Ukohlula phakathi kokulungileyo nokungalunganga kuquka nokuziguzula kwizinto ezisa uluntu kwantshabalala, kuko okubangele uNomandi Sukulwa waseDimbaza ukuba agqibe iminyaka elikhulu kulo nyaka.
USukulwa wazalwa ngonyaka ka1918, ezalelwa eBurgersdorp, kodwa usapho lwakhe lwafudukela eDimbaza ngeminyaka yoo1960. Encokolela I’solezwe lesiXhosa kumzi iDimbaza Society for the Aged, uSukulwa lixhegwazana elisavayo ngeendlebe, kwaye elisazihambelayo.
Abasondeleyo kuye bathi akalibali, uneenkumbulo ezingummangaliso. Ngonyaka ka1968, uSukulwa wafika eDimbaza ezokuphangela emakhitshini. Uthi wayerhola “indaliso”, imali engangesheleni enesis’peni (15c).
“Ngale mali ndandikwazi ukuthenga into etyiwayo, futhi ndithenge nempahla. Yimali mna nosapho lwam esasiye siphile ngayo,” utshilo uSukulwa.
Ethetha ngezona zinto athi zibangele ukuba akhule, lo makhulu uthe: “Kukwazi nokwahlula izinto ezigwenxa nezilungileyo. Empilweni kubalulekile ukwazi * ‘hayi’, ukuba ufuna iminyaka yakho yoluleke.”
“Intlonipho yayiyeyona nto ibalulekileyo ngexesha lethu lokukhula. Nawuphi na umzali ngumzali kuwe. Xa umntu engene kowenu, umntu omdala ehambele, wawumpha lo nto ityiwayo ungalindeli ukuba ade acele amanzi,” kutsho lo makhulu.
Lo makhulu ukwakhalimele ukusetyenziswa kotywala esithi, bungunobangela wokukhawuleza kwempilo eluntwini.
“Utywala abuyonto. Andimthandi umntu osela utywala, kuba uqhwalelisa impilo yakhe. Zange kwaselwa utywala lulutsha ngexesha lethu. Utywala babuselwa ngabantu abadala, futhi bungaxhaphakanga,” utshilo uSukulwa.
USukulwa uthi kubuchwepheshe obuninzi elizweni, uvele azive ekhumbula amaxesha amandulo okubhalwa kweeleta nangokuhamba ngoololiwe.
Noxa sele wabhubha umyeni wakhe, lo makhulu uthi into emonwabisayo kukuba akazange abethwe ngumyeni wakhe.
Lo makhuIu unabantwana abahlanu, intombi yakhe yokuqala inamashumi amathandathu anesibhozo (68) ubudala, abazukulwana kwanesizukulwana.
Baphume bebokoboko enkundleni abanchase uMandla uNtlanganiso