iRobben Island: iJele Labaningi

Isimo Sempilo Yakhona Phambilini

©Eric Miller
Izimo zasesiqhingini ngeminyaka yo 1700 kunzima ukuyibamba kahle ngenxa yokuthi kakukho okwalotshwa phansi kanjalo nemiqopho yezakhiwo, nokho umuntu kuyamcacela kwakwushubile khona. Iziboshwa eziningi zazifukuziswa esiqhingini, zimba amatshe, ziyolanda izimbaza. Ukudla kwakukuncane nesikalo sokwabelana sisincu, okwakwenza kube nemibhikisho eminingi yeziboshwa.
Konke lokhu kwakuqhumbusa ithumba lokushisekela inkululeko, kwaba nezigigaba eziningi zababe zama ukweqa. Kwakwebiwa izikebhe la zigcinwa khona, kwesinye isikhathi imikhumbi yokuhamba yayifike ime khona esiqhingini ngokungekho emthethweni, inethemba ukufika yengeze isibalo sabazosebenza kuwo. Abanye babeye bazame ukweqa ngokubhukuda ngomgudu owawungabakhiphela ezweni ngaphandle.

Isizukulwane Sesibili Seziboshwa eRobben Island

©Tracey Derrick
Isizukulwane sokuqala seziboshwa zombangazwe eRobben Island kwabe kungabathwa baseKapa abamelana nombuso wamaDutch kanjalo namavukelambuso akwezinye izizwe la kwakunombuso we-Dutch East India Company, esibala no Indonesia. Isizukulwane sesibili kwabe kungabaholi bomdabu abaqhamuka eMpumalanga Kapa nasemaphethelweni ayo ababebanjwa bese bayogqonywa khona esiqhingini, kwesinye isikhathi nabafazi nezingane zabo.
AmaBrithani ayelwa nabamdabu nxazonke ukuze aphathe lonke eliseNingizimu neAfrika. Empeleni, kunabanye osombangazwe ababa ziboshwa ngaphandle kwabakwaXhosa abahlala eRobben Island ngeminyaka yo 1800. Abanye Abathwa bayiswa laphaya ngenxa yeqhaza labo ezibhelwini zase-Bokkeveld zango 1824. Inkosi yesinye sezizwe zakwaZulu, Inkosi uLangalibalele wesizwe saMaHlubi wagqonywa khona kusuka ngo 1874 kuya ku 1875 ngenxa yokuvukela AmaBritani eNatal. Nabaholi bezimpi zaseKoronna, balwa eOrange River ngo 1870 nango 1879, baboshwa ngenxa yokungathobeli iNdlovukazi yaMaNgisi kunye neZwe.

Translated by Sbonelo Ngema