Ilifu elimnyama kushishino lweli!

Ubhubhe ngentseni ngoMvulo wale veki uRichard John Pelwana Maponya (99) emva kwengulo emfutshane ekhayeni lakhe eRhawutini.

Lo ngomnye wabasunguli nabaseki awona mashishini makhulu akhe asungulwa ngabantu abamnyama eMzantsi Afrika.

UMaponya ungamxhoma kwizinga loosomashishini abamnyama abafana noMarcus Garvey abasebenze ebunzimeni bemisa amashishini abo.

Ngomhla wamashumi amabini anesine kwinyanga kaDisemba uMaponya ebebhiyozela iminyaka engamashumi alithoba anesithoba walibonayo ilanga.

Le yindoda yokuqala emnyama ukuba ngumnikazi wodederhu lweevenkile, izakhiwo eziphantsi kwegama lakhe nezinye iindawo zoshishino.

Ngonyaka ka1950 uMaponya wasungula ishishini lobisi iDube Hygienic Diary ekunye nenkosikazi yakhe uMarina, nelathi laqesha amakhwenkwana awayejikeleza eSoweto ethengisa olo bisi.

Ethetha egameni loMzantsi Afrika, uMongameli weli uCyril Ramaphosa uchaze uMaponya njengomnye woovulindlela kushishino labamnyama.

“Ngomnye woovulindlela kwiinzame zokuguqula imeko yezimali egameni labantu abamnyama ngokuba ngumnikazi wamashishini aliqela, ungumzekelo wokunganikezeli nokuzinikela kushishino ngendlela engumangaliso,” uthethe watsho uRamaphosa.

Ukukhula kwakhe kushishino ukubonakalise ngokuba ngumnikazi weevenkile zokutya, umthengisi wemoto, amaziko okwetha amafutha nokuba ngumnikazi wezindlu ezithengiswayo.

Inkosikazi yakhe uMarina isisizalwane kunye nosapho lukabawo uNelson Mandela, logama yena eyinzalelwane yaseTlhabine eTzaneen eLimpopo.

“Ubengusomashishini wohlobo olulodwa obengasokuze athotywe amandla ziingxaki adibana nazo kushishino, iingxaki ebedibana nazo kushishino zimenze ukuba aphumelele kuba ebesoloko ezoyisa,” utshilo uRamaphosa.

Ngo1960 uMaponya wasungula iNational African Federated Chamber of Commerce (NAFCOC), ebekwangusihlalo weAfrican Chamber of Commerce.

Ngenxa yegalelo lakhe kushishino eMzantsi Afrika, uMaponya wawongwa nguMongameli uJacob Zuma ngonyaka ka2016 njengosomashishini ophume izandla ekunye nabanye abangamashumi amabini kwezoshishino.

UMaponya ebekunye nezangxa zoshishino zeli leMpuma Koloni ezifana noAunty Laura Mpahlwa obhubhe kunyaka ophelileyo.

Lo kaMaponya ubhubha eshiya ngasemva ubutyebi obuqikelelwa kumakhulu amane ezigidi zeerandi (R400 Million) ngokoqikelelo ebelenziwe ngo2018.