Abazingeli Nabahambeli base Richtersveld

Buka, Uqokelele, Barhwebe

©David Fleminger

Hayi bonke abase Yurophu abangena eNamaqualand babejonge inzuzo. Uninzi lwangena ngenjongo yokubuka, baqokelele, barhwebe, bazingele. uJohannes Rhenius, umzekelo, wahamba kabini akafumana mpumelelo kwezorhwebo esingise eGaries ngo 1721 no 1724. Kwenzeka okokuba uRhenius abengumkhwenyana ku Olof Bergh, owayesuka emantla ‘aphezulu’ ngo 1682.
Abazingeli abaninzi ababezula zula kulo mmandla kunzima ukubakhomba. Abagcini zincwadi zokubhala kwaye babehamba emfihlakalweni, ngaphandle kwemvume. Ngaphandle koko amalungu walemibutho yaba zingeli aziwa njengabantu abamhlophe bokuqala ukubona iOrange River. Kungenzeka oku kwenzeka kwango 1728, ngexesha iqela lamafama ase Piketberg athabatha uhambo ukuya emantla beyokuzingela. Apho badibana khona nomlambo omkhulu owaziwa njenge Gariep (Umlambo omkhulu). Kuvakala okokuba badibana nenye indoda emhlophe emazantsi we Gariep, umzingeli wendlovu obizwa ngkuba ngu Pieter de Bruyn. Oku ke abunabungqina.

Izizathu Ezingezizo

Olunye uhambo, ngo 1739, lwade lacishilelwa ngokuse sikweni, kodwa ngezizathu ezingezizo. Eliqela labazingeli lanqumlela kwi Orange ukuya kwi Namaqualand enkulu (Namibia) apho bachitha inyanga ebuhlanti benkosi uGal. Ukuhamba kwabo, banyanzelisa izicaka zabo zijongisise ebuhlanti zibe iinkomo, bathembisa bazakubanika ingxenye kwingeniso.
Bathi xa begqogqa amantla ukuya kwi Namaqualand encinci, baqhubeka begqogqa izibaya behamba, bantshontsha ama 1000 enkomo, babulala abafazi abaninzi nabantwana. Konke oku kwavela xa abo bamele ababoniweyo bezangaphambili besingise eKapa beceba ukuqhanqalaza. Nkqu izicaka ezazigqogqa zakhalaza okokuba abazinikwanga iinkomo njengoko bebethembisiwe. Endaweni yokuxhasa abazingeli, inkampani yagqiba ekubeni ithabathe zonke iinkomo ezibiweyo bazigcinele!
Olona ndwendwelo lokuqala olusingise eGariep lunikezwa ku Jacobus Jansz Coetse owathabatha oluhambo ngo 1760. Wayengu mfama wase Piketberg owayezingela iindlovu, eshiya inkosikazi yakhe ijonge ifama yosapho. Wayelichule ke uCoetse, wayehamba neenqwelo ezimbini nama Khoikhoi alishumi elinesibini (12), bezula eNamaqualand de bafikelela kunxweme le Gariep.
Wanqumla umlambo eRamansdrift kufuphi ne Gu-daos (indlela ye gusha). Yayi yindawoyokunqumla umlambo eyayisetyenziswa ngabagadi bemfuyo eNamaqua, ngoku yaziwa ngegama elangcoliswayo I- ‘Goodhouse’. Ngendlela engaqondakaliyo, uCoetse wabangu mntu omhlophe wokuqala omhlophe ukushicilela uhambo lwakhe lokunqumla amazantsi we Orange River kwilizwe le Namaqua enkulu.

Uhambo Olufutshane Olusesikweni

Ukulandela uhambo luka Coetse, kwagqitywa okokuba uhambo olufuphi oluse mthethweni luthatyathwe ukuze kuhlolwe ummandla wase mantla we!Gariep.lwalukhokhelwa ngu Hendrik Hop, wahamba neenqwelo ezilishumi eline sihlanu (15) ngonyaka ka 1761. uJacobus Coetse wahamba naye njengombonisi ndlela uCarel Brink wangumbalisi wamabali.
Ngoku ka Brink abantu base Namaqua abadibana nabo endleleni babesokola, bene Nkomo ezimbalwa kwaye babe hlala begqogqwa ngama ‘Bosjesmans’. Iqela le Hop lanqumla umlambo eGu-daos baqhubeka emantla ukuya kwindawo yase eKeetmanshoop. Apha, babenyanzelekile okokuba babuyele umva ngenxa yesimo sezulu ezishushu kwaye esomileyo sehlobo.
Elinye ilungu Labahambi be Hop, uGrirha/Dr. Carel Rykvoet, wathabatha ithuba lokwenza uphango ngeminerali ngethuba ekulengingqi. Wahlola iKhopha (copper) ka Van der Stel entabeni wagqiba okokuba akukho semngangathweni okuveliswayo. Wahamba wayokufika nase Richtersveld, entsona kwe Gu-daos, apho wafumana intwana-ntwana eziyebileyo kakhulu - ukuyokuma kwisiqingatha se khopha. Kodwa waye wabona okokuba amatye aqine kakhulu, nomhlaba awuvelisinto lomgama mkhulu kakhulu ukuba kunga velisa iimenerali.

Translated by Zikhona Plaatjie