Xa sisiya kwimibhiyozo yosuku loomama, masikhumbule iqhalo lesiXhosa, nelivela kakuhle kulaa ncwadi kaMesatywa ithi “Izaci namaqhalo esiXhosa,” qhalo elo likucacisa kakuhle ukubaluleka kwendima yoomama kusapho, emzini nakwisizwe ngokubanzi. Eli ke lelo qhalo lithi “Kungafa isikhukukazi, amaqanda ayabola.”
Isikhukukazi kweli qhalo sifaniswa nomntu ongumama. Kumehlo nakwizimvo zabantu, kuphawuleka ukuba ikhaya elingenamama likhaya elibandayo, ikhaya elixwebileyo, ikhaya elibhalwe iintsizi nelizele inkxwaleko nokungcola, ikhaya elisilelayo ekwakhekeni nasekuhombisekeni. Kaloku le meko isukela kude kwaye inembali.
Phambili phaya, imizi kaNtu isafuyile, ootata nabafana babehlala emadlelweni, kugadwe imfuyo emahlathini, ezintabeni nasemagxamesini, kubuyelwe emakhaya xa kunyanzelekile kuphela.
Uthe umzi ontsundu wakuphulukana nemfuyo, kusukela ngoNongqawuse kaMhlakaza ngomnyaka ka1856 ukuya ku1857, kwafumaniseka ukuba kuya kuthi ukuze kugxothwe indlala emizini, amadoda aye kufuna imisebenzi, afumane imirholo nemivuzo eya kusetyenziswa ekuthengweni kokutya kumashishini alawulwa kwangabo bantu babasebenzelayo. Ngenxa yesi sizathu ke, abafana, amadoda nootata bethu bekunyanzeleka ukuba babhalise kwaTEBA.
UTEBA yayingumbutho owasekwa ngomnyaka ka1902 ukuze ukhangele uze ufumane abo bantu badinga umsebenzi, ukuze babhaliswe kuwo, baye kusebenza kwimigodi yegolide, imigodi yedayimani nakwimizi eyomba amalahle eRhawutini, eWelkom naseKhimbali.
Bebesithi bakuchongwa ke ootata bemizi bakhweliswe oonomkhehlane bezitimela nabo duladula bakwaRailway baye kutshona emigodini. Baya kuhlala apho ke kubuywe kuphela ukuphela ngeeholide zokuphela konyaka.
Bambi koobawo bethu ke, bebeye batshiphe kwezo dolophu zemigodi kude kufumaniseke ukuba sele bathatha nabanye abafazi abadibene nabo apho. Ngenxa yoku ke, oomama bekufuneka bathwale iintsapho zabo bengenabancedisi. Babambe iintsana zabo ngamazinyo ukuze zilale zityile, zifunde, zinxibe kwaye zibe namakhaya akhiwe kwangaboo mama.
Izinto ke ngoku sele zijikile. Kufumaniseka ukuba le mali sakhetha ukuxhomekeka kuyo ukuze sikwazi ukuphila, ayisafikeleli kuzo zonke izidingo zeentsapho zethu.
Ngenxa yoku ke, kuyanyanzeleka kumakhaya amaninzi ukuba ootata bangasebenzi bodwa, koko bancediswe ngoomama ukuze kufumaneke imivuzo emibini eza kumelana nezidingo zobomi ezifuna imali.
Ngenxa yoku ke, oomama bafumana ukuthwala imithwalo ukogqitha ootata nangona loo mithwalo beyifeza, ngenxa yokomelela kwabo kwanenzondelelo yabo ngokwendalo.
Bathi ngoku bevuke baya emisebenzini, basebenza yonke imini njengootata, ukuba phofu ootata bayasebenza nabo, okanye abazange balahleke baduke nezwe, oomama kufuneke babuye baqinisekise ukuba kulala kutyiwe, kwaye nezindlu zibetha umoya ukucoceka oku.
Khawubajonge ke ngoku sele bebadala, ubabone bephuma emakhaya ngentseni. Nabo beyimiqodi ukuya ezibhasini, koololiwe naseziteksini, besiya kusebenza kumakhitshi abo bantu banemivuzo enokumelana nabancedisi basekhaya, nabaluphi na uhlanga.
Bafika apho bancedise ngezinto eziliqela eziquka ukucoca imizi, ukukhulisa abantwana, ukuhlamba iimpahla, ukujonga izilwanyana zasekhaya nokupheka ngamanye amaxesha.
Besenza yonke le nto nje abanye babayeni noonyana neentombi zabo bahleli emakhaya, bambi kubo basezipotsoyini nakwiindawo zentselo, basetyenzelwa ngaba mama bathwele imithwalo enzima ebaxhaphazayo. Babone bebuya ngorhatya kwezo ndawo basebenza kuzo, befika emakhaya kulindelwe ukuba mabapheke.
Xa bendincokola nabo ngobu bomi babo ndibubukeleyo kuzo zonke iidolophu endihamba kuzo zoMzantsi Afrika, akukho nto indikhathaze ukogqitha isikhalo sabaninzi kubo, xa besithi “ixesha elininzi, kwale mali bayisebenzela nzima, baye bafike ihluthwe kwangoonyana neentombi zabo ezingoongantweni abangafuni nokuzisebenzela oku, kwaye xa bengabaniki, bade babatyityimbisele iminwe bababethe nokubabetha.” Inene umntu ongumama uwuthwele umthwalo wobunzima. Bakuze bakhululeke nini na oomama?
Nombhali wesizwe ophume izandla uJJR Jolobe, uyichaza kabuhlungu impilo yoomama kumbongo wakhe osihloko sithi ‘Umzalikazi’ xa esithi:
Umoya wobusika uyavuthuza,
Umi yena phakathi kweendiza,
Eqokelela kuvimba wekhaya,
Ukuz’agxoth’indlal’ebomvu.
Amasim’alinde yena,
Ihlathi lilinde yena,
Imithombo ilinde yena,
Kanti nembiz’egxabhuzayo ijonge kuye.
Akatshongo namhla wanduluka,
Uyihlo esiya kweliphezulu,
Ukuthi uya emgodini omnyama,
Wemka ngekhwezi, wobuya ngorhatya,
Sul`ezonyembezi sana lwam.
Liyoyikisa izinga lokunyamalala kwamadoda eGqeberha!