Hamba i Robben Island

Emakhaya

©David Fleminger
Namuhla lesigodzi silikhaya ku 150 webantfu labahlala khona. Kunetisebenti tase Msamo, bagadzi betiboshwa, labanama gunya elive, laba sebenta ku (Light house) kanye netitsandzani leta hlala kulendzawo kusuka kudzala. Ngumphakatsi lomncane nje lochelile kodva lone mphilo.
Bantfana bahamba hamba ngokukhululeka, bavakashelane etindlini, iminyango ishiywa ingaka khiywa, lomphakatsi unetindlu letilikhulu,tifole ngasemgacweni. Likhaya ngalinye line ngadze legcwele litfuli kanye nema bhakede okukha emanti elitulu. Timashumi lamane tindlu leti hlala bantfu, lokwenta lendzawo ibe nesitfunti ebusuku.
Charle’, wangitjela kutsi utfola 2000 wetincwadzi ngenyanga, neli posi lase Robben Island selatfola nemhlomelo waloko. Lisontfo le (Anglican), nyalo leliphetswe sive sema Dutch, lisahlanganyela nanamuhla njalo kabili ngenyanga.
Emkhatsini wemphakatsi wase makhaya, kune (Ledewinkel), noma titolo temphakatsi. Lana bahlali batfola konkhe lebaku dzingako, kantsi nebantfana bahlupha batsengisi ngekucela emaswidi amahhala njalo. Letitolo tinesitubhu lesikhulu, lebasisebentisa kubambela khona imihlangano, kune matafula lamabili epulasitiki, lakuhlalwa khona kucocwe ngetikhatsi tantsambama.
Dvutane nesitolo kune nkhundla yokudlala kanye futsi nendzawo yekudlala igaluva, banftu bala kulula kutsi batsi i (Putt-putt). Lendzawo beyakhelwe labo labagadza tiboshwa, kutsi batijabulise khona, kantsi futsi isese simeni lesikahle.

Takhiwo Letise Zingeni

©David Fleminger
Lidamu lesilungu lokubhukusha, ngemuva kune libondza lelidze, lapho bantfana bacitsa sikhatsi sa ntsambama khona; botse; lilanga baphushelane emantini. Lendzawo iphindze ibe nenkhundla yebhola lembhoco, leyakhiwe sive sema (British). Kule ndzawo kune sikolwa sebantfana, selibanga leliphansi, lesikolwa sinebantfana labamashumi lamabili nakutsatfu, kanye nabothishela lababili.
Asikho sikolwa sebanga leliphakeme,lokwenta kutsi bantfana lasebakhulile batfutsele eKapa noma bagibele ibhasi ye sitafu baye e (Mainland). Loku kungatsandza kuba ndzima, kodva kunendzaba yemfundzi longazange akhone kubhala sivivinyo sakhe ngoba lwandle beliyi ngoti.
Kodva betindiza, batfumela indiza leyodva kutsi utomuweta. Ekugcineni lezansi kwasemakhaya, ngulapho kune tindlu temalunga aGavamenti. Letindlu leti tisuka e (Victorian Era), nyalo sekwaba yindzawo yemicimbi, kanye nendlu yetivakashi, levumeleke tivakashi kuphela.

Sitfombe lesi phula umhlatsi

©Roger de la Harpe
Waze wendlula lomphakatsi wase makhaya, umgwaco uyajika, ujikele ngasekudla, uhambe ngase ndansi kwe mngcengcema wase Robben Island. Lesi tfombe salendzawo sidzabula umhlatsi impela.
Wena ntsaba lemise kwetafula, i (Devil’s Peak) kanye ne (Lion’s Head), letichakatako futsi tiphuphuma imvelo, tibusa i (Island) yonkhana. Nisa hamba ngemoto, umgadzi utonikhombisa lidvala la Jan Van Riebeek, i (WWZ rifle posts), tindzawo tekuhlala emasotja leta bhidlitwa, kanye nomkhumbi lowamosheka i (Fong Chung No:11, lebeyi hamba ngomnyaka wango 1975).
Ibhadi ngoba ibhasi seyijika ikhuphuke ngendzawo yasesi gcagceni i (Minto Hill), kuya ku (Lighthouse). Timphala tibonakala tidla tjani kanye netihlahla kule ntsaba lephumela emahlatsini ase (Bluegum). Ekugcineni kwentsaba kune (Lighthouse), leyakhiwa ngomnyaka wango 1865. Kukhanya kwayo kukhanya yonkhe indzawo, kuloku kubhanyata kancane kancane.
Lelilambu belisebentiswa sive sema Dutch kucwayisa mangabe mhlampe kunomlilo, iminyaka lema khulu lamatsatfu leyendlula. Lilambu lekukhanyisa ebumnyameni, sibhamu seli lahle i (De Wall gun), kanye nesihlahla sekutfutfukisa lizinga lemanti endzaweni, lekungiso lesiletsa emanti lahlobile kule Island, kantsi tonkhe leti tindzawo tidvutane nendlu yelibane.
Ibhasi iyachubeka yece intsaba, yendlule inkhundla lebekadze itokwakhiwa, ye galuva, ibuyele eMakhaya. Ngenhla kwelidolobha, kuyabonakala ngisho usemgacweni, kune mathuna esibili, lakungcwatjwe khona emaphoyisa kanye nabo Dokotela labebasebenta khona. Wafika emakhaya, ibhasi iyajika ibuyele emaselini asejele.

Translated by Thandokuhle Motha