Kunakekelwa kweNdzawo yase Richtersveld

Indzawo Lesuka Esimeni Lesincono kuya Kulesibi

©Nigel J Dennis

Khashane etulu endzaweni yase Richtersveld, siteshi semishini ye Kuboes besikadze silungiswa nguMfundisi lolungile Hein, weliSontfo le Rhenish. Leninani lebantfu lakhiwa ngema Khoikhoi ase Nama, nalamanye emadvodza Asesigangeni Kanye nemindeni leminingana yema Baster (lebeyatiwa kahle ngekutsi ngemaVezandlebe). Letakhiwo betinakekelwa ngu Groot Raad (khansela lomkhulu), lekwakhiwa ngummango lobowukhetsiwe uholwa noma uphetfwe nguLosenhloko/lomkhulu we mishinari.
Umbhalo lobowuhlanganisiwe wawukhomba kutsi ‘letindzawo tase Richtersveld tikhomba imindeni lemashumi lamane nesikhombisa, leyavelela ngemiphefumulo lemakhulu lamatsatfu nemashumi lasiphohlongo, lecishe onkhe angema Hottentots, Kanye na Paul Links, indvodzana yaKaputeni losowahamba emhlabeni Paul Links, njengenhloko yabo; imfuyo yabo yayifaka cishe emahhashi lamashumi nesihlanu, tinkhomo tetimphondvo letimakhulu lasihlanu nemashumi lasitfupha, Kanye netimvu letitinkhulungwane letimashumi lamatsatfu nemakhulu lamabili Kanye netimbuti. Liningi labo beliphuyile, futsi ngesaba nekutsi bebasesimeni sebudlova.’

Le Groot Raad

Le Groot Raad yachubeka yaphila ngendlela yelilanga nelilanga yalommango. Loku kwafaka ‘kunakekela ngendlela lecondzile, kulungiseka kwalobekulahliwe Kanye nekunikeka tindzawo tekuhlala Kanye nemalungelo etindzawo temadlelo’.
Nomakunjalo, lendlela beyingekho esimeni sekungabi nekukhala futsi Nalesiteshi semishini Lekukhulunywa ngayo Lapho ngetulu Kanye Nemigomo Lebekiwe Yemmango lephocelela kwehlukanisa svie Kanye nemigomo yenkholo, ngekufaka esikhundleni Umluleki we mishini noma Libhodi Lebaphatsi (lebelakhiwe ngebantfu bangaphandle labamhlophe).
Lenchubo yelilayini yalesiteshi semishini (Kanye, ngwekweliciniso, liningi letiteshi letise Ningizimu Afrika) bekachazwa ngekutsi – akaphili. Ngemnyaka wa 1890, nomakunjalo, bantfu base Richtersveld bacela kuchazelwa ngetinkinga njengoba indzawo yabo beyitsatfwa ngemabutfo lamaningi emakholonisi. Bavele bachaza ngendzawo lebeyicishe idvute netinkhulungwane letimakhulu lasikhombisa (emahekitha lamakhulu lasitfupha etinkhulungwane) njengendzawo yabo yesintfu/lisiko yemadlelo baphindze bacela lithikithi lekusebenta kwentela kuciniseka kutsi banemalungelo. Kepha umnumzane S. Melvill, Lobekawesibili Esikhundleni Salobukete – Jikelele, bekanemicondvo leminye.
Embhalweni wakhe lobowuya ePhalamende ‘lobowukhuluma ngendzawo lebeyihlala bantfu Bematiko Emamishini labatsite Kanye naletinye tindzawo lebetise Namaqualand’, Melvill wachaza kutsi lokufunwa kwalendzawo bekusetulu kakhulu. Waphakamisa kutsi kuncishiswa kwalendzawo kutsi ibe ngemakhulu lamane nemashumi lasihlanu etinkhulungwane (emahekitha lamakhulu lamatsatfu nemashumi lasiphohlongo nesihlanu etinkhulungwane) ngekulungiselela tindzawo letivutsiwe ngasemnceleni wase Orange kanjalo nase bhandeni lemncele, lelingasetjentiselwa kulima noma kudvweba tinhlanti. Kulowomzuzu, kute lokwenteka ngaleyondlela, futsi kute nelithikitha lelakhokhwa lemisebenti njengoba bantfu batsatfwa ngekutsi batinake kakhulu.
Ngekunganaki lemigomo lebekiwe, emapulazi lasihlanu lebakase coast anikwa balimi labamhlophe ngemnyaka wa 1904. Ngemnyaka wa 1919, umlimi lobekatiwa nga Cloete naye wazama kufuna lendzawo yase Richtersveld yonkhe ibe yakhe yedvwa, lokwenta intfukutselo kuloMfundisi Hein lowatsi le Richtersveld icondzene Nemmango, kute umuntfu munye longafuna lendzawo’. Kwase, ngesikhatsi sekuvela kwelidayimane ngemnyaka wa 1920, indzawo emlonyeni wase Mfuleni weOrange yanikwa bantfu labatsite, nomanje naloku bekuyincenye yekufuna indzawo lenguyona yase Richtersveld.

Translated by Phindile Malotana