Iminyaka yokuqala kaMandela

Isithombe esasicatshangwa kwakungesomfana ozidlalelayo

©Eric Miller

Ngokuphela kweminyaka yango 1950, uNelson Mandela wayezinikele kakhulu ekubeni umholi we ANC. Wayebe ngomunye wabanamandla kuphiko lwentsha ye ANC, eyayibeka inhlangano emgwaqeni oya kwimpucuzeko nokubhekana ngqo nohulumeni wobandlululo ukuze kulethwe uguquko ykubuholi bukazelonke ngo 1949’, wayengozinikele kwimibhidlango yango 1952, futhi wayeqokwe njengomholi kwisifundazwe sase Transvaal waze wakhishwa ngendluzula kuso ngemithetho yangalesosikhathi kahulumeni yokuvimbela abantu, kusukela ngo December ka 1956 wayongomunye wabasolwa kwicala lokuvulela umbuso.

Phezu kwakho konke lokhu, isithombe somfana ozidlalelayo sasicatshanga ngoMandela. Kwaqala kwabanamahebezi kweziye izindawo ze ANC athi akanandaba etheni ngezepolitiki. Wayehlukile kwabanye abaholi: emude, akhiwe kahle futhi eyigckama lensizwa, waswenka, aziwa ngokuthi uyathanda ukuba phakathi kwabantu azincokolele nabo, wayeshayela imoto kanti umkakhe wasemshadweni wakhe wesibili wayemuhle ehlobile uWinnie. Futhike impela wayenesithunzi ngoba wayengomunye wabantu abamnyama abambalwa ababaneziqu zobummeli.

Wawungeke umlinge ngokuphendula ekulumweni

Ngoba iminyaka yayizofakaza, isithombe esasicatshangwa ngaye sasikude impela neqiniso. uMandela wazifaka ngokwazi nangokuzikhethela kugibe lwezepolitiki ngesikhathi lapho amandla abamhlophe ayemakhulu kunezigwebo ezinzima ezazilinde abantu abamnyama abawanqaba noma abalinga ukubaphendula. uMandela wayeseke wakunambitha lokho ezinkantolo zikamantshi ayezsebenza kuzo nozakwabo kwi ANC, u-Oliver Tambo.

Ifemu yabo yezomthetho yayinama hhovisi ambalwa e-Chancellor House eyayingaphesheya komgqwaqo obhekene nezinkantolo ezinkulu ku Fox Street, eGoli ekhoneni lapho futhi kwakunamahhovisi esezansi e ANC. Ukuqhamuka phambi komantshi bonke ababemhlophe kwakungelula. Nabo omantshi babengenakho ukunethezeka ngokubhekana nabammeli abamnyama.

Kwakumele bagcine ukuziphatha ezinkantolo zabo kodwa kwakucacile ngokusobala ukuthi abanye babo babengathandi ukuphatha kahle ngenhlonipho indoda emnyama futhi bayibone njengozakwabo kwezomthetho. uMandela uma evela ema phambi kwabo, wayenokubamukela kodwa wayekucacisa ngokusobala ukuthi umephi.

Translated by Nokubonga Guliwe

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