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Intatheli, umbhali uJohn Tengo Jabavu (1859 - 1921)

Siyabulela Mqikela|Published

Intatheli, umbhali uJohn Tengo Jabavu.

Image: SAHO

Xa sivala le nyanga kaCanzibe, kumele ukuba sikhumbule, sinike imbeko kwigxathu negalelo lentatheli ephambili yolwimi lesiXhosa ubawo uJohn Tengo Jabavu ngomsebenzi wakhe. Ngexesha lokusungula kwakhe iphephandaba lolwimi lesiXhosa i-Imvo Zabantsundu kwakungelula kuba wayejijisana nabachasi benkululeko yabantu abamnyama. 

UJabavu uzelwe ngexesha lokuphatha kweKumkani yamaXhosa uKumkani uSarhili irhamba elimdaka laseHoyita. 

Ubawo uJabavu usebenze nzima ukukhusela, ukukhulisa nokugcina ulwimi lesiXhosa sibhaliwe sifundwa de sagqithela kwizizukulwana. Ngokusebenzisa usiba lwakhe, uJabavu ebeyigxeka ngamandla indlela ebebephethwe ngayo abantu abamnyama phantsi kolawulo lwabamhlophe. UJabavu usebenze ngamandla kwakunye nesifundiswa somlungu esasiluma sivuthela uJames Stewart owadlala indima enkulu ukusungula amaziko emfundo ephakamileyo eMpuma Koloni.

Emva kokufunda ngempumelelo imfundo yakhe ephakamileyo eHealdtown, uJabavu wasebenza njengomfundisi-ntsapho eSomerset East kwakweli leMpuma Koloni. 

Ngo1881 wamenywa nguJames Stewart ukuba abe ngumhleli wephephandaba Isigidimi samaXhosa nalapho wathi wawenza ngempumelelo lo msebenzi. 

Amanqaku akhe ayegxile kakhulu ekugxekeni ukwanda kogonyamelo lorhulumente wabamhlophe.

UJabavu ukwasebenze nzima ukulwela amalungelo nesidima samakhosikazi kweli loMzantsi Afrika esebenzisa usiba lwakhe njengentatheli. 

Iphephandaba lakhe Imvo Zabantsundu ulisungule ngonyaka ka1884 ekhangela iqonga lokuvakalisa izimvo zabantu abamnyama ngokungangxengwanga.

Ingxelo ithi ngethuba wayesebenza njengomhleli weSigidimi samaXhosa wayenyanzelwa ukuba angabhali izinto ezithile ingakumbi kwezimayela nenkolo nezopolitiko. 

Oku kwamtyhala ukuba aqalise iphephandaba lakhe Izimvo zabantsundu elathi laqhuba kakuhle kakhulu ukusukela ngoko kwade kwayiminyaka yoo1990.

UJabavu wayengumyeni kamama uElda Sakuba owathi walishiya eli ngonyaka ka1900 emva kwengulo emfutshane, emva koko waphinda watshata uGetrude Joninga. 

UJabavu wabayinkokeli nomsunguli wombutho iMbumba eyathi yangquzulana ngamandla ngelo xesha kwakunye nombutho iSouth African Native National Congress eyathi yaba yiANC kamva.