Abazingeli Nabahloli be-Richtersveld

Hlola, Qoqa, Nokohwebo

©David Fleminger
Akuwona wonke amaYurophu angena eNamaqualand ayegxile ekunqobeni. Abaningi bangena esifundeni ukuhlola, ukuqoqa, ukuhweba nokuzingela. Ngokwesibonelo, uJohannes Rhenius waqhubeka ezama ezohwebo kabili e-Garies engaphumeleli ngo-1721 nango-1724.
Ngokuqondene, uRhenius wayengumkhwenyana ka-Olof Bergh, owayeseke wahamba umgwaqo omkhulu osenyakatho ngo-1682.
Abazingeli abahlukahlukene abahamba behlola isifunda banzima ukukhomba uqobo.
Abazange bagcine amaphephandaba futhi bavame ukuhamba ngasese, ngaphandle kwemvume. Noma kunjalo, amalungu ala maqembu okuzingela ngokuvamile abhekwa njengabantu abamhlophe bokuqala ukubona uMfula i-Orange.
Lokhu kungenzeka ukuthi kwenzeka ngo-1728, lapho iqembu labalimi basePiketberg behamba ngokuya enyakatho ngohambo olude lokuzingela.
Lapha, bawela umfula omkhulu owaziwa yizakhamizi njenge-Gariep (Umfula omkhulu).
Kuthiwa futhi bahlangana nomunye omhlophe ogwini u-Gariep, umzingeli wezindlovu igama lakhe linguPieter de Bruyn. Kodwa-ke, le ndaba, ihlala ingeqandelelwayo.

Izizathu Zonke Ezimbi

Olunye uhambo, ngo-1739, lwangena amarekhodi asemthethweni, kodwa ngeizizathu ezingalungile. Leli qembu labazingeli lawela i-Orange liya eNamaqualand (eNamibia) lapho bachitha inyanga enkundleni yenduna u-Gal.
Lapho behamba, bavumisa izinceku zabo ukuba zihlasele isibaya bese bentshontsha izinkomo, ukuze bethole ingxenye yenzuzo. Behamba belubhekise eningizimu ngeNamaqualand, baqhubeka behlasela izibaya njengoba behamba, beba izinkomo ezingaphezu kwenkulungwane futhi babulala abesifazane nabantwana abaningana.
Konke kwalokhu kuvele ngemuva kokuthi abameli abavela emaphakathini abahlukumezekile bahambele eKapa ukuyobeka izwi lokwenqaba. Ngisho nezinceku ezenze lesi sigameko zikhononda ngokuthi azizange zinikezwe izinkomo ezazithembisiwe. Lapho ibhekene nokusekelwa okudumile kwabazingeli, iNkampani inqume ukuthatha izinkomo ezebiwe futhi izigcinele zona!
Ukuvakasha kokuqala 'kusemthethweni' ku-Gariep kubikwa uJamesus Jansz Coetse owaqala uhambo ngo-1760. Wayengumlimi wasePiketberg owahamba ukuyozingela izindlovu, eshiye umkakhe ukuba anakekele ipulazi lomndeni. Ngokungafaneleki, uCoetse wahamba nezinqola ezimbili namaKhoikhoi ayishumi nambili, edabula iNamaqualand waze wafika emabhange aseGariep.
Wawela umfula u-Ramansdrift ngaseGu-daos (indlela yezimvu). Lokhu kwakuwumfula owawuvame ukusetshenziswa abelusi bakwaNamaqua, futhi manje uyaziwa ngegama elonakalisiwe elithi 'Indlu enhle'. Ngale ndlela engavamile, uCoetse waba ngumuntu wokuqala omhlophe ukuloba uhambo lwakhe ngaphesheya koMfula i-Orange ophansi waya ezweni lamaNamaqua elikhulu.

Uhambo Olusemthethweni Okwengxenye

©Jacques Marais
Ukulandela uhambo lukaCoetse, kunqunywe ukuthi ukuhambela okusemthethweni okwengxenye kufanele kwenziwe ukuhlola isifunda enyakatho ye-Gariep. Lokhu kwaholwa nguHendrik Hop, owahamba nezinqola eziyishumi nanhlanu ngo-1761.
UJacobus Coetse wahamba njengomqondisi futhi u-Carel Brink waba ngumlobi wezindaba. Ngokusho kukaBrink, amaNamaqua ebahlangana nabo ebehluphekile, benezinkomo ezimbalwa futhi belokhu behlaselwa ama-Bosjesmans.
Iqembu likaHop lawela emfuleni u-Gu-daos futhi laqhubeka enyakatho endaweni yaseKeetmanshoop. Lapha, baphoqeleka ukubuyela emuva ngenxa yezimo ezishisayo nezomile zasehlobo.
Omunye oyilungu leqembu lika-Hop, u-Dr. Carel Rykvoet, wathatha ithuba lokwenza uphenyo ngamaminerali ngesikhathi esendaweni. Uhlole iNtaba yeThusi yaseVan der Stel futhi wamemezela ukuthi lendawo inensalela ezimpofu.
Wabuye wangena e-Richtersveld, entshonalanga yeGu-daos, lapho athola khona indawo enensalela ecebile kakhulu-ithusi ibumba ingxenye eyodwa engxenyeni ezintathu zomhlaba.
Kodwa-ke, waqaphela ukuthi amadwala ayeqine kakhulu, izwe lingenalutho futhi amabanga aphezulu kakhulu ukuze amaminerali asebenziswe.

Translated by Nsika Khoza
 Buyisela Emuva