ThandokhuleKwakhiwa kweRichtersveld
Sekucala Kushisa
Kundlula kuyaphambili eminyakeni leminyenti, iGondwanaland bese ihamba iya endzaweni leseshonalanga lapho indzawo beyimbonywe ngemakhata. Lapho khona bekumbonye khona emakhata kusabonakala eGrasdrift, endzaweni yaseRichtersveld.
Ngesikhatsi setigidzi letingu 270 iminyaka lendlulile, umhlaba bosondlulile 'ePolar region', besekucala kushisa. Loku kwenta tintfo letinyenti kutsi tincibilike. Loku bekusho kucala 'kweKaroo Supergroup', lehamba endzaweni lenyenti yase Ningizimu Afrika. Leti tintfo letisalako tiyacitseka ngekungafani endzaweni yaseNamaqualand, ematjeni.
Kwakhiwa Kwalendzawo
Ngesikhatsi lesifanako lesifana neDwyka, indzawo yonkhe kuma kwakhona bekungaka caci kahle. Loku kwenta kutsi kube nekuhlangana kwematje lokwenta kwakheke intsaba. Loku kwenta kutsi kube khona kwakheka kwentsaba eKaroo, endzaweni leseshona langa eNamaqualand. iEcca kanye neBeaufort konkhe kwalahlelwa kulena ntsaba.
Njengencenye yaloku, kushona kwelwandle kwaveta 'coastal plains', futsi nemifula nayo iyageleta bese igebhula umhlabatsi. Loku kwabanga 'iFish river canyon' kulokunye lokunyenti (le’canyon’ yesibili ngebukhulu, ilandzela I’canyon’ letfolakala ngenhla kweAmerica). Ngalesi sikhatsi iNamaqualand bese ivele yomile, letindzawo letivulekile besetivalwa yisanti.
Bunyenti Bemadayimondi
Lesinye sigaba lesimcoka senteka etigidzini letingu 120 eminyakeni lendlulile, emalahle lashisako, ngesilungu labitwa ngekutsi yi’volcano’ aphusha ate awela emhlabatsini. Lawa malahle lasemaphayiphini eta nemadayimane lamanyenti lakheke ngephansi kwemhlabatsi, lokushobela ngema km langu 250.
Lawa madayimane bekavalelwe etjeni lelingakajwayeleki lelibitwa ngekutsi yi’Kimberlite. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi lawa madayimane agebhulwa imifula, kakhulu kepha agebhulwa 'iOrange River'. Lawa madayimane lamanyatelako alahlelwa eceleni kwemfula.
Eminyakeni leminyenti lendlulile, iAmerica leseshona langa kanye neAntarctica bese ihlukene neAfrica, ngaleso sikhatsi iGondwana beyikakwe ngemanti. Loku kwenta, kutsi kwakheke 'icoastal plain'.
Indzawo Lenyenti Legcwele Emanti
Ngalesi sikhatsi, lomfula lotogcina watiwa ngekutsi 'yiOrange River' bosovele soyindzawo legcwele emanti. Lomfula wacala endzaweni lephakeme eLesotho, wageleta wate wayongena eAtlantic Ocean dvute nendzawo nyalo leyatiwa ngekutsi yiAlexander Bay. Eminyakeni letigidzi letingu 65 letindlulile, kushintja kwekwakhiwa kwalendzawo kwenta lomfula uhambe ngalenye indlela.
Yashintja yahamba yabheka enshona langa wahamba wandlula eKoa Valley kufika eAtlantic dvutane nemlomo 'weOlifants River'. Loku bekusho kutsi tigidzi letinyenti temadayimoni takhukhuleka tangena emantini. Emuva kweminyaka lengu50 lelandzelako, khona futsi lokwenteka lokwabangela lomfula kutsi ubuyele endleleni wawo, kuhamba eRichtersveld kuya eAlexandeer Bay. Loku kwabangela kutsi indzawo yonkhe lengenhla eNingizimu Afrika kanye nendzawo lengentasi eNamibia igcwele emadayimane. Kucubekela phambili, incenye yeNingizimu Afrika lenye yaphela emanti imnyaka leminyenti lelandzelako.
iNamaqualand Coastal Plain
Lekugcina lishintjo lelikhulu lenteka etigidzini letisihlanu teminyaka lendlulile, lapho khona iNamaqualand coastal plain yaphakamiswa. Loku kwenta kwavela ebaleni letinyenti tintfo tasemantini, lebetivalwe sihlabatsi sesanti. Lobekuhlangene nalesihlabatsi sesanti bekungemadayimane lawa lesikhulume ngawo ngenhla. Ngiko nanyalo umhlabatsi usagujwa kufunwa lidayimane. Kufanele sati kutsi loku kwangephansi kwelwandle nako kuphetse lidayimane. Loku kusebentwa bantfu bemikhumbi labagubha lidayimane. Kwekugcina lekufanele sikwati, ematje lafika nyalo kulendzawo atfolakala celeni kwemfula 'waseOrange River', lapho khona lomfula ugcwala uchichime.
Umhlaba Longafani
Nyalo ke, sifika ekugcineni kwalendzaba, umphumela ngulokuma kwemhlabatsi lesikubonako lamuhla; awucondzanga, uvulekile, indzawo lenesanti leshisako, lenetintsaba. Lokungafani kuyamangalisa vele, lehleli etulu kwemalahle lashisako, kwasendvulo, lokwakhe ematje. Njengoba Francois Odendaal naHelen Suich babhalile encwadzini yabo lekhuluma ngeRichtersveld, batsi ‘tincane tindzawo eNingizimu Afrika letinetintfo nendalo letifana naleti letitfolakala eRichtersveld.
Translated by
Thandokuhle Motha
