Ukukhunjulwa kwesiganeko sokuzika kwenqanawa i-SS Mendi kubangela ukuphalala kweenyembezi kwabo bangabazukulwana kumaxhoba ale ntlekele.
UNontlukaniso Bani (70) ungumzukulwana kaCharlie Mali Kana owazika nale nqanawa yembali, ulile iinyembezi xa ebalisa ngamava kamama wakhe ngesi siganeko.
“Umama ebelila iinyembezi, angonwabi xa athe wabalisa ngesi siganeko sokushiywa kwabo ngutatomkhulu emva kokuba watshona nale nqanawa,” uthethe watsho uBani.
Uthi unina wayeneminyaka elishumi elinesihlanu ngenyanga yoMdumba ngo1917 ngexesha lale ntlekele.
“Ubesibalisela ukuba babizwa besemasimini ukufika komphanga wokutshona kwe-SS Mendi, baxelelwa ukuba utata wabo akazu kubuya kuba ebekuloo nqanawa itshone elwandle,” ucacise watsho uBani.
UCharlie Mali Bani wayeyinzalelwane yaseMooiplaas kweli leMpuma Koloni, waza waba yinxalenye yebutho leli elathi laya kuncedisa iBritane kwimfazwe yokuqala yehlabathi.
“Ubesibalisela ukuba utatomkhulu waza kuthathwa phaya ekhayeni eMooiplaas lipolisa ekwakusithiwa nguJolinkomo, elo polisa labadibanisa nenqwelo eyathi yahamba nabo kamva, bamgqibela ngaloo mini,” utsho uBani.
Urhulumente welizwe loMzantsi Afrika uqhube isikhumbuzo sokunika imbeko kumajoni eli kuquka namadoda azika nale nqanawa i-SS Mendi.
Le mibhiyozo ibibanjwe ngoLwesibini wale veki eThekwini ngelinika imbeko kuloo maxhoba eSS Mendi nezinye iintlekele zomkhosi.
Emva kwengxoxo ende epalamente eKapa ukusukela ngo1916, amakomkhulu weli athumela iNkosi neNkosana ukuba zikhokele amabutho ayesiya kuncedisa iBritane kwimfazwe yokuqala yehlabathi.
Umongo wale ngxoxo yayiku kukhangela izizathu zokuthunyelwa kwamadoda amnyama ukuba athathe inxaxheba kule mfazwe ngokuncedisa iBritane. Amalungu epalamente ayehlukene kubini, amanye esithi akumele ukuba abantu abamnyama bathunyelwe kule mfazwe, abanye bekukhuthaza ukuthunyelwa kwabo.
Igama likaCharlie Mali Kana likhona kuluhlu lwamadoda atshona nale nqanawa ngokwembali ebhalwe nguNorman Clothier.
Amakomkhulu amaMpondo athumela uNkosi Henry Bokleni noNkosi Richard Ndamase ukuba bakhaphe elo qela lamadoda ukusinga kuloo mathafa emfazwe. Abazukulwana baka Charlie Mali Kana bathi bazakuthetha norhulumente besabela ukuba yintoni abanokuyifumana ukuze bazixolise.
“Ndivile apha kumabonakude abantu bezinye iintsapho ukuba bafumana uncedo, mna ndiza kuthetha nabantakwethu, nathi nje ngabazukulwana bakaMali senze elethu ibango.”
Halala, utshatile uMama Joy!