S.E.K. Mqhayi: ‘Le nqanawa uMendi namhla yendisile’
Apha sicaphule kumbongo wembongi yaseMazimeni ubawo uSamuel Edward Krune Mqhayi waseNtabozuko, owathi wabhala umbongo othi ‘Ukutshona kukaMendi’ emva kukuvakala kweendaba zokutshona kwale nqanawa iSS Mendi.
Ngentseni ngomhla wamashumi amabini ananye kwinyanga yoMdumba ngo1917, yazika le nqanawe kulwandle le’English Channel imumethe amadoda angaphezu kwamakhulu amathandathu.
Kuba wayephila ngelo xesha, uMqhayi watsibela usiba wabhala ekhahlela, ethuthuzela, esomeleza iintsapho ezathi zashiywa ngabantu bazo apho esithi: “Isindiwe le nqanawa, ‘de yazika, Kwf’amakhalipha, amafa nankosi.” Ukhahlele loo miphemfulo esithi kubo, “Asinithenganga ngazo izicengo; Asinithenganga ngayo imibengo; ... Ngesibinge ngantonina ke kade? Idini lomzi liyintonina ke kade?”
Le nqanawa yayithwele amadoda awayephuma kweli loMzantsi Afrika esiya kuncedisa iBritane kwimfazwe yokuqala yehlabathi kuba kaloku uMzantsi Afrika lo wawuphantsi kweBritane ngelo xesha.
Iingcali zembali zithi urhulumente wabelungu wakhupha imbalelwano ePalamente eKapa ecenga iiNkosi ukuba zithumele amadoda ayokuncedisa iBritane.
Kuthiwa ke nguWalter Rubusana owathunywa ukuba acenge iiNkosi ukuba zithumele amadoda, zona zingavumi ukukhulula amadoda ukuba aye kule mfazwe.
Amakomkhulu, ingakumbi eMpuma Koloni, ahlaba ikhwelo kumadoda ukuba eze ngaphambili ukuze kuhanjwe kuncediswe iBritane kwimfazwe yehlabathi yokuqala.
Iingxelo zamaphephandaba ayekho ngelo xesha zibonisa ukuba iPalamente yoMzantsi Afrika yahlukana kubini ngalo mcimbi.
Amanye amalungu ayelixhasa eli nyathelo, logama amanye ayengahambisani nokuthunyelwa kwabantu abamnyama emfazweni enkulu enjengaleyo yokuqala yehlabathi.
Izizwe eziquka amaMpondo, abaSuthu, amaHlubi nezinye zakhupha amadoda ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo ukuba aye edabini.
Kuthiwa ke umsebenzi wabo yayikukuba babezakuncedisa ngokubasa umlilo, ukuqokelela iinkuni zokubasa neminye imisetyenzana emincinci.
UNkosi Victor Poto Ndamase uyakungqina ukuba ngenene isizwe samaMpondo sathumela elona nani liphezulu lamadoda. Amadoda wamaMpondo ayekhokelwe nguNkosi uHenry Bokleni kwakunye noNkosi Richard Ndamase. I-SS Mendi yatshona elwandle emva kokuba ingqutywe yinqanawa iSS Darro nekwathi kamva kwenziwa uphando ngokumiselwa kweKomishini.