Bokuthoma Ukuvela
Kwakunokuthula endaweni ye-Highveld yeSewula Afrika eminyaka eminengi yabo 1700s. Ngeminyaka yabo 1800s, kwase kufika iinqhema ezitja ezimbili zabahlali baqalisa yoke into phasi-phezulu.
Bokuthoma ukuvela kwakusitjhaba se-Afrika esibizwa ngaMatebele (muva sabizwa ngamaNdebele). Ekuthomeni bebasitjhaba samaZulu ngaphasi kwekosi enamandla khulu uShaka. Kusenjalo, ngonyaka ka 1824, ikosi yaMatebele uMzilikazi warhitjhana noShaka wase ubalekela e-Drakensberg nabalandeli abamakhulukhulu. AMatebele bekanganavalo begodu anamajoni aneenhliziyo ezimbi aragela phambili abanga irawurawu eendaweni ezazithulileko zangaphakathi. Nanoma bekahlala eduze nePitori, aMatebele ahlukumeza abomakhelwane egade bakhe magegana nabo bebabanga ukuthikamezekela okukhulu. Isikhathi lesi semiguruguru saziwa njenge-Difagane (esifana kancani neMfecane, egade yenzeka eendaweni zeligwi).
Isiqhema Sesibili
Isiqhema sesibili sabangeneleli sasingesomhlobo ohlukileko kwamambala. Kwakubahlali abamhlophe egade bavela eKapa ukusukela eminyakeni elitjhumi. Abanye bebezele ukuzithabisa, abanye kumabasabalalisi bevangeli, abanye kubazingeli abafuna iinlwane. Ekuthomeni, abantu laba abamhlophe abangakajayeleki babekezelelwa babantu beentjhaba ezihlala lapho, egade bathengiselana nabo begodu bebabaphekelele ukuyokuzingela emahlathini.
Kusenjalo, ngo 1834, ama-Great Trek athoma aba ngabamhlophe egade sele sebahlala isikhathi esinengi lapha. I-trek yayimphumela wokunganeli kwama-boer ngokuphatha kwama-British (nokuqedwa kokobana abantu abanzima benziwe iinqhila) eKapa, begodu nama-boer egade abalimi athatha isiphetho sokobana atjhiye indawo leyo ayokuthoma inarha etja lapho ekuzokuphatha bona bodwa. Ama-Trekkers ambalwa akhamba ahlukana aya eendaweni ezingaphakathi afuna indawo yabo eyi-Eden.
Sinye seenqhema lezi, esasingaphasi koburholi buka-Andries Hendrik Potgieter safika endaweni ye-Vredefort ngo 1836 besathoma senza amasimu amakhulu, okwenza bona abantu bendaweni leyo basilingeke. Kwaba nokungwarana, kodwana, ngonobangela wokobana iingidi zama-boer zasebenza ukwenza bona amaMatebele asabe ukusahlela. Isimo lesi saliwa ngomoya otjhube khulu.
Ukusahlela
Izinto zonakala nasele unyaka uzokuphela lokha imindeni embalwa yama-boer nayibulawa siqhema sokusahlela saMatebele, abentwana abathathu bathunjwa. Ukusahlela lokhu kwenzeka etlhagwini yedonga le-Vaal River, endaweni eseduze khulu nedorobha le-Parys namhlanjesi.
U-Andries Hendrik Potgieter wakwata khulu bewathumela isiqhema bona siyozibuyiselela sijezise aMatebele ngeokuwabulala woke. Ngonobangela walokhu nokuhlaselwa okhunye, uMzilikazi waphetha ngokusuka endaweni wayokuhlala etlhagwini yeLimpopo ukuthoma idorobha elitja eduze neBulawayo.
Yi-Potch!
Ngo 1837, lokha nakabuyela emuva ngemva kokuthumba ipi ebayilwa naMatebele, u-Potgieter wabona kokuthoma amadonga anothileko we-Mooi (Ubuhle) umlambo (River) bewathatha isiqundo sokobana kungaba yindawo ehle yedorobha. Ngo 1838, iindlela zakhiwa nemizi eembalwa yakhiwa. Ngebhadi, isikhathi sonyaka sokubamanzi sango 1840 satjengisa bona indawo lee yakhiwe endaweni ethambileko nemanzi, idorobha elitja lakhiwa msinya endaweni encono angaba yi 11km nawuya phasi ukusuka edorobheni lakudala. Ngemva kokuqala amabizo amanengi, idorobha encani lena yathiywa igama elithi- Potchefstroom.
Potch (njengoba yaziwa) kwakungumasipala wokuthoma wama-boer etlhagwini ye-Vaal River. Ngemva kokutlikitlwa kwe- Sand River Convention ngo 1852, yabuye yaba yihlokodorobha yokuthoma ye- Zuid Afrikaanse Republiek (South African Republic nofana i-old Transvaal). Ngalokho, yayiyindawo eqakathekileko. UPresidenti wokuthoma we-ZAR wathatha isifungo sakhe sokuthoma se-ofisi e-Potch. Umthetho sisekelo we-ZAR watlolwa e-Potch. I-flaga yamambala ye-ZAR yavezwa kokuthoma e-Potch. Iphephandaba lokuthoma le-Transvaal lakhutjhwa e-Potch. Begodu notitjhere wokuthoma etlhagwini ye-Vaal bekahlala e-Potch. Indlela yokwenza, Potch!
Ngebhadi, idorobha le-ZAR lathuthukiselwa ePitori ngo 1860, batjhiya i-Potch ingasanamuntu. Idorobheli laragela phambili lakhula labayisentha yezelimo, amamayini kunye nezefundo.
Translated by Busisiwe Skhosana