“Amamfengu ezi Zinja zam nje, ungena phi wena?” - Hintsa
La nga mazwi athethwa ngu mhlekazi u Hintsa xeshikweni wayekwi nkampu yama Ngesi ku Ndabakazi cebu kuhle e Gcuwa ekuthinjweni, eli banjwa lika Saqhwithi (Sir Harry Smith). Kwenzeka njani ukuba iKumkani ye sizwe esikhulu kangaka, eyona ndoda ibalulekileyo ne nkulu kulo lonke elase maXhoseni ibe libanjwa lesinye isizwe okanye olunye uhlanga? Wawuphi u mkhosi wakhe njenga Kumkani? Abantu ngu mbuzo abazibuza wona lo kule mihla; mhasikhe sijonge iimpendulo, sizame ukuwuphendula. Kwiminyaka nje embalwa ngaphambi kuka 1834 kwaku kade kujongenwe ngezikhondo zamehlo si sizwe samaXhosa nesama Ngesi; intsusa mabandla lubiwo lwemfuyo ngamasela asuka kumacala omabini, ukutsho oko kumaXhosa naku Mangesi. Wokhumbula ukuba emva kwe mfazwe yase Malinde ngo 1819, xeshikweni uHintsa, no Ndlambe nezinye iinkosi zase maXhoseni zazisohlwaya u Ngqika ngesenzo sakhe sokuxhwila unina omncinci u Thuthula nowaye ngu mnka yis’ omncinci u Ndlambe, kunye nesenzo sakhe sokusuka ajole imihlaba, ayilawule eyilawulela amaNgesi engadibananga ne komkhulu lakowabo Kwa Gcaleka. Uthe ke aku kohlwaywa ngamawabo – amaNgesi asele esiza ke eza kumphindezela ku Ndlambe. Njengee ngcuka amaNgesi azizo, asele ke ewudla umhlaba ophakathi kwe Nxuba (Great Fish River) ne Xesi (Keiskamma River), abe sele esitsho esitho lo iyakuba ngu mhlaba owahlula amaXhosa nabantu abamhlophe – u Mda ngesi Xhosa esiphandle. U Nxele (u Makhanda) umfo ka Gwala wase maCwerheni wawulwela wancama loo mhlaba awuzange ubuye, wade wayokuphelela esiqithini (Robben Island); no Ngqika buqu owakhe umhlaba wawukwalapho, uyi ngxenye yalo mhlaba udliwa ngaba hlobo bakhe, ekhala kubo esithi owakhe umhlaba udliwa ngabuni? – zavela kanjalo izibongo zakhe ezithi “ngu mphambani nee ngcuka zigoduka – u ntsimangwana yakwa nkwebu, irhamncwa elidla umzi liwukhanyela”. U Maqoma yena kwelakhe icala, ongu nyana oli vela tanci ka Ngqika, wayeyijonge nge liso elibukhali yonke le nkqubo yobuxoki nobusela bama Ngesi ayezenza abahlobo baka yise be mbulala; watsho waqonda ukuba olu hlanga lwama Ngesi aluzi misele nje ukuqhekeza umzi ka Xhosa koko luzimisele ukuwuba umhlaba womXhosa, ukuchithachitha iinkqubo zesizwe samaXhosa, ukubhangisa ulawulo lobu khosi bamaXhosa kunye nokohlukanisa umXhosa ne nckubeko nezithethe zakhe, aze enziwe isicaka so mlungu naphakade.
Kuthe emva kweminyaka eli shumi elinesihlanu kujongenwe ngezikhondo zamehlo, nemilo emincinci inganqabanga, futhi nama tyala phakathi ko mlungu no Mxhosa engena engenile kuma komkhulu wase maXhoseni wonke. Ke kambe nanjengoko kwaku lindelekile lade lafa ilizwe ngo 1834. Inkosi u Ngqika yayisele ilandulele eli phakade, ikhothame ngo 1829 – isizwe sayo amaNgqika siphethwe ngu Maqoma no Tyhali ne Kumkanikazi u Suthu, be bambele u Sandile owayeyi nkwenkwana nje eneminyaka elithoba. Unobangela wokuba life ilizwe yaba kukudutyulwa kwe nkosana u Xhoxho ka Ngqika, edutyulwa liqela lama doda wama Ngesi ayekhangela iinkomo zawo ezibiweyo, waza umkhondo wawakhokelela kwi nqila ka Xhoxho. Athe lamadoda akungaziboni iinkomo zawo, asele eqokelela ezo ze nkosana nabantu bayo; uthe u Xhoxho xa azama ukuqonda kula manene ukuba inkomo zakhe azibhekisa phi na, futhi abantu bakhe badutyulelwani na? Awathethanga nto ivakalayo lama nene koko asele emdibanisa ne mbumbulu naye engazi nto; kodwa nge thamsanqa imbumbulu ayizange imosele. Athi amaNgqika akuyiva lonto, alibona ne nxeba lakhe awabi nandlela yimbi ngaphandle kokufuna ukuphindezelela inkosana, amadoda wonke esithi “Xa bebulala iinkosi zethu, babulala thina siphila”; laba ngalo ndlela liyafa ilizwe, noo Maqoma bengafunzanga, abantu bethathela umthetho ezandleni zabo; nee nkosi ke azizange zibe sazihlupha ngokulungisa nto, zasele zingena nazo zalwa. Iinkosi zakwa Rharhabe zithumela ko mkhulu kwa Gcaleka kwi ngotya yamaXhosa wonke, Hintsa Ahh Zanzolo, zimxelela nge simo nange ntsusa mabandla yokuba kube kanti liyafa. Nhaye ke umntaka Khawuta wasele ebanika imvume yakhe, ebayalela ukuba iinkomo zabo kunye nezo bazidlileyo kuma Ngesi mhaze baziwezele nganeno kwe Nciba; watsho ethumela nee ntlola zakhe ukuba mhaze zibe ngamehlo wakhe apho kwelo lama Ngqika, yena wesuka e Gcuwa waya kugxumeka iintlanti zakhe okwethutyana kude kufuphi ne Cofimvaba nge zwi elithi usaya kuzingela, esitsho nje ulahla umkhondo ku mfundisi we lizwi u Elefu (Rev John Allyf) owayene tyalike apho eGcuwa kude kufutshane ne komkhulu. U Hintsa wayemazi ukuba lo ka Elefu uyi ntlola yamaNgesi, kwaye wayengekafuni ukuphuma elubala ukuba naye uyalwa ne Britain, esafuna ukujonga ukuba lento yalo mlo iya kuzala nkomo ni na; futhi wayeyazi mhlophe u mhlekazi ukuba izithunywa ezivela ku Maqoma zizakuthi gqolo zifika ko mkhulu eGcuwa, futhi no Elefu wayejongile yonke into eyenzeka ko mkhulu, akugqiba abhale athumele iincwadi kwi ofisi zama Ngesi e Qonce; yaba zezi zizathu ke ezenza ukuba u Zanzolo aye kugxumeka iintlanti zakhe okwethutyana e Cofimvaba, khon’ ukuze abe kufutshane kwintaba ze Mathole apho oo Maqoma babehleli khona nemikhosi yabo. Waye mana ukuvela ke uMhlekazi u Hintsa kwaDaliwe (Cathcart), edibana nee nkosi zakowabo, zimana ukumazisa ngayo yonke into eyenzekayo, acebise apho kucebiseka khona.
U Maqoma yena kwelakhe icala uwadle amaNgesi wawatsho azi ntsalu, ewoyisa kumadabi ngamadabi, etshabalilisa amasimi, etshisa nayo yoke into yo mlungu adibana nayo, akugqiba arhoxe aye kuzimela kwa kwi nqaba yakhe eMathole. Kuthe kwesi sithuba u mfundisi u Elefu (Rev Allyf) ngokuhletyelwa ngu Nomsa ka Gambushe inkosikazi ka Kumkani u Hintsa; emlumnkisa ngokubulawa futhi esitsho esithi “le mfazwe ikhuthazwa ngu Hintsa, futhi nangoku akayanga kuzingela koko uphesheya kwe Nciba kuba ntwana bo mntakwabo u Ngqika, oo Maqoma”. Wasele ethumela ke no Elefu kumabandla akowabo, EmaNgesini nanjengoko wayeyintlola yawo echaza okuxelwe yi Kumkanikazi. Lento u Nomsa wayeyenziswa kukuba wayesele eli kholwa, ehamba kwi nkonzo ka Elefu – inkonzo yase Wesile, eyayikule ndawo kuthwa kuse Mission, apho eGcuwa. Esinye isizathu sokuba iKumkanikazi yenze lento kungenxa yokuba wayengasavani no Myeni wakhe u Kumkani u Hintsa ngezizathu ke ezaziwa ko mkhulu, futhi wayekhe wamgxotha kwiminyaka engaphambili – kodwa wabuyiswa kukukhalima kuka Maqoma ethethisa u Hintsa, esithi “u Sarhili uzakwaluka njani na unina engekho? Aba bantu bakho bangaka baza kuphathwa yi nkwenkwe?”. Waba ke uyaphuthunywa u Nomsa kowabo kwa Gambushe ku MaBomvana ukuze u Sarhili oluke; lisifa nje ilizwe ngo 1834 kuxa ali Krwala – uminyaka ingama 27.
U Benjamin D’urban umphathi wama Ngesi eKapa weza ngokwakhe ngesiqu ehamba nelo qathalala lo mrhangqolo oqaqadeke kunene lingu Saqhwithi (Harry Smith) akufumana le ngxelo yayivela ku Elefu; wasele ewuthatha ke loo mkhosi wama Ngesi ungqindilili wawuthunyelwe bu phuthuphuthu e Bhilitani, umkhosi owawuxakwe ngu Maqoma, wawukhomba ngaphesheya kwe Nciba e Gcuwa ko mkhulu kwa Hintsa. Uthe efika kwa Gcaleka wafika engalindelwanga, wawuthatha umhlaba wawovuya-vuya, esidla zinkomo, edubula kwanto nesi qhwala se mbala adibana naso sasinga sindanga. Umhlekazi u Hintsa wesuka bu phuthu phuthu apho ku Cofimvaba, esiingise eGcuwa eze kusabela, efika ilizwe limaxongo, nama Gcaleka exhobe efohlele kodwa engekalwi, ngoba amaXhosa wa mzuzu ayengalwi okanye ahlasele libe ilizwi eliwafunzayo lingekaphumi kwi Kumkani. Eneneni ekufikeni kwayo iKumkani ifike nemiyalezo esuka ku D’urban sele imlindile, kodwa ubukhulu be cala u D’urban lo into ewayeyicela nawayeyibalula yayi kukuba akhe abe ne ntlanganiso ne Kumkani, esitsho esithi akalwanga futhi unqwenela ukuba kwenziwe uxolo. U Elefu yena, wayesele ebalekile, ebalekele kwa Fadana ebaThenjini, into ethetha ukuba kwakungekho mxolelanisi phakathi kuka D’urban ne Kumkani. U Hintsa wathumela kwi Nkampu yamaNgesi esitsho esithi angayivuyela into yokuba kuxoxwe, kwenziwe uxolo. Iye ke iKumkani yaphelekwa ngamadoda angamakhulu amabini, kula madoda kwakukho u Sarhili unyana wakhe, kunye no Mthini ka Nkani ka Khawuta. Bathe xa befika kuloo Nkampu yamaNgesi, bathenjiswa ukuba ubom babo bukhuselekile mabakhululeke babeke izixhobo zabo ngaphandle, bangene ngaphakathi kwenziwe uxolo; ngokwenene ke nabo benza njalo. U Saqhwithi (Harry Smith) waqalisa wagrhagrhama, etyityimbisela iKumkani umnwe, ephepezelisa loo madevu amdaka ngu msi wemihla ngemihla we cuba, loo mazinyo agqolileyo yi kofu, enxibe loo bhulukhwe imthe mfi ubudoda, ekucaca ukuba yayimhlophe nge xesha layo, ne dyasi ebomvu ehonjiswe ngamaqhosha womkhosi wase mangesini; ihambise yenjenje le nkewu: “Wena Hintsa sikufumanise usenza ubuxoki, uthe awulwi nama Ngesi wabe usazi kakuhle mhlophe ukuba uyalwa; futhi iinkomo zamaNgesi ezidliwe ngo Maqoma noo Tyhali nazi sizifumene kwii ntlanti zakho; Ngoko ke uli banjwa, ndikufumanisa unetyala ‘kuba ulwe waza waphanga iimpahla zase Bhilitani. Ngoku ndiku gweba iinkomo ezingama waka angama shumi amahlanu, nama Hashe angamawaka alishumi. Asizi kukhulula ungeka hlawulwa lo mdliwo; ngaphezulu ukuba ufunyanwe uzama ukubhungca, uyaku xhonywa okwenja ku mthi okufutshane. Okwesibini, ukuba awuhlawulwa lo mdliwo zingaphelanga iintsuku ezi ntlanu, uyakukuthunyelwa eKapa esiqithini apho uyakuhlala ubom bakho bonke usebenza nzima; okokugqibela: Xelela la mfene ingu Maqoma ukuba iphume kwela hlathi izimele kulo eMathole, ibeke izikhali phantsi ize kundixhawula, icele uxolo kum apha”. Ithe yakugqiba ukutsho le ntswelaboya yakwa Smith, yabuza ukuba kukhona na angakuqondiyo u Kumkani; uthe yena ukuphendula “Uyavakala mfo wase mzini, kodwa ndicela ukubuza ukuba iinkomo zam ezi zona zikwenze ntoni na njengoba ungxamele kuzo kangaka? Ubuze koxutha iinkomo apha okanye ubuzokwenza uxolo?”, yaphendula la ngqutsengqutse ingu Saqhwithi itaka taka okwe nkonyana eligqiba kwanya yathi “Lulo kanye uxolo olu ndilwenzayo, yiza no mdliwo siku khulule.” Uthe uKumkani esekubanjweni apho, amaGcaleka engasakwazi ukulinda kuba ayengazi ukuba kwenzeka ntoni enkampini apho, amehlo ngoku sele ejonge ku Bhurhu ka Khawuta, umkhuluwa ka Hintsa ngokuzalwa kodwa kwindlu ka Khawuta yase kunene, kubuzwa ukuba makwenziwe njani na. Lonke eli xesha umkhosi awuyekangwa ukuhlatywa, amadoda wonke esingise eGcuwa ko mkhulu sekucaca mhlophe ukuba ilizwe lifile kwa Gcaleka. Athe amaGcaleka egqitha kwi Mission ka Elefu apho e Gcuwa endleleni eya ko mkhulu, aqaphela ukuba uninzi lwama mfengu luzalise apho, njengoba kusiyiwa ko mkhulu nje wona alindele umfundisi wawo wo mlungu u Elefu – xa ebuzwa ukuba amlinde ukuthini kwakhe, athi alinde ukuba awaxelele ukuba enze njani na. Athe akubuza amaGcaleka ku Bambo ukuba iKumkani yabo ngu Elefu okanye ngu Hintsa na, kwangabikho mpendulo. Aqale apho ke amatsha ntliziyo wakwa Gcaleka esaphula umthetho engalindi ne zwi le Kumkani, ehlaba ebulala amaMfengu, ewathyola ngokuwazela ngemiva nge xesha eli nzima ekubeni ayebamkele besuka kwa Zulu ezi mbacu. Lifikile ke ku D’urban enkampini yakhe ilizwi elithi amaMfengu ayabulawa ngamaXhosa eGcuwa, waza u Smith wathi ku Hintsa “Khupha ilizwi ngoku, uxelele abantu bakho ukuba bayeke ukubulala amaMfengu, kungenjalo ndiza kukuxhoma ngokukhawuleza okudibene noku ngxama”. Uthe u Hintsa “Amamfengu njengama Maxhosa zi zinja zam, ungenaphi wena? Ndakhe ndanixelela mna e Bhilitani ukuba yenzani ntoni ngabantu enibaphetheyo?”. Ubani, yakrasa lanto ingu Smith sele ilungisa i revolver yayo isithi “Andifuni mpendulo yakho sibhanxa ndini, yenza lento ndikuxelela yona, wakugqiba ubize u Bhurhu eze apha”. Umfundi maka khumbule ukuba inkosi xa ithi “ubani yi nja yam” ixela ukuba loo mntu ungu mntu wayo, uphantsi kolawulo no mthetho wayo. Le ntetho yayinga nyembi okanye ijongela phantsi lowo kusube kubhekiswe kuye; yayiyi ndlela yokuthetha eyamnkelekileyo ne qhelekileyo yangelo xesha. Xa u Sandile ka Ngqika wayeya kudliwa ngu Smith nge mfazwe ye Zembe ngo 1847, ingwevu yo mXhosa eyayilapho kulo ntlanganiso ekwakugqitywa kuyo ngama Ngesi ukuba u Sandile makadliwe yathi: “u Sandile une zinja zakhe, yhaye azi khonkothi njee, ziyaluma”; le ngwevu yayixela ukuba u Sandile uno mkhosi, futhi umkhosi wakhe uyamlwela xa uthunyiwe ukuba ulwe”. Ngoko ke u Hintsa xa wayesithi amamfengu zi zinja zakhe wayexela ukuba amaMfengu anga bantu bakhe abakhonze kuye, abantu bakhe ubalawula ngokwemithetho yalapho emaXhoseni eyamiselwa ngamaXhosa – ekungenakufika uhlanga bumini lumxelele ukuba abaphathe njani na. amaNgesi ayitolika ngeyawo indlela le ntetho xeshikweni ithethwa ngu Hintsa, aza agqiba ukuba amaMfengu enziwe amakhoboka kwa Gcaleka, aza asebenzisa eso sizathu njenge sizathu sawo sokuhlasela nokwexutha imfuyo yesizwe. Abafundi bangoku xa befunda imbali yesizwe sabaMbo, bafunda oko kwakubhalwe ngama Ngesi, baze bave kabuhlungu, iyinto leyo kakade eyayifunwa ngama ngesi; ukusahlula silwe sodwa.
Eneneni ke u Hintsa umbizile u Bhurhu ngemiyalelo ka D’urban no Smith; wafika u Bhurhu ne gqiza lamadoda eqhuba iinkomo ezingamashumi amabini esiza nazo apho kumaNgesi; umfo omhle, omde, ekhanya ngebala oku kwe Lawo. Uthe xa ekude kufuphi wakhahlela ku mninawa wakhe kanye, akugqiba waya kuthi vu ecaleni kwakhe, babonakala bethethela phantsi belumana iindlebe kodwa kungavakali nto ingako bayithethayo.
Kuthe kwesi sithuba u Hintsa wakhe wacela apho kuma Ngesi ukuba akhe aye kukhangela iinkomo ezo ngokwakhe, esithi endaweni yakhe uza kushiya u Bhurhu no Sarhili; kodwa hayi wabhoka isicuku u Saqhwithi, esithi lonto angayivumela kuphela xa u Hintsa anoku phahlwa ngu mkhosi lowo wama Ngesi baziphuthume iinkomo kunye. Ngokwe nene ke kwenziwe oko; benjenjeyaa bekhwele iinkabi zamahashe, baqabela koo Zazulwana, nako Bika besingise ngakwi cala lase Mbhashe eDutywa. Ngokwe ngxelo yama Ngesi athi; iKumkani yayiba bhadulisa nje kulo mathafa isazi mhlophe ukuba iceba ukubhungca iqhawule ibaleke, yaza yathi yakuyizama lonto yokuqhawula, yasukelwa ngu George Southy owayeyibongoza ukuba ime kodwa ayamamela, suke iKumkani ya thatha umkhonto wayo yazama ukubinza ku Southy, nto leyo eyamenza ukuba ayidubule nge njongo zokuzikhusela. AmaXhosa wona kwelawo icala athi ngama Mpunge lhawo; athi amaXhosa ayekunye ne Kumkani kwi nkampu yama Ngesi, athe amaNgesi akuyoyikisa ngento yonke iKumkani kodwa ingabonisi dyudyu, inga gungqi ekwaleni nee nkomo futhi ingavumi ukunqanda oo Maqoma, isithi ayinakho ukuyenza lonto kuba ingayazi ukuba umlo uqalele phi; abona amaNgesi ukuba mawenze iqhinga lokuyi bulala khon’ ukuze bathyafe oo Maqoma noo Tyhali. Athe ke amaNgesi ayiqhubela ngase Dutywa emahlathini, kude kune komkhulu, aze ayigebenga khona apho; aqhawula intloko yakhe, aluthabatha ukhakhayi alusa e Qonce. Owayebukele kuloo mathyolo uthi ngaphambi kokuba inqunyulwe intloko iKumkani: bambi kula maNgesi babonwa begawula iindlebe ze Kumkani, bambi be grhumba amazinyo wayo ngama bhoso bewathatha oku kwabantu be grumba igolide. Yaba sisiphelo se Kumkani ke eso, ngo mhla we 12 May 1835, into eyawutsho umzi wanxunguphala ngakumbi ngoba umfo ka Khawuta wayethandwa kakhulu si sizwe sonke, ethandwa kumathanga wasema Xhoseni wonke ngenxa yokwazi ukulawula azise uxolo ne nzolo kwisizwe esasihleli nje silwa sodwa.
U Maqoma kwelakhe icala akazange ahlehle nakancinci kule mfazwe koko waba ngathi unochatha ekulweni; amaNgesi acela ukuba kuhlalwe phantsi kwenziwe uxolo. Wathi u Maqoma, ilizwe lakuxola ukuba u Saqhwithi uyagxothwa kuziswe mphathi wumbi; eneneni ke yenziwa lonto – u Smith wabuyela kwa phesheya, kwaziswa u Andries Stockenstroom wenziwa umphathi wamaNgesi kwelo lase Mpuma Kapa; Laba ke liyaxola ngalo ndlela. Amamfengu wona kwelawo icala aba kanti aphume umphelo kwisizwe samaXhosa, aba zizicaka namagosa athenjiweyo emaNgesini. Mfazwe na mfazwe eyathi yalandela emva koku khothama kuka Hintsa, amaMfengu ayencedisa u mlungu – ithi ke nemihlaba exuthwa kumaXhosa inikwe wona njenge wonga. Yinto kele eyawenza amaXhosa awathiya kakhulu amaMfengu, izizukulwana ngezi zukulwana ezilandelayo. Athathwa amaMfengu emva kwale mfazwe ka Hintsa abekwa e Ngqushwa, apho athi athabatha izifungo kuma Ngesi phantsi ko mthi wo mqwashu. Isifungo zokuhamba isikolo, isifungo sokuhamba inkonzo ngohlobo lwase maNgesini, uku khusela amaNgesi kula maXhosa angevayo athanda imfazwe gab'la maNgesi, kwakunye nokuphila inkolo yobu krestu, kwakunye noku khonza emlungwini nokulwa naye wonke ubani othi alwe no mlungu. Yaba njalo ke intlalo e Mpuma Kapa. Mhasikhe sime apho nina baka Zanzolo.
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