U-Umhlengi Khumalo Akasekho
NgoLwesihlanu olwedlule, kwasha imizi engu 16 ezakhiweni eziku Kennedy Road eThekwini. Umfana ononyaka owodwa igama lakhe lingu Mhlengi Khumalo washa kabi kakhulu wagcina ngokushona ngoMgqibelo ebusuku. Lesi kwakuyisigameko sesithathu esihlasimulisa umzimba ukuthui sehle kulenyanga. Umlilo waqala emva kokuba ikhandlela lawa phansi, kwase kokheleka umlilo. Kuze kwaba ngunyaka ka 2001, ama-metre kagesi efakwa ezakhiweni. Ukuze umuntu athole ugesi, kwakufanele akhokhe imali engu R350 nokuze ukwazi ukubeka udaba lwakho ndlela thile.
Ngokusho kuka Sbu Zikode, “ Kwakuya ngokuthi ngubani ofaka isicelo. Uma ubukeka njengomuntu ongazi lutho ngenxa yokungasazi isiNgisi, wawuvele utshelwe ukuthi linda phandle.” UMetro wase Thekwini usutshele umphakathi wase Kennedy Road ukuthi kunenqubo entsha ethi “ ungabe usafakwa ugesi ezakhiweni” Abantu abangaphezu kuka 70 abanamarisithi ashoyo ukuthi bakhokhela ukufakelwa ugesi, ababuyiselwanga izimali zabo abasebezikhokhile kanti abafakelwanga ugesi. Ukuba ukufakelwa kukagesi kulendawo akuzange kumiswe, ngabe lemililo kanye nokushona kukaMhlengi Khumalo ngabe kwanqandeka.
Sekunesikhathi eside umphakathi wase Kennedy Road uvuke umbajazana. Lokhu kusukela ngo March 19 kulonyaka ngesikhathi abantu abangu 750 bevimba ukuhamba kwezimoto ku N2, futhi bebhekene ngeziqu zamehlo namaphoyiysa abhekene nodlame isikhathi esingamahora amane (4). Kuloludlame, kwaboshwa abantu abangu 14. NgoMsombuluko olandelayo abantu bomphakathi wendawo bamashela ekamu lamaphoyisa eSydenham lapho kwakuboshwe khona abantu abangu 14. Umpahakathi wawuthi mabakhululwe okungenjalo umphakathi wonke wendawo mawuvalelwe ezitokisini ngoba uma “beyizigebengu, kusho ukuthi wonke umphakathi uyizigebengu.” Imashi yomphakathi yahlakazwa ngezinja, isisi esikhalisa izinyembezi bebuye bashawe futhi.
Isizathi sokuvimba u-N2 sisobala. Umphakathi wawulokhu uthenjiswa, emva kweminyaka, ukuthi umhlaba omncane eduzane endaweni eku-Elf Road uzokhululwa ukuze kwakhelwe abantu izindlu. Ikomiti lezentuthuko yomphakathi wakuKennedy Road, wawulokhu ubambe izingxokxo mayelana nokuthuthukiswa kwalomhlaba ukuze kwakhelwe abantu izindlu. Ngaphandle kwesixwayiso noma incazelo, baqala ogandaganda ukumba umhlaba. Idlanzana labantu lanikela kulendawo ukuyobona ukuthi ngabe kwenzekani, bafika bathola okukhulu ukushaqeka ukuthi esikhundleni sesindlu zomphakathi, ogandaganda babemba isiza sefemu yokukhiqiza izitini, okutholakala ukuthi lenkampani eyayimba yayixhumene nekhansela londawo. Umphakathi wendawo wazwakalisa ilaka lawo kulaba ababemba, wase njalo usuma umsebenzi. “ Ngosuku olulandelayo, amadoda ayesebenza kelendawo afika namaphoyisa kanye nabombutho wezempi ukuzobuza ukuthi ubani omise umsebenzi wokumba. NgoMgqibelo ekuseni, abantu basivusa. Basithatha basiyisa lapho ukuyothola ukuthi kwenzekani. Kwanqunywa usuku lomhlangano nomnikazi wefemu eyakha izitini kanye nekhansela lendawo, kodwa abazange baze bafike. Akubanga khona khansela , noma ungqonqgoshe noma abasebenzi befemu yezitini, akubanga khona namunye umuntu. Kwakungekho ukulwa. Kwasekutheleka amaphoyisa. Lase lifona-ke ikhansela. Ikhansela lathi emaphoyiseni: “Lababantu bayizigebengu, babopheni.”
Ukuvalwa kwemigwaqo kwalandelwa imashi eyayisemthethweni. Yayithanyelwe ngabantu abangu 3000, ngomhlaka 13 May. Lombhikisho wawenzelwe ukuba kutshenwe ikhansela lendawo uJacoob Baig ukuthi malishiye phansi umsebenzi, nanokuthi kudedelwe umhlaba futhi kuqhutshekwe nokwakhiwa kwezindlu. Ikhansela laphendula kulokhu ngokuba lithumele abantu bazokhuluma nopmhakathi. Leliqembu labamele ikhansela lafike lathethisa umphakathi, lafuna futhi nokwazi ukuthi ngubani ngempela ophehla lesisihlava. U-Zikode wavuma ukuthi ukhona ngempela okuyena ophehla lesisihlava, wathi ubusika. Ubusika buyeza, futhi busho ukuthi kuzosha izakhiwo abahlala kuzo. Imashi yesibili esemthethwei yahlelwa.
Isekela lomphathi weTheku, u Mnumzane Derek Naidoo wafika “ukuzothicha imashi.” U-Mnumzane Naidoo waveza indlela yokuba imashi ingenziwa: Waveza ukuthi uMkhandlu weTheku wakhe izindlu zangases zibe yingxenye yezakhiwo. Futhi lezizakhiwo zizobasezandleni zabaholi. Kwabekwa ukuthi uma umuntu efuna ukuchama uyokhokha u-10cents, kanti uma efuna ukukaka uyokhokha u-20 cents, kodwa akekho owayazi kahle. Lemali okwakuzongenwa ngayo kulezizindlu zangasese yayizosetshenziswa ekukhokheleni ozoyi hlanza futhi isetshenziswe ekunakekeleni izakhiwo uma zidinga ukulungswa.
Izindlu zangasese zomgodi(pitlatrines) akuyona into encane lapha Kennedy Road. Lezizindlu zangasese ezingu 147 zagcinwa ukukhucululwa eminyakeni engu 5 eyedlule. Abahlali balapha abangu 6000 besebesebenzisa izindlu zangasese ezithwalwayo ezingu 6 futhi ezisesimweni esibi kakhulu. Kodwa-ke lokhu kwakungekuhle neze. U-Mnumzane Naidoo wafakwa inseleleo mayelana nomhlaba kanye nezindlu ezazithenjisiwe. U-Mnumzane Naidoo watshela umphakathi ukuthi indawo ababehleli kuyo yase ithathwa njengendawo edinga ukukhucululwa futhi engekho esimweni esimukelekayo, nanokuthi “uMkhandlu weTheku wase unqume ukuthi bazosuswa bayiswe ekugcineni noma ngaphandle kwe Theku.”
U-Mnumzane Naidoo wahlatshwa kakhulu ngalokhu ayekutshela umphakathi. Siyosebenzakuphi? Abantwana bethu bazofunda kuphi? Imiphi imitholampilo ekhona ? Siyohlala kanjani? U-Mnumzane Naido watshelwa ukuthi azikho izingqalazizinda emaphandleni. U-Mnumzane Naidoo wavumelana nabo kulokhu wase ebeka ukuthi abantu kufanele bazi ukuthi kuyabiza kakhulu ukwakha lapho, nanokuthi intuthuko igxiliswe endaweni engu 25 kilometres ukusuka enkabeni emaphakathi neTheku. Umphakathi waphendula ngokuthi loku okushiwo ngu Mnumzane Naidoo kuyefana nobandlululo lapho abantu babephushelwa ngaphandle kwedolobha. U-Mnumzane Naidoo waphendula ngokuthi uma lokhu bengakuthandi “babengaya kwi Nkantolo Yezomthetho Sisekelo.” U-Mnumzane Naidoo wayelokhu egcizelela ukuthi awukhu umhlaba. U-Mnumzane Cosmos Bhengu waveza ukuthi empeleni kunomhlaba omningi kakhulu khona eduzane. Waveza izibonelelo ngalokhu. U-Mnumzane Naidoo waveza ukuthi lomhlaba ngowenkampani yangasese ebizwa ngokuthi u-Moreland. I-Moreland, okuyinkampani enkulu kakhulu ephethe imihlaba lapha e-Thekwini, ingumniniyo womhlaba okutshalwe kuwo umoba endaweni esenyakatho neTheku.
Lemihlaba yatholakala ngokunqoba ngesikhathi sempi ka 1906 phakathi kwamaNgisi nesizwe samaZulu, lapho kwabulawa khona abantu abaningi. Lemihlaba yabuye yasetshenzwa kakhulu yisizwe samaNdiya esasilandwe phesheya ukuzotshala umoba. Lemihlaba namhlanje isiyakhiwe imizi yezicebi, amahovisi abizayo kanye nezitolo ezibheke olwandle. U-Sbu Zikode wamemezela ukuthi umhlangano usuyavalwa, wase ethembisa ukuthi “ Sizothumela izinkulungwane ezitaladini.” Ngomhlaka 14 September, izinkulungwane ezingu 5000 zamasha zaya kwi khansela lendawo.
Lokhu kungumbejazana wabantu asebengasanakiwe. Ukhongolse (ANC) uhlale ezigqaja futhi ekhuphula amandla akhe ngokuthi konke akwenzayo, ukwenzela uquqaba oluntulayo. Lezizinkulumo akazenzi nje emoyeni, kodwa kunezithembiso eziphathekayo azenze emiphakathini ethile. Ngomhlaka 9 November 1993, ukhongolose wakhipha isitatimende lapho ayehlaba khona “inkinga enkulu mayelana nezindlu eSouth Africa” njengento ayibeka emahlombe ka Hulumeni we National Party kanye nalabo ayehambisana nabo.” Isitatimende saqhubeka sathi izimo zokuphila ezakhiweni “azizinhle” neze. Waqhubeka uKhongole wathi: Abantu abahlala ezakhiweni kumele basukume bame ngezinyawo bakhulume ngempilo abayiphila kulezizindawo! “ Izinkinga zakho, Izinkinga zami. Ikhambi lakho, Ikhambi lami, “ kusho President Mandela. Indawo yase Kennedy Road yathintwa kulezizitatimende.
Ngomhlaka June 4, 1999, uKhongolose wamukela ukunqoba kwabo okhethweni lwezifundazwe ngomhlangano nabamaphephandaba. Bathembisa ukuthi into yokuqala ezinjongweni zabo “U-Khongolose uyosebenzisana nemiphakathi yakithi ekulungiseni isimo sabantu abantula kakhulu abahlala ezakhiweni njengase Kennedy Road, Elusaka nase Bhambayi.” Okhethweni olwabakhona, abahlala ku Kennedy Road bavotela uKhongolose ngokuphindiwe.
Abantu bahlala ezakhiweni ngezizathu zokufuna imisebenzi, noma bathole izindlela ezithile yokuziphilisa nanokuthi bathole ukufunda ezindaweni ezingcono, ukuthola imitholampilo nalapho bezokwazi ukuthola khona izindawo ezingcono zokungcebeleka. Noma kukhona ukuhlupheka okukhulu ezakhiweni, kodwa futhi izakhiwo ziyindawo lapho abantu bethola khona ithemba lokuphila., bathole nendlela yokuphuma ezingxakini zabo ezinzima.
U-Masipala weTheku uhlambisela ukuthi abangaphezu kuka 800 000 emphakathini weTheku ongu 3million bahlala ezakhiweni. Inqubo yeTheku ithi imizamo yokwakha ezinye izakhiwo ithathwa njengengekho emthethweni. Abantu abakha izakhiwo ezintsha bazozithola sebebhekene namacala. Kodwa akuzona izakhiwo ezintsha kuphela ezibhekene nengalo yomthetho. UMkhandlu weTheku ufuna futhi ukuvimbela abantu abahlala ezakhiweni ezindala ukuba bangazilungisi izakhiwo zabo zibe izindlu ezibhekile nezimukelekayo. U-Mkhandlu weTheku usonga , futhi uvamile ukubhidliza izakhiwo ezinwetshiweyo. Izikhulu zoMkhandlu weTheku zithi lokhu kufanele kwenziwe ngoba uma ngabe ezinye izakhiwo zilungiswa , ezingaphezu kuka 70 kuyofanele zisuswe abantu bayiswe kwenye indawo.
Noma u-Mkhandlu ungasho, kodwa kuyacaca ukuthi abazigcinanga izithembiso abazenza emphakathini, njengoku faka izidingo ezinjengo gesi, kanye namanzi, kokunye bazikhiphile ezinye izinto njengezindlu zangasese, kwezinye izakhiwo. Lesisenzo siyinkomba yokuthi bazama ukuphoqa umphakathi ukuba usuke endaweni. U-Mkhandlu weTheku uthi usuyisusile imindeni engu 7000, futhi baqonde ukwakha izindlu ezingu 400 ngenyanga ukuze bakwazi ukuqhubeka nokuyisa abantu kwezinye izindawo. Lenqubomgomo ithathwa njengenenqubekela phambili kwezinye izindawo ezisezingeni eliphezulu kodwa kunamaphuzu amabili angabhekisiswa kulokhu. Lamaphuzu ahambisana nenqubo yobandlululo.
Elokuqala elokuthi kuyacaca ukuthi kunemizamo yokuvimba abantu abantulayo ukuthi beze bazohlala edolobheni. Ngokwempela, akukho mngcele ngoba izakhiwo ezintsha ziyakhiwa nanokuthi abantu abathola imisebenzi noma bathole indlela yokuziphilisa ukusuka befika ezakhiweni bavamise ukuphuma ezakhiweni zabo bese behlalisa abanye abantu abafikayo noma abasha ezakhiweni zabo babakhokhise i-renti. Kodwa injongo yenqubo mgomo yomkhandlu ukuthi kwehliswe isibalo sabantu abantulayo abangena edolobheni bezohlala.
Okwesibili, uma kusakhiwa izindlu ezindaweni lapho bethuthelwe khona abantu, zivamise ukwakhiwa ngendlela efuze eyamalokishi ngesikhathi sobandlululo. Emicabangweni yakhe, u-Frantz Fanon wathi umhlaba noma umbuso wama “colonialists”( abamhlophe ababethatha imihlaba yabantu ngenkani futhi baphinde bababuse ngendlela engenabo ubuntu) uhlukaniswe izigceme ezimbili: indawo lapho kuhlala khona abantu bendabuko ayifani nendawo lapho kuhlala khona ababusi (colonialists). Lezizindawo zombili azifani.’ Ngokuka Fanon, lezizindawo ezimbili zihlukene ngokokuphila nokunethezeka.
Ngakho-ke, indawo yomuntu wendabuko ayihlukene nje kuphela naleyo okuhlala kuyona abamhlophe, kodwa futhi lezizindawo zithathwa njengezi ndawo ezihlala abantu abahlukene: omunye uhlanzekile, uphephile kanti futhi unomqondo ohluzekile, kanti omunye ungcolile, uyingozi kanti futhi akanawo umqondo ophusile. Ngakhoke, isikhathi sobu “colonialism” siyophela mhlazane kwaphela izindawo ezimbili ezihleli abantu abangefani edolobheni elilodwa. Loluhlelo lokuphila kumele luqedwe.
Idolobha lama “colonialists” kanye nelobandlululo laliqambeke njengendawo yesimanje kanye nendawo yabamhlophe lapho abantu abamnama babezohlungwa kahle endaweni yabo noma basuswe futhi bavinjwe. Kodwa-ke eminyakeni yawo1980, uhulumeni wobandlululo, ephethe e-Namibia, elwa nabase Cuba kanye ne MPLA e-Angola, eqeda futhi ukuvukelwa kombuso emalokishini ezweni wagcina ngokuhluleka ukushayela abantu abamnyama imigomo yokuhamba endaweni. Lapho okwakulula khona ukuthi kwenzeke, izindawo zabamhlophe zazivikelwe, kodwa abantu abamnyama babekwazi ukungena ezindaweni ezingamadolobha, badle umhlaba ngaphandle kwemvume kahulumeni bese begcina sebakhe imiphakathi ezimele, engancikene nohulumeni. Kodwa uhulumeni unezingqalazizinda angazisebenzisa ukwenza noma yini ayithandayo. Kucacile ukuthi uhulumeni ufuna ukubuyela kuleyonqubo yama “colonialists” yokwenza amadolobha abe ngawesimanje. Kodwa-ke phela, idolobha alisathathwa njengendawo yabamhlophe.
Kodwa idolobha selithathwa njengendawo yabantu abakhethekile, njengalabo abanezimali. Ngesikhathi u-Mike Sutcliffe ongumphathi weTheku enza inkulumo yakhe lapha e-University of KwaZulu Natal ngonyaka odlulile (2004), wakhombisa izithombe zezakhiwo endaweni eyayaziwa ngokuthi eyamaNdiya kuphela, futhi ehlala amaNdiya acebile e Reservoir Hills, wagcizelela ukuthi uguquko kufanele lusheshe ngoba lezizindawo okwakuthathwa ngokuthi ezamaNdiya kuphela zinezo izindawo ezinezakhiwo, kodwa zazingekho kobeLungu izindawo ezinjalo. Ngalokhu wayengaqondile ukuthi ugqugquzela ukuthi kungenwe ezindaweni kwakhiwe izakhiwo ezindaweni okwakungezaba Mhlophe kuphela.
Inkulumo yakhe yayiqonde ukuthi kufanele ezobulungiswa kuhlanganise nokuqhutshelwa phambili amagunya namalungelo abaMhlophe nasezindaweni zamaNdiya acebile. Inqubo yoMkandlu weTheku yokuzama ukuxuba idolobha uyodinga ukuba kuthathwe imihlaba enobunikazi bangasese (privately-owned)
ikakhulukazi izindawo ezinjengalezi kutshalwe khona izimoba, manje inkampani yakwaMoreland ibhidlangile yakha imizi kanokusho ebiyelelwe ukuze kungangeni muntu. Lokhu ngeke kuphela kudinge ukubanjwana ngezihluthu nongxowankulu (capiatalists). Kuyodinga futhi inseleleo eqondile ebhekiswe ekuhlukumekezekeni kubahlabali basezakhiweni, behlukunyezwa ngabaMhlophe nabaMnyama abaphila emazingeni aphezulu
Umzabalazo uyaqhubeka. Ngomhlaka 4 October 2005, abantu abangaphezulu kwenkulungwane, okucishe kube ngaphezulu noma ngaphansi kwesibalo sabantu bephelele basendaweni yase Quarry Road, bamasha bayakwi khansela lendawo, uJayraj Bachu, befuna ukuthi ashiye phansi isikhundla sakhe, kubuyiswe izindlu zangasese kubuye kutholwe indawo lapho bezokwakhelwa khona imizi maphakathi neTheku. Emva kwezinsuku ezimbili, kwabanjwa umhlanagano wezindawo ezingu 12. Lomhlangano wenzelwa ku Kennedy Road. Kwakunabamele imiphakathi yabo abangu 32: abesilisa abangu 17 kanye nabesifazane abangu 15. Bavumelana ukuthi ngeke baze bavote okhethweni oluzayo, nanokuthi bayobambana, balwe ndawonye. Indawo nendawo manje ibamba imihlangano kanye ngesonto, kuthi abamelele izindawo ngayinye ezindaweni ezingu 12 bahlangana njalo ngo Mgqibelo. Ubumbano olusha lwaqhamuka kulezizindawo. Kodwa uMhlengi Khumalo akasekho.
.Izakhiwo igama lokuhloniphisa ukuthi imijondolo.