Inyhikityha yokubhubha kwabakhwetha

UKumkani uShaka wamaZulu ngexesha lakhe wayalela isizwe samaZulu ukuba sohlukane nesiko lokwaluka kuba wayefuna amadodana ukuba ayekuncedisa emfazweni. Khumbula ukuba eli yayilixesha ekwakuxhaphake kakhulu imilo neemfazwe, kwaye iinkosi zazizibonakalisa ukuba zinamandla ngokuphumelela ezi mfazwe. Oku kubangele ukuba isizwe samaZulu sihlale iminyaka emininzi kakhulu singalisebenzisi isiko lokwaluka ngexesha likakumkani uShaka (1829). Ngenxa yobu bunganga bale kumkani esi sizwe sakwazi ukuba nobunganga kwizizwe ezininzi emhlabeni.

Kutheni iiKumkani zesizwe samaXhosa namhlanje zingenakuvela zisithi malimiswe isithuba seminyaka ethile isiko lokwaluka ngenxa yeengozi ezibangelwa leli siko ebantwaneni. Ukubhubha kwabantwana abangamadoda ngamani esiwabonayo ayiyonto imele ukuba siyithathe ukuba iqhelekile okanye siyivumele ukuba yenzeke ngohlobo eyenzeka ngalo. Kumele ukuba iinkokheli zethu zijonge emva zikhangele kwinkokeli ebezikwazi ukuma esizweni zithathe isigqibo kujike izinto zibeyile nto ifunwa sisininzi. Isizwe samaXhosa sihlazeka imihla yonke xa kufike ixesha lokuba kwaluswe abantwana, ngoku isuke yonke le nto yayinto engasothusiyo kwabaninzi, kuba besithi iqhelekile, kuqheleka njani ukubhubha kwabantwana. Ziphi iiKumkani neeNkosi zingene zimilisele eli siko nokuba ngunyaka omnye kucengwe iminyanya noQamata, kukhangelwa indlela entsha yokulenza okanye kuphuculwe ezi zikhoyo.

UKumkani uFaku wamaMpondo (1844) ukwazile ukuyalela isizwe sakhe ukuba sinqumame ukwalusa abantwana ngexesha lokuphatha kwakhe, kuba naye wayefuna amadodana okuya emfazweni. Ziphi iinkosi neeKumkani zangoku le nto zingenakuza ngaphambili zimemelele ukunqunyanyiswa kwesiko lolwaluko, kufundiswane ngeendlela ezintsha nezizakukhusela abantwana ekufeni. Kutshane kuhlaselwe igosa likarhuluemente ngethuba lizama ukunceda abakhwetha kwingingqi yasemaMpondweni eMbizana. Kwiveki ephelileyo amapolisa ajijisene namakhankatha namadoda elali eNtabethemba engavumi kunikisa ngomkhwetha ukuba athunyelwe esibhedlele. Kunceda ntoni ukungavumi ukuba umntwana athunyelwe esibhedlele esebenzisa amayeza asesibhedlele ekhona la madoda angavumiyo.