“Abantu Abaphila Ubomi Beentuku”
UBUSIKA obubandayo. Ubukho bodederhu lwamatonela angaphantsi komhlaba naziikhilomitha ezili-1 100 ubude ubuncinane abufudumala kunangaphezulu esixekweni. Inani elandayo labantu abangenamakhaya—abangama-75 000, ngokutsho koqikelelo oluthile. KwisiXeko saseNew York, eUnited States, ezo zinto zintathu ziye zadibana zaza zangunobangela wenkxalabo ezidolophini: abahlali basematoneleni, okanye “abantu abaphila ubomi bentuku,” njengoko abanye bebachaza ngolo hlobo. Kwiindlela ezimxinwa nakwizinyuko, kumagumbi okuthengisela angasasetyenziswayo, ematoneleni nakwezinye iikona ezimnyama zezi ndlela neendawo ezifihlakeleyo, baye bacanda imizi yabo emincinanana. Kwelinye itonela lomzila kaloliwe esekukudala lingasetyenziswa eManhattan, abaninzi babo baye bafudukela kwiindawo ezingaphantsi komhlaba ezakhiwe ngesamente, kwiikona nakwiindawo ezisitheleyo ezashiywa kudala. Abanye bade bakha namatyotyombe amancinane kweli tonela.
Noko ke, ubomi bokuphila kwitonela bunzima. Iimpuku ezilingana neekati ziyaphithizela zitakataka ebumnyameni. Minyaka le abantu abaninzi babulawa ngoololiwe abagoqoza kula matonela nangumzila wentsimbi ofakwe umbane. Amapolisa aquqa kule mizila egubhulula aze agxothe aba bangenamakhaya. Abasebenzi bakwaloliwe bayalandela, bediliza la matyotyombe. Bavumbulula izingqengqelo neengubo, oonomathotholo noomabonwakude, bade bakhuhle nephepha elihonjisiweyo lokugquma udonga (wallpaper) belisusa ezindongeni zezi ndawo zokufihl’ intloko ematoneleni.
Emva kokuba amapolisa emkile, aba bangenamakhaya bayabuya. Njengokuba elinye ipolisa laxelela iThe New York Times, yonke imigudu yawo yokususa isenokuba kukubangcuchalazisa nje kwalapho phakathi ematoneleni. Nantsi indlela ayibeka ngayo: “Esi sisicombululo sexeshana.” Kodwa ukungabi namakhaya akuyiyo ingxaki yexeshana. Ngokutsho kolunye uqikelelo, abaninzi kangangezigidi ezibini abanamakhaya eUnited States kuphela. Ngonyaka nje omnye, inani labo landa ngokuxhalabisayo nge-18 ekhulwini. Ngokucacileyo, oko sikufunayo sisicombululo sexesha elide. Oko koko uMdali woluntu akuthembisayo eBhayibhileni—ixesha laxa wonke ubani emhlabeni eya kukwazi ukwakha indlu yakhe aze ahlale kuyo, enandipha ubomi ekhululekile kwixhala elibi kakhulu lobuhlwempu nokungabi nakhaya.—Isaya 65:21-23.