Ama Richtersveld

Abelusi Abaqhelekileyo

©Roger de la Harpe
Ngonyaka ka 1957, ‘abantu bebala’ base Richtersveld banikezwa icingo elibambekayo elalihamba phakathi kwendawo zokuhlala ne fama ‘ezisesiphakathini’ amafama aphakathi komlambo nolwandle. Oko kwenza uhambo lwabelusi lubonakale ngamehlo enyama, kwindlela ezibonakalayo abadlula kuzo.
Ngenxa yoku, umhlaba oshiyekileyo wabanengca eninzi ubomi bama fama akwabikho lula ukuqhubeka nabo. Abantu abaninzi basuka kwilali zabo, amazinki, bayokuhlala emigodini, kwi fama, inqanawe zoku loba, iidolophu, nezixeko ezikude beyokufuna imisebenzi ebhatalayo. Uluntu lwase Richtersveld lwalu kwimeko yentshabalalo kanaphakade. Nkqu nanamhlanje, ngaphantsi kwe 10% yama Nama bazibona bengama fama, inkoliso yabo ngabantu abadala.
Amazinki amadala asekhona, kodwa kwakhona sekushiyeke abantu abadala kwaye bandwendwelwa ngabantwana babo ngempela veki nange holide. Kuko konke oko, kunzima ukuhlala emaphandleni/endle. Abelusi abasemadlelweni baphila ngamanzi amancinci kakhulu, ixesha elininzi ayakrakra namazinga aphezulu we khemikhali iflouride nezinye iiminerali ezingatyiwayo. Oku kwenza amabala amhlophe nokujika amazinyo abembala umdaka, okubizwa ngokuba sisiboniso sase Namaqualand.

Amalungelo Nezinyanzeliso

Exesheni, umgodi we dayimane ngase Lwandle wahluma. Ngo 1989, uphuhliso lwase Alexander Bay Development Corporation lwaqalwa ngu rhulumente ukuthatha yonke ‘impahla/ababenako, amatyala, namalungelo nezinyanzeliso ze… State Alluvial Diggings’.
Esisenzo sinobubele sasiquka ubango lomhlaba ongqunge umlomo womlambo iOrange River kunye nazo zonke iidayimane ezintle khona.
Kwiminyaka emithathu edlulileyo, elisebe lwajikwa ngumthetho wase Palamente yaba yi nkampani eyaye yabizwa ngokuba yi Alexcor Limited, kwaye yakulawulo luka rhulumente kuphela. Amaphepha esiqinisekiso zokubanga umhlaba kunye nawo wonke amalungelo we minerali zanikezwa i-Alexcor ngonyaka ka 1995.
Kodwa utshintsho lwaluse moyeni, uvoto olukhululekileyo lonyaka ka 1994 lwanikeza ixesha elitsha lwemithetho yemihlaba kunye nezinye indawo ekungahlaliwa kuzo zazichwechwela lorhulumente mtsha ukuze bafumane imbuyekezo okanye bafumane ukuwubanga umhlaba kwakhona. Kananjalo, lomthetho mtsha wapasiswa, ubizwa ‘imbuyekezo yamalungelo emihlaba’ ngelasemzini (Restitution of Land Rights Act of 1994).
Esisenzo sikhulu kangaka, sayenza uluntu lwakwazi okanye ubani ngamnye owayekholelwa okokuba ususwe ngendlela engenabo ubulungisa emhlabeni wakhe ukuba afake isicelo somhlaba “ukunikeza imbuyekezo yamalungelo omhlaba ebantwini okanye uluntu ukuthatha lamalungelo emveni komhla we 18 kweye Silimela 1913 ngenxa yezenzo nemithetho yakudala yocalulo ngokwe bala”. Kwabakho izicelo ezingama 69 000 zembuyekezo yomhlaba ezafakwayo emveni koko kwilizwe jikelele.

Translated by Zikhona Plaatjie