leri ariri na camera. Empfhukeni nyana a vona musi wantima, xikoweto lexi axivula leswaku se swisungurile. A famba kusuka eka ndzhawu yin’we kuya eka yin’wana.

Dr Magubane una swinepe swotala swa 16 June kutlula vateki vaswifaniso lavan’wana. Swifaniso swa ntima na kobasa swa vana va xikolo lava ava tsutsuma matlulu lawa aya fanele kuva dlaya. Akungaha twisiseki nchumu hinkarhi walowo naswona aswivonaka eswikandzeni swa vona. Akuri kucinca loku aku laveka eka misava yantshikelelo, loku aku kandziyisiwa hi camera ya Dr Magubane.

Ku humesiwa: Manyala ya xihlawuhlawu

Nkarhi wun’wana, loko Dr Peter Magubane aha endla ntirho wakwe, maphorisa van’wi bile vanw’i tshova nhompfu. Van’wibyela leswaku a humesa filimi yayena leswaku vata onha swinepe leswi se aswitekile. Peter a vilerisiwa ngopfu hi swifaniso kutlula xikandza xa yena lexi axi tele ngati. Misava ayifanele ku vona mhaka leyi yochavisa swinene, nsele lowu awuri na mfumo wa xihlawuhlawu leswi aswiri eka film leyi.

Endzhaku nyana ka lembe rero, loko maphorisa vavuye va hlohletela leswaku kuva na nyimpi exikarhi ka vatshami vale ti hostel ta Mzimhlophe na vaaki, Peter atirha vusiku byebyo laha akuri na madzolonga yalawo. Loko a hundza ekaya kakwe e Diepkloof loko aya a tihofisini ta phephahungu leri ari tirhela, avona yindlu yakwe yikhome malangavi.

Angahari na matimba loko a vona muako lowu wutshwa wuku lohlo. Nakambe hi August 1976, utlhele a pfaleriwa kuringana 123 wa masiku na vatirhi kulorhi vayena — leyi akuri ndlela yin’wana yo vasivela ku tirha eka ku paluxa manyala ya mfumo wa xihlawuhlawu.

Swinepe switsala matimu

Nkarhi wunwani ntirho wa Magubane wukandziya swikun’wani swa van’wani. Loko a tshuka a chaviseriwile, aswivula anga kanakani leswaku, 'Andzi chavisiwi hi malebvu ya nghala!' Ari wanuna loyi anga olovi, loyi a kwata swinene loko anga kumi leswi aswilavaka. Vanhu votala avati kuma vayingisela leswi aswivula hinkarhi walowo.

Awuta n’wi endla yini munhu loyi anga langutana na mfumo wa xihlawu hlawu ematihlweni atlhela a sala aha yimile. Akuri hava lexi axi chavisa Peter Magubane. Swavava swinene kuvulavula hileswinga hundza, kambe yena uswi endla hi tintswalo. 'Minkarhi yotala entirhweni wa mina andzi ta kuma munhu ari eku xanisekeni, kumbe eku feni', kambe swinepe aswi rhanga emahlweni.

'Akutava ntsena endzhaku, loko ndzi fike ekaya, laha andzi ta tivutisa leswaku" xana ndzi endla yini?" Kambe loko rixa mundzuku,a kutlheleriwa eswitarateni na camera emavokweni. A hanya hintshembo wa leswaku, 'Misava yita hlamula!'