Ivolontiya ebukhosini
Ingubani lendoda esibe nomthelela wokukhuthaza abaningi kangaka? Ummeli uGeorge Bizos, osemazi Umandela cishe uhhafu weminyaka eyishumi futhi wayengummeli wakhe ngesikhathi secala lase Rivoniya ngeminyaka yama 1960s nokwaholelwa ekugwetshweni kuka Mandela iminyaka engu 27, uchazwa kulezo zinsuku njengendoda ende, igcokama, uswenka, iyazithemba, ivolontiya lobukhosi elabamba ingxenye ekulweni emzabalazweni, ethula izinkulumo ezahlukene elokishini lase Alexandra kanye nase Freedom Square eSoweto.
uBizos wabeka kabanz ngobudlelwane bakhe nokuxhumana kwakhe noMandela ngesikhathi ayevezwe kuhlelo lukamabonakude u-e-TV ngomethuli uBebora Patta kuhlelo i Third Degree mhlaka 5 June 2007. uBizos uthi, ‘Wayengumuntu obungamhlonipha ngenxa yobuyena uphinde ukhangwe ukuba khona kwakhe siqu. Wayaziwa njengomholi wophiko lwentsha lwe ANC.
Egxiliswe ngamasu kaMandela
uDebora Patta wakuphawula ukuthi uBizos encwadini yakhe ethi Odyssey to Freedom, ichaza uMandela njengomuntu owayengaphumuli; wayehlezi egqoke isudi usuku lonke futhi wayehlezi ematasa ngisho nangeziphulamthetho; leyondlela yakhe yokuziphatha waqhubeka nayo isikhathi sonke ayesiboshiwe. ‘Impela!’ kuphendula uBizos.
‘Wayewuphawu lobumbano labantu ababecindezelwe ethi “asikwazi ukuba nokwahluka phakathi kwethu nokwakuyinto kakhulukazi abantu abasha ababenexhala (ngayo) futhi pephikisana nangayo”.’ uBizos wabeka iphuzu eliqavile ngendlela uhulumeni wobandlululo ayeziphethe ngayo.
‘Babecabanga ukuthi uma bevalela iziboshwa zepolitiki ejele lase Robben Island (esiqhingini) bazokuwucekela phansi umbuso. Babenephutha elikhulu. Kunalokho bavula isikole sabalweli benkululeko ngoba bathi sebesidonsile isigwebo sabo baphuma, begxile kumasu kaMandela kanye nokuhola lokhoke kwenza izinto zingabahambeli kahle ababesemagunyeni.
Ubungani noMandela
uDebora Patta wamubuza,’Yini oyikhathalela kakhulu kubungani bakho noMandela?’ uBizos waphendula wathi: Ngingathi nje, ungibonise indlela kaningi ngenhlonipho. Ukugcwala kwakhe ithemba ukuthi ngelinye ilanga bonke abantu base Ningizimu Afrika babezokhululwa, ngisho nathi esibamhlophe ukuthi besizokhululwa emicabangweni engemihle ebesivame ukuba nayo.
Ukuthembeka kwakhe kubudlelwano bobungani, kuye kubantukazana abazinikela njengaye kanye nokukholwa kwakhe okuyisimanga ukuthi uzokuyibona inkululeko esadla anhlamvana.
Translated by Nokubonga Guliwe
uBizos wachaza ngokwakumenza abe nexhala ukuthi kwakuqubuka kokwakuqukethwe isitatimende esinomland onzulu esabekwa uNelson Mandela ngaphamb...