Isikhathi Esilungele Ukuvakashela i-Richtersveld

Umbuzo Omqoka

©David Fleminger

Okokuqala, kukhona ngempela izimbali nyaka wonke. Izinsobonsobo zasehlobo (njengama-crassulas) zifaka umbala ngezinyanga ezishisayo kusukela ngoLwezi kuya kuNhlolanja. Izimbali zezitshalo ezimila ngaphansi komhlaba eziningi nama-bulbs (njengomndeni wama-Amaryllis) ziyaqhakaza njengoba izinga lokushisa liqala ukwehla, ngasekupheleni kwekwindla-ukuqala kobusika.
I-Scented Candelabra Lily (Brunsvigia bosmaniae) ibeka umboniso omuhle, iqhakaza amasonto amathathu ngamuva kwemvula enamandla ngoNdasa-Mbasa (nakuba lokhu kungenzeki njalo ngonyaka). Khona-ke, ebusika, izinhlobo eziningi zecena ziqala ukuqhakaza.
Isimiso esiyinhloko, siqala lapho isimo sezulu sifudumala ngasekupheleni kwebusika-ekuqaleni kwentwasahlobo. Ngakho-ke, ngokuchaza kabanzi, izimbali ezidumile zentwasahlobo ziphuma phakathi kuka-Ncwaba nasekuqaleni kuka-Mandulo, zinike noma zithathe amasonto ambalwa ngakwesinye. Phakathi nenyanga ka-Ncwaba nasekupheleni ngokuvamile kubhekwa njengenkathi eyisihloko, kodwa kunezinguquko eziningana okufanele zicatshangelwe.

Imvula Engaphezulu, Umbukiso Ongcono

©Jacques Marais

Okokuqala, kunezinhlobo eziningana ezahlukene zezimbali zasendle, kuhlanganise ononyaka (njengembali ezifana nodlutshana), ama-vygies (mesembs), izithombo ezikhula ngeminyakanyaka zingafi, izithombo ezikhula ngaphansi komhlaba nezihlahla, konke okuvela ngentwasahlobo.Lezi zinhlobonhlobo zinezimo ezihlukahlukene zokuphila futhi zizoqhakaza zife ngezikhathi ezihlukene phakathi nenkathi.
Okwesibili, kufanele uthole ukuthi imvula yasebusika inetha nini. Izimbali zizoqala ukuhluma inyanga noma ezimbili emva kwemvula enkulu, futhi lezi zingase zivele ngezikhathi ezehlukene ezingxenyeni ezahlukene zesifunda. Ubukhulu bemvula buhlobene ngokuqondile nobukhulu bokuqhakaza - imvula eyengeziwe, umbukiso ongcono.
Kufanele uzibuze,ukuphi? Izimbali ziqhakaza ngokuvamile uma izinga lokushisa linyuka. Lokhu kunyuka kwande ukuqala endaweni zasogwini enyakatho, bese kusakazeka empumalanga kusiya ngapakathi kwe Namaqualand. Ubude bokuphakama ngaphezu kolwandle budlala indima, uma kusendaweni ephakeme kuzobanda ngokulinganisiwe njalo ukuqhakaza kuzovela ngokuphuzile.Izindawo eziphakeme ezifana nezintaba zase-Kamieskroon zingaqhakazisa ngoMfumfu.

Bekisa Indawo Ngaphambili

Kufanele futhi ucabangele ushintsho olungachazeki esimeni sezulu sehlobo. Uma kukhona ukushintsha okungazelelwe kusuka ebusika kuze entwasahlobo eshisayo, izimbali zizofa ngokushesha. Uma kunjalo, izinga lokushisa lohlobo liphansi, nokuhlwa okubandayo, izimbali zizohlala ziningi isikhathi eside. Izimo zendawo zinomthelela njengomoya onamandla, oshisayo ovunguzayo ezintabeni ungabhubhisa yonke ikoloni yezimbali ngosuku olodwa,ngakho kufanele uqaphele.
Ngakho-ke, kuye ngokuthi ukuphi nokuthi yiziphi izinhlobo zezimbali ozifunayo, isikhathi sonyaka singaqala ekuqaleni kukaZibandlela futhi siqhubeke kuze kube sekupheleni kukaMandulo. UNcwaba isikhathi esingcono, ikakhulukazi eNieuwoudtville naseSpringbok. Nokho, kunenkinga. Awukwazi ukulinda kuze kube manje izimbali ziqala ukuqhakaza bese ungena emotweni yakho ngomjaho ukuya eNamaqualand.
Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi, phakathi nenkathi yembali, kubekiswa isikhathi sombukiso izinyanga ngaphambi kokuyobukela. Ngathola lokhu mathupha lapho ngifika eVanrhynsdorp ngaphandle kokubekisa indawo yokuhlala, ukuthola kuphela ukuthi ihhotela ngalinye, indlu yezihambi kanye nemikhumbi yayigcwele, igcwele ibhibhidla abantu.
Amadolobha aseduzane aseVredendal naseNieuwoudtville nawo ayegcwele. Kungumzwelo obuhlungu ukuthi unamathele edolobheni elingalindelekile, ebusuku, ushaya ucingo kusuka esiteshini sephethiloli, ukuthola kuphela ukuthi akukho ndawo yokuhlala kunoma yiliphi lezindlu zokuhlala, nganoma iyiphi intengo.
Ngagcina ngihamba eKlawer (amakhilomitha angamashumi amabili) futhi ngithola igumbi lokugcina endlini yezivakashi. Njengoba ngangihleli ejimini elaguqulwa, ngidla ukudla kwasekuseni kwami, ngabona ukuthi kwakuyibuthutha ukucabanga ukuthi ngingazama ukuthola kalula ikamelo lehhotela. Kodwa ngathola induduzo ngenxa yokuthi ngenze iphutha endaweini yakho.

Ukuvakasha Okuhleliwe

Esinye sezizathu zokuphelelwa indawo zokuhlala, amaqembu okuvakasha. Uwabona yonke indawo; amabhasi amakhulu anezinkulungwane zabantu asebekhulile abavakashile eNamqualand ngezinkambo zezimbali.
Ihotela laseVanhyhynsdorp benigcwele nabo, bonke begqoke amathegi afakwe ezingubeni; amazinyo amakhulu nezinwele ezinkulu zikhanyisela ekukhanyeni kwesibani. Kwakuyinto enkulu kakhulu kimi lapho bexhumana ekamelweni elingumhume ohlanganisa amanye amakamelo, bexoxa ngokujabula nabantu abadumile lapho beya etafuleni okubekwa khona ukudla.
Manje ungangitholi ngiphutha. Kubantu abaningi, ukuvakasha okuhleliwe kuyindlela engcono kakhulu yokufinyelela eNamaqualand nezimbali zayo, futhi ngingubani mina ukuba ngisole ukuzijabulisa kwabo? Ukuvakasha okuhloliwe kukunikeza ukuphepha, ukuqonda nosizo. Okungabuye kube nezindleko kakhulu.

Translated by Nsika Khoza