Vredefort nale Gold Fields

© David Fleminger

Khombo Nkateko

Afrika Dzonga i ndzhawu ya nkateko. Hikatekisiwile hi kaya rotshamiseka eka tiko nkulu ra khale, kule swinene na kudzinginika ka misava kumbe volcano. Maribye ya hina ya werile eka misava leyinga nona leyi seketelaka kuhambana ka swimilani leswinga kona. Tani hileswi swinga vuriwa laha henhla, hina timinerali ta kahle totala letinga e hansi ka misava yaleyi hi fambaka ehenhla ka yona. Ku tlumbiwa ka misava yale Vredefort i swilo leswikalaka swinene leswinga eka hina. Kumbe ahi swona?
Vulavisisi lebyi bya ha ku endliwaka byi komba leswaku kutlumbiwa loku ka misava akuri khombo nkateko. Intiyiso swi onhile swinene. Ina, leswi swivange tinhweti totala ta vunyami na kutitimela loko ritshuri risive dyambu. Kambe leswi swingava swi hlayise masimu ya nsuku wa hina kuva wu hangalasiwa.

Nsuku wa Nkoka

Loko ku tlumbiwa loku ku humelela, switshove misava laha swinga faya ribye ringhena ehansi ka misava kutani riya yima hilexikarhi ka xirhengele. Nkumba wa maribye na ritshuri swifunengeta ndzhawu hinkwayo, leswinga tlimba maribye lawa ayari e hansi. Ti leyara ta nsuku ta Witwatersrand Supergroup tivuye tisiveleleka laha tinga gandleka swinene kuya e hansi.
Loko akungari na ku gandliwa loku ka Vredefort, nsuku lowu wokwetsima awutava wusale e henhla swinene naswona awuta khukhuriwa kutani wungaha pfuni nchumu. Ematshan’wini nsuku wusale wuri ehansi ka misava laha kunga sungula ku yembiwa mugodi hindlela leyi vuyerisaka. Tani hileswi nsuku wunga kumiwa rosungula hi 1886, ku fukuriwe kuringana 50 000 wa ti ton ta nsuku, kutlula 30% wa nhlayo leyinga ceriwa, naswona Afrika Dzonga yina kwalomu ka 50% wa nsuku wa misava hinkwayo. Sweswi hi famba emahlweni hiku humelerisa nsuku laha kuhumaka kwalomu ka kutlula 400 wa ti ton, leyi fikaka ka 17% wa nsuku lowu yisiwaka emisaveni hinkwayo.

Ntila wa Nsuku

Ku hlangana exikarhi ka gold fields na kutlumbiwa ka misava yale Vredefort swihlamusela swotala ngopfu. Xosungula, swipfuna kuhlamusela ku antswa leswaku hikokwalaho kayini timayini ta nsuku ta Witwatersrand tiengeteleleka kusuka e Johannesburg kuya e West Rand na Klerksdorp, kuya e Welkom. Areka leyi yitshamile kahle eka mpfhuka swinene kusuka exikarhi ka Dome, naswona kuvikiwa leswaku lexi akuri xirhendzevutani xosungula eka xirhengele.
Xavumbirhi, ku tlumbiwa loku ku endle leswaku laha kunga tshama nsuku ehansi ka misava ku gandleka swinene, hile tlhelweni rale dzongeni. Leswi akungari xiphiqo ekusunguleni, hikuva timayini ta nsuku ati tshame eka matlhelo lawa laha gold reef ayi tshamise xiswona eka misava. Hambiswiritano, loko vaceri va mugodi vakarhi va landzelela ti reefs kwale hansi ka maribye, vakume leswaku yivoyamele ehansi hiku enta na ku enta kuya e hansi. Leswi hiswona swi endlaka leswaku tiko Afrika Dzonga yiva na timayini to enta swinene emisaveni hinkwayo. Mayini wa Mponeng kusuhi nale Potchefstroom, leyi ayitiveka tani hi Western Deep Levels, leyi namuntlha yinga duma hiswona, laha wungana shaft yotirhela eka yona ya kwalomu ka 4 wati kilomitara hiku enta.
Hingo ehleketelela ntsena leswaku kwalomuya kava 12th century ayiri njhani loko kungari na nsuku wa Witwatersrand, kumbe kutlumbiwa ka misava e Vredefort loku kunga yiponisa eka yinyamalala. Switikomba kahle leswaku ribye rin’wana na rinwana leringa exikarhi ka ti planet rina layini wa nsuku eka rona.

Translated by Ike Ngobeni