Ngexesha lenkulungwane ye 20th century, kwenzeka utshintsho olukhulu kwezolimo labamhlophe, tshintsho olo lwenza amafama ama Ndebele arentayo abephantsi koxinzelelo olungapheliyo. Kwezinye iimeko, umfama uye asebenzise oomatshini, ze oko kuthethe okokuba asisekho isidingo sabasebenzi ababephantsi kohlelo lwezopoliko nezezimali, amafama ke ayegxothwa neentsapho zawo.
Kwezinye iimeko, amafama ayesongeza ixesha ukuqisekisa abafana abasebenzayo abasebatsha balichitha besebenza efama ixesha, oku kwakusenza onyana bama Ndzundza babaleke. Xa usapho lungasakwazi ukuzalisekisa isifungo somsebenzi walo, abazali balondoda kunye noo dadewabo babe hanjiswa ngemoto bakhutshwe efama, kwakunyanzeleka usapho lonke okokuba lufumane enye indawo yokuhlala. Zombini ke ezimeko zichaziweyo zenza ama Ndzundza amaninzi - awayethanda ukukhatshwa yimihlambi yeenkomo ababezikhulisile ngokwabo - bahamba bekhangela enye indawo abonokuthi bahlale kuyo.
Babehamba baye kwilali ethile eyayisandula ukuhlaliwa luluntu eKwaNdebele okanye kwendala i (Northern Sotho) ikhaya lase Lebowa. Abagxeki abaninzi babebona KwaNdebele njenge ‘ndawo yokulahlela’, ze bathabatha ‘Umphathiswa Oyintloko’ kunye nezicaka zakhe ezingamakhoboka worhulumente wocalu-calulo. Yabangumbono wengozi engena sibaxo okanye eyogqitha-umlo wama Ndebele namabhulu ngo 1883. Ngexesha elimnyama leentsuku zocalo-calulo, ekupheleni kweminyaka yoo 1980, kwabakho ukunyamezela, okwakuxhaswa yikumkani eyayiphethe yama Ndzundza, ngokuchasana nabo babecinezela besebenzela urhulumente wama Ndebele.
Le nkxaso yathi yonwatyela loluvukelwano ze kwakho impumelelo ekucinezeleni zonke iingcebiso zakwa Ndebele ‘inkululeko’ phantsi korhulumente wocalu-calulo. Ama Ndebele ayebonakalisa, kwaye eqhubeka ukubonakalisa okokuba ukulandela izithethe akuqinanga ngendlela ekubonakala ngayo, kwaye isimilo sokuba ngowaku ndlunkulu kunga celwa umngeni kwinkonzo ebonakalisa inkululeko yelizwe.
Translated by Zikhona Plaatjie