Ipilo Yomsebenzi
Indawo yokuphumulela kaDorh Peter Magubane igcwele ngeempotjwana zemibala ekhanyako eziphothelelwe ngemincamo kanye nobukghwari obenziwe ngeziqu zotjani. Ejikwaneni lendlu kunegumbagumba yakade ebekwe ngesibindi eduze nesithombe sakhe sombala omhlophe nonzima abetha ithramphede.
Ukusuka ngemuva komtjhini weziqu zotjani, umtjhagalo oncatjhako walutjha le-Sophiatown. Ngokuhlala phambi kwefesidere, umkhanyo uhlaba phezu kwetshwayo lakaDorh Magubane okuziinhluthu zakhe ezimhlophe. Isithombe esisele naso ngesendoda imisebenzayo engahlukaniseki ekululekeni kwangaphezu kwesiquntu sesentjhuri yomlando weSewula Afrika.
Ukusuka ekubeni Mtjhayeli ukuya ekubeni Mbikindaba Weenthombe
E-Sophiatown, ngo-1955. Kungomgqibelo ebusuku. Abaduna nabasikazi bamayemo aphezulu baphumele edorobheni, bambethe zakanokutjho izembatho. Bambethe amanyathelo aphakamileko bayaqwayizela eentradeni ezinethuli. Kudlalwa umvuvo we-Jazz ekhamba nemithambo yomzimba nekubizela bonyana uye endaweni ethengisa utjwala eseduze. Ngaphathi kwe-saxophone igidisa inyawo kanye neenkulumo pikiswano mayelana nokuhlalisana kwabantu begade kuphapha emoyeni.
Ejikweni lendlela, isokana leminyaka ema-23 yobudala elihle, liqoqa ngeendaba nabangani balo beMagazini i-Drum, u-Can Themba ‘isazi sesiNgisi’ kanye no-Bob Gosani ‘umthathiinthombe ohlakaniphileko’. Esikhathini esingaphasi komnyaka u-Peter besele enze amatjhuguluko begodu akhuphukele ezingeni eliphezulu eenkhundleni zamamagazini ukusuka ekubeni mtjhayeli ukuyokuba mbikiindaba omthathiinthombe. Abathathwaba bahlangana nabaphambili kabakhuliswa yi-Sof'town.
Lokha abanye bakhethe ipolotiki ukwenzela ukutjhijila ukuphathwa ngokungalingani kwebandlululo, u-Peter wakhetha ikhamera. Uveza uthi ‘Begade ngifuna ukutlola phasi mayelana namaphilo wamaSewula Afrika anzima ngaleso isikhathi. Ngikho lokho ekwangenza bonyana ngirage ngeenthombe’.
U-Peter wangelesa isikhathi begade angazi bonyana iminyaka esezako imphatheleni. I-Sophiatown, namhlanje. Nebegade u-Peter atjhayela angena e-Sophiatown ngendlela aya eSoweto, wakhumbula iminyakakhe yobuncani ayiqeda eentradenezo. Izindlu ezakhiwe ngendlela yakade yokumayina, ezakhiwe emakhakhasini we-Sophiatown zakhelwe amadorobha wabamhlophe we-Triomf (‘iPumelelo’), ajame ehlabathini egcwele ngomlando.
Kunzima ukwakha isithombe sobunolwana bamalanga we-Sophiatown abeletha abantu bobukghwari kanye nabantu abasebenza ngokukhuthala ukulwela umphakathi abafana no-Peter. Iintradezo begade zimukhumbuza ubusana bakhe: ikhamerakhe yokuthoma ayiphiwa ngubabakhe, ithando kanye nokuzithoba kwakamakhe, amabhoksana ebegade agwaliswe mndenakhe, wahlatjwa ngelinye ilanga nebegade ayokudlala.