SS Mendi ngeyoMdumba ka1917

Ngenxa yokulibala nokungazi, abantu beli bayakulibala ukuba le yinyanga yokuzila nokukhumbula amadoda angamakhulu amathandathu awatshona nenqanawe iSS Mendi elwandle ngo1917.

Onke amalungu ePalamente eKapa aphakama ngeenyawo xa uMongameli welo xesha, uLouis Botha, ebhengeza ukubhubha kwamadoda angaphezu kwamakhulu amathandathu ngenxa yokutshona kwenqanawa iSS Mendi kulwandle iEnglish Channel.

Ukuphakama kwala malungu enika imbeko kula magorha kwakuxube usizi nenzila eyayibangelwa kukubhubha kwabantu abaninzi ngaxeshanye. Le nqanawa yayithwele amadoda awayesuka kwiindawo zonke zelizwe loMzantsi Afrika esiya kuncedisa iBritane kwimfazwe yokuqala yehlabathi.

Ingcali yembali ebalisa eli bali, uNorman Clothier, kwincwadi yakhe ethi, ‘The Black Valour,’ ulibeka licace eli bali. Uchaza iziganeko eziphambi kokuhamba kwala madoda, nexesha lokuphithizela kwawo elungiselela ukushiya iintsapho zawo.

UNkosi Victor Poto Ndamase kwincwadi yakhe ethi, ‘Imbali nentlalo yamaMpondo,’ naye uyanzulu ukuchaza indlela la madoda ayesenza ngawo ulungiselelo lokuya kuncedisa iBritane.

Ngenxa yokuba uMzantsi Afrika ngelo xesha wawulihlakani okanye wawuphantsi kolawulo lwamaBritani, kwakulawula iKumkani yaseBritane kweli.

Kuthiwa ngentseni ngemizuzu emithathu phambi kwentsimbi yesihlanu, inqanawe iSS Mendi yangqutywa yinqanawe iDoree eyayinkulu kuneMendi. I-SS Mendi yathatha imizuzu engamashumi amabini anesihlanu kuphela ukutshona kumazantsi olwandle lwe-English Channel.

URhulumente welo xesha wazama kaninzi ukucenga iiNkosi ukuba zithumele amadoda aye kuncedisa iBritane kuba eli lizwe laliphantsi kweKumkani.

NguWalter Rubusana owasetyenziswa ukuba ajikeleze ngoku kodwa eMpuma Koloni ecenga iiNkosi ukuba zinikise ngamadoda azakuhamba neSS Mendi. Izizwe eziquka abeSuthu nabeTswana nazo zagalela inani elivakalayo lamadoda kule nqanawa.

Umsebenzi wala madoda yayikukucanda iinkuni, ukubasa umlilo neminye imisetyenzana engacacanga ukuncedisa umkhosi. Ubukhosi bamaMpondo bahamba phambili ukugalela amadoda angaphezu kwamakhulu amathathu ukuba aye kuncedisa aza ahamba neMendi. Oku kungqinwa nguNorman Clothier kwakunye noNkosi uVictor Poto Ndamase.

Bobabini aba babhali bangqinelana ukuba isizwe samaMpondo sakhupha uNkosi Richard Ndamase ehamba namabutho, uNkosi Henry Bokleni naye ekhokele amabutho kwakunye noNkosi Bokoda nawakhe amabutho. Oku kuthetha ukuba ngenene le yinyanga yokukhumbula nokunika imbeko kula madoda anikele ngobomi bawo engayolelanga.

Ithetha ngala mabutho imbongi yaseNtabozuko uSamuel Edward Krune Mqhayi uthi, “Anithengwanga ngazo izicengo, anithengwanga ngayo imibengo, koko nilidini lesizwe.”

Ngexesha likaMongameli uThabo Mbeki, uRhulumente phantsi kobunkokheli bukaJola Pallo Jordaan wathumela iinkokeli zenkolo kunye neentsapho zala madoda ukuba zenze idini kunxweme lwe-English Channel.

Abanye baba bantu, amangcwaba abo akumazwe afana neFransi, iCote d’Ivoire, iNgilane kunye neJamani. Akwaba abanakulibaleka embalini.