Ndwendwela eRobben Island

Ukukhwela Isikhephe

©David Fleminger
Ndaqala ukundwendwela iRobben Island ngomnyaka ka 1989, njengenxalenye yokuphuma nesikolo. Yayiseyi ntilongo esebenzayo ngeloxesha. Ndikhumbula iyindawo emnyama elusizi, nalapho umoya wokuncama nokunikezela wawuvakala usangena. Ngoku, iRobben Island sele ijikwe yabayindawo yabakhenkethi. Kwaye nabo babesaya kubangamabanjwa sele bethathele kubo lendawo.
Ngokufaneleyo isikhephe esidala nesasiqhele ukuthutsuza kulwandle oludlokovayo ukuya kule habour incincane sele singenelwe zizikhephe ezitsha, ezibalekayo nezithutha abakhenkethi ukuya nokubuya ngendlela entofo-ntofo. Ukukhwela esisikhephe kunomtsalane nje kukodwa. Iindawo ezintle ozibonayo xa ukuso, iintaba kunye nedolophu. Xa sele ufikile esi qithini, wonke umntu uyehlike esikhephe angene kwenye yee bhasi ezimbini ezilindileyo.
Njengomtshini one oli, ezibhasi zikuthatha zikuse kuhambo olunendawana edinayo, logama abakhombisi ngendawo bekhomba ezinye zeendawo ezidumileyo, kuquka namatye elime quary apho uMandela kunye namaqabane akhe babe qhekeza lamatye ukuhambisa iimini. Kwakulapha ke amabanjwa ayesitya izidlo zabo zasemini, kumqolombana okrolwe kwilitye eliphandlayo elimhlophe, ethetha nangendlela izinto ezizakuhlelwa ngayo kuMzantsi Afrika omtsha. Bambi babiza lomngxunyana umnyama njenge ‘gumbi lokufundela’ lase Robben Island.

Buka Oonombombiya

©David Fleminger
Xa sibuyela kwesona sakhiwo sentilongo, ndakuvuyela ukwehlika ebhasini ndingene kwizisele zentilonog. Iguide nganye kweli cala, ngumntu owayesakuba libanjwa apha kulentilongo. Iinkumbulo zabo zempilo phantsi kohrulumente wakuqala umuncu switi. Njengoba sasihleli kwesinye sezisele ekwakusabelwana ngazo, iguide yethu yasinika inkcazelo ethe ngqo enga unawo nomsindo ngendlela ayazi ngayo iRobben Island. Emva kwesisisele kwabelwana ngaso, sakhokelelwa kwibala lalentilongo.
Kulapho uMandela wayezenzele khona isitiya esincinci. Emva koko kwafika undoqo wolutyelelo: Umqolo wezisele apho uMandela wayevalelwe khona kunye nabo wayebanjwe nabo kwi tyala le Rivonia Trial. Ngoko nangoko kwavakala ukunqakazwa kweekhamera kuthathwa imifanekiso. Emva koku ninikwa ixeshana elincinici ukuba niyokuzikhulula kwizindlu zangasese phambi kokuba niphindele esikhepheni.
Njengokuba uphindela eharbour usenokuthi chu kwimicangcatho yokuhamba ukuze ubuke oonombombiya, okanye ubuke ivenkile yezipho kwelinye icala. Ngexesha elibekiweyo, ungaphindela esikhepheni nithabathe uhambo oluphindela emakhaya. Ngaxeshanye ubukele abanye abantu abafikayo bezokubuka esi siqithi se Robben Island nabo. Ngoko ke, ngendlela ezininzi iRobben Island ngumatshini wabakhenkethi. Abantu baphuma bengena ngokunga kuse Disneyland ngexesha lasehlotyeni. Ngezinye iindlela, lutyelelo olubalulekileyo ekufanele ukuba luthatyathwa nguye wonke ummi woMzantsi Afrika ukuze sikwazi ukuqonda ngcono iinyani zembali yethu exhela umphefumlo.

I-V&A Waterfront

Njengomkhenkethi, uhambo lwakho oluya eRobben Island luqala eVictoria and Alfred Waterfront. Le yindawo yoshishino exakekileyo. Izele ziivenkile, iirestyu, imiboniso bhanya-bhanya kunye namaJamani. Esi sakhiwo siphithizelayo sime kumhlaba omkhulu kwaye kuxhomekeke kwii mfuno zakho, ungachita iiyure ezininzi ubuka kwii venkile ezilapha phambi kokuba uthathe uhambo lwakho oluya esiqithini.
Lendawo yaqala njengendawo apho kumisa khona iinqanawa kunye neharbour yesixeko sase Kapa, kwi sentyuri 19 iWaterfront yayekwa ukusetyenziswa emva kokuba iihabour ezinkulu zokhiwa eForeshore ngesentyuri yama 20. Yaze ngomnyaka ka 1988, izakhiwo ezibolayo zalungiswa ukuze kwakhiwe entsha yona iWaterfront esiyonwabelayo namhlanje. Ngaphezulu kwe ndawo enkulu yokuthenga ebizwa nge Victoria Wharf, le ndawo inwenwela e Victoria Basin, apho ungabonela kude ezona zintle iindawo. Ukuhamba ngezikhephe uzonwabise, kunye nenqwelomoya ziyafumaneka kwalapha. Kodwa akukho nanye kwezi ezakusa eRobben Island.

iNelson Mandela Gateway

©Roger de la Harpe
Singisa eNelson Mandela Gateway, apho uzakukhwela isikhephe siya eRobben Island. Le Gateway zimi ngakwencinci yona iAlfred Basin, nalapho uzakufumana ihotela ezikumgangatho ophezulu kunye ne yachts zabucala, zihleli elangeni. Ungabona gca Table Mountain xa ume eAlfred Basin. Le Gateway ikwame nasecaleni kwe Clock Tower, isakhiwo esibomvu krwe, kwaye zombini zinemikhomba ndlela kwi Waterfront yonke awunakulahleka.
Ukuba umisa kwenye yeendawo zokupaka iimoto, khumbula ukuba usenomgama omdana ukuya eGatewaye. Kodwa uzakufumana nethuba lokuwela ibhulorho ekwaziyo ukuswayela ecaleni,nemi phezu kwamanzi aphakathi kwe Alfred Basin kunye nolwandle. Eyona ndawo ilungileyo ungamisa kuyo imoto yakho yi Centre ye Clock Tower, nemi kwelinye icala le Waterfront. Lendawo yokupaka kunganzinyana ukuyifumana. Ifumaneka lula kuphela xa usuka ngase dolophini yaseKapa, kodwa izakusa kanye kwisakhiwo se Gateway.
IClock Tower Centre nayo inenqwaba yeevenkile kunye nee restyu, kwaye inendawo enkulu kumgangatho ophezulu enabasebenzi aboneleyo bokunceda abakhenkethi ngeenkcukacha abazidingayo. Inabantu abamele ilizwe lonke. Le yindawo ebalaseleyo kumthombo weenkcukacha ngeKapa, iNtshona Koloni no Mzantsi Afrika wonke uphela. I-Info Centre ine internet café kwaye ungazithengela amatikiti okuya eRobben Island kanye kule desika.

Translated by Zizipho Silwana