“Ndidane kakhulu leli nani lokubhubha kwabakhwetha eMpuma Koloni, kodwa lo mthetho mtsha usincedile kakhulu ukuthoba eli zinga (Eastern Cape Customary Male Initiation Practise Bill), kunyaka ophelileyo beliphezulu kakhulu!” – oku kuthethwe ngusihlalo wendlu yeeNkosi eMpuma Koloni, uNkosi uMwelo Nonkonyana, emva kokuba kubhubhe abakhwetha abalishumi elinesithandathu kwixesha lolwaluko lasehlotyeni koka-2017.
Ngamashumi amane anesithandathu abakhwetha ababhubha eMpuma Koloni ngonyaka ka2015, logama bebengamashumi amabini anethoba kunyaka ka2016. Ngexesha lolwaluko lasebusika ngo2017 ngabakhwetha abalishumi elinanye abathe babhubha kweli phondo.
“Siqaphele ukuba kukho imfuneko yokuba kufundiswe ngalo mthetho, sifumanise ukuba abawazi umthetho lo,” utsho uNonkonyana. Ingingqi yase OR Tambo ihambe phambili ngamanani wabakhwetha abathe babhubha emva kokuba belishumi abakhwetha ababhubhe kulo masipala; ababini eAlfred Ndzo, abemnye eJoe Gqabi, abemnye eChris Hani baze babebabini eAmathole.
“Nangona lihlile eli nani, kodwa asonwabanga kukubhubha kwabantwana kuba sinqwenela ukuba kuphele nya ukubhubha kwabakhwetha eSuthwini,” uthethe watsho uNonkonyana.
Ekuqaleni kwexesha lolwaluko lwasehlotyeni, uNonkonyana uvakalise ithemba kulo mthetho esithi uzakubanceda ukulwa iingxaki zaseSuthwini.
Ikomishini ejongene nokukhuselwa kwamalungelo eelwimi, amasiko nezithethe neenkolo (CRL) ijikeleze eMpuma Koloni nakuzwelonke isenza imvavanyo-zimvo zoluntu malunga neengxaki zolwaluko.
Emva kokwenza lo msebenzi, le komishini yakhupha isiphakamiso sokuba iphondo laseRawutini likunqumamise ukwalusa amakhwenkwe kwixesha lasehlotyeni kunyaka ophelileyo.
Lo mthetho iEastern Cape Customary Male Initiation Practise Bill upasiswe ekupheleni konyaka ka2016 ngenjongo zokulwa ingxaki zolwaluko.
“Sizakuqhubeka sisenza inzame zokulwa neengxaki ezibangela ukubhubha kwabantwana eSuthwini,” utsho uNonkonyana.
IiNkosi zesizwe samaHlubi kunyaka ophelileyo zivakalise ukungawamkeli amasolotya athile kumthetho wolwaluko ngelithi iphikisana nesiko lawo.
Lo mthetho uthi amakhwenkwe mawafike kwiminyaka elishumi elinesibhozo phambi kokuba aluke, logama isizwe samaHlubi sisalusa abantwana abakwiminyaka elishumi elinesithandathu kuphela.
UNkosi Vumile Zibi wamaHlubi uthi banezizathu zabo ezenza ukuba baluse abantwana beneminyaka elishumi elinesithandathu.
“Xa bekweli nqanaba bayalawuleka, bayamkela yonke imfundiso abayinikwayo, imizimba yabo isemincinci ihambela nokuphila ngokukhawuleza,” watsho uZibi.
Ukanti uMphathiswa uFikile Xasa yena umemelela ukuba isizwe samaHlubi nezinye izizwe ezinengxaki ngalo mthetho zifake izimvo zazo.
“Lisekho ithuba lokuba uluntu lufake izimvo ngalo mthetho, kuxoxwe, kufikelelwe kwisigqibo esanelisa wonke ubani,” uthethe watsho uXasa.
Liyoyikisa izinga lokunyamalala kwamadoda eGqeberha!