Itsetse Fly—Ngaba Isisiqalekiso EAfrika?

NGUMBHALELI KAVUKANI! ENIGERIA

KUTSHANJE siye safudukela kummandla osemaphandleni eNtshona Afrika. Apho singqongwe ngamahlathi akweleenjiko. Ngenye injikalanga umfazi wam wangena kwigunjana lokugcina impahla wakhwaza: “Kukho isibawu apha!”

Esi sinambuzane sadubuleka ukuphuma kwelo gunjana saza sangena kwigumbi lokuhlambela. Ndathi hlasi inkonkxa yesibulali-zinambuzane ndaza ndasisukela, ndivala ucango emva kokuba ndingenile. Esi sinambuzane sasingabonakali nangetshengele. Ngequbuliso seza ngqo ebusweni. Tyhini siyandihlasela! Ndiphekuza ngeengalo, ndazama ukusikhahlela phantsi kodwa ndatsho phantsi. Sonda ngefestile. Savalelwa yisefu eyayilapho. Esi sinambuzane sabambeka kuyo.

Ndajolisa ndaza ndatsho kanobom ngesibulali-zinambuzane. Ngokuqhelekileyo ukutshiza nje kube kanye ngesibulali-zinambuzane bekuya kusibetha sinabe ngoko nangoko nasiphi na isinambuzane. Asenjiwa njalo esi sinambuzane. Sathathisa kwakhona saza saqhubeka sijikeleza kwigumbi lokuhlambela.

Yomelele le nto! Ndandiqinisekile ukuba isibulali-zinambuzane siya kuwuphumeza umsebenzi waso yaye kungekudala kwakuya kuba kuphelile ngesi sinambuzane. Kodwa sasingayi phantsi. Sathi xa siphinda sihlala phantsi, ndasitshiza okwesibini. Saphinda sabhabha.

Luhlobo luni olu lwesinambuzane esinamandla ngolu hlobo? Ndaphinda ndatsho kabini yaye ekugqibeleni safa.

Ndanxiba iindondo zam ndaza ndasiqwalasela kakuhle esi sinambuzane. Sasisikhulu kunempukane, nangona sasingesikhulu njengesibawu. Amaphiko aso ayenqamleze umqolo, nto leyo esenza sikhangeleke sakhekile kunempukane eqhelekileyo. Sasinomboko omde ngasemlonyeni ofana nenaliti.

Ndakhwaza umfazi wam ndimxelela: “Ayisosibawu esi. Yi-tsetse fly.”

Ukuqubisana kwam nesi sinambuzane kwabethelela kum indlela ekunzima ngayo ukuzama ukusitshabalalisa kumhlaba waso waseAfrika ozizikwekhilomitha ezili-11,7 zezigidi, ummandla omkhulu kunowaseUnited States. Kutheni abantu befuna ukusitshabalalisa nje? Ibekwa izityholo ezithathu. Isityholo sokuqala:

Itya Igazi

Kukho iindidi ezahlukeneyo ezingama-22 zeetsetse fly. Zonke zihlala kwiAfrika engezantsi kweSahara. Zonke, iinkunzi neemazi, zizingxala ngegazi lezilwanyana ezinethambo lomqolo, zikutya nje kube kanye zize zifunxe igazi elibuphinda kathathu ubunzima bazo.

Ukudla kwazo zikufumana kwizilwanyana ezininzi ezitya ingca—ezalapha eAfrika nezingezozalapha. Ziyabatya abantu. Zihlaba kanobom, zitsala igazi, zitsho kutshotshozele kabuhlungu. Zikutya urhawuzelelwe usiva neentlungu kwangaxeshanye. Emva kokuba zikuhlabile kukhula iqhuma.

Iitsetse fly zinobuchule ekwenzeni oku. Azichithi xesha zibe zibhubhuzela zijikeleza intloko yakho. Zinokubhabha ziye ngqo kumntu othile njengembumbulu zize ngandlel’ ithile zime ngxi ukuze zihlale ebusweni ngobunono kangangokuba angaziva. Ziyafana namasela; maxa wambi uye ungazi ukuba ziye zeba igazi de zibe zimkile—xa sekusele nje ukuba uhlole umonakalo.

Ngokuqhelekileyo ziyazithanda iindawo ezingagqunywanga. (Zikhangeleka ziyithanda intamo le yam apha ngasemva!) Noko ke, maxa wambi ziye zibone ukuba mazinyuke ngomlenze webhulukhwe okanye ngomkhono wehempe phambi kokuba zihlabe umthambo wegazi. Okanye xa zithanda, zisenokukuhlaba ngaphaya kwempahla—oko akuyongxaki kwisinambuzane esikwaziyo ukuhlaba sigqobhoze kwisikhumba esiqinileyo somkhombe.

Abantu abayityholi itsetse fly ngokuhlaba kabuhlungu nje kuphela kodwa nangokuba namaqhinga. Ngesinye isihlandlo xa ndazama ukubulala enye ngesibulali-zinambuzane, yabhabhela kwigunjana lokugcina impahla yaza yazimela kwibhulukhwana yam yokuqubha. Kwiintsuku ezimbini kamva xa ndanxiba le bhulukhwana, yandithi mfi kabini! Ngesinye isihlandlo itsetse fly yazimela esipajini somfazi wam. Waya nesi sipaji eofisini, yaye xa wafaka isandla kuso, yamtya esandleni. Emva koko yabhabha kulo lonke elo gumbi, isenza isaqunge kwabo basebenza eofisini. Wonke umntu wayeka ukusebenza wayiphekuza.

Ngoko isityholo sokuqala ebekwa sona itsetse fly sikukuba sisifunxi-gazi esihlaba kabuhlungu. Isityholo sesibini:

Ibulala Izilwanyana

Zimbi iintlobontlobo zetsetse fly zidlulisela isifo esibangelwa zizifunxi-gazi ezincinane ekuthiwa ziitrypanosome. Xa itsetse fly ifunxa igazi lesilwanyana esinesi sifo, iginya igazi elinezi zifunxi-gazi. Zona ziyakhula zize zande ngaphakathi kuyo. Xa isitya esinye isilwanyana, ezi zifunxi-gazi zisuka kuyo zingene egazini leso silwanyana.

Esi sifo kuthiwa yitrypanosomiasis. Uhlobo lwaso olubakho kwizilwanyana kuthiwa yinagana. Izifunxi-gazi ezibangela inagana zikhula egazini lezilwanyana ezininzi zaseAfrika, ingakumbi imbabala, inyathi, ingulube, iimpunzi, iintlangu neenxangu. Ezi zifunxi-gazi azizibulali ezi zilwanyana.

Kodwa ezi zifunxi-gazi ziyayitshabalalisa imfuyo engeyoyaseAfrika—iinkamela, izinja, oondlebende, iibhokhwe, amahashe, iimeyile, iinkomo, iihagu neegusha. Ngokutsho kwephephancwadi iNational Geographic, inagana ibulala izigidi ezithathu zeenkomo nyaka ngamnye.

Abelusi beenkomo, njengeeMasai zaseMpuma Afrika, baye bafunda ukuyiphepha imimandla ezele iitsetse fly, kodwa imbalela nokungabikho kwamadlelo maxa wambi kwenza bangakwazi. Ebudeni bembalela yakutshanje, iintsapho ezine ebezigcine iinkomo zazo ezingama-600 ndaweni nye ziye zaphulukana nenkomo enye ngosuku ngenxa yesi sinambuzane. ULesalon, inkonde kule ntsapho, wathi: “Thina ziMasai sikhaliphile. Siyibinza ngomkhonto ingonyama size sijamelane nenyathi ehlaselayo. Siyibetha ngegqudu inyushu emnyama size sijamelane nendlovu enomsindo. Kodwa kuthekani nge-orkimbai [i-tsetse fly]? Iyasoyisa.”

Akho amayeza okunyanga inagana, kodwa bambi oorhulumente bavumela ukuba asetyenziswe kuphela phantsi kweliso logqirha wezilwanyana. Kukho isizathu esihle soko, ekubeni umlinganiselo omncinane weyeza unokungasibulali nje kuphela eso silwanyana kodwa ubangele izifunxi-gazi ezikwaziyo ukulixhathisa eli yeza. Kusenokuba nzima ngomalusi weenkomo osemadlelweni ukufumana ugqirha wezilwanyana ngexesha elifanelekileyo ukuba anyange inkomo yakhe efayo.

Izityholo ezibini ebekwa zona itsetse fly zingqineke zingenakuphikiswa—itya igazi yaye isasaza isifo esibulala izilwanyana. Kodwa kukho okungakumbi. Isityholo sesithathu:

Ibulala Abantu

Abantu abathwaxwa yinagana ebangelwa yitrypanosome. Kodwa itsetse fly idlulisela olunye uhlobo lwetrypanosome ukusuka komnye umntu ukuya komnye. Olu hlobo lwetrypanosomiasis kuthiwa sisifo sobuthongo. Ungacingi ukuba umntu onesifo sobuthongo ulithongorha elivunyiweyo. Esi sifo asikokulala nje okumyoli. Siqala ngokuba umntu angemi kakuhle engqondweni, atyhafe aze abe necesina. Emva koko kulandela ukozela ixesha elide, ifiva egqithiseleyo, iingqaqambo zamalungu, ukukrala kwezicwili zomzimba nokudumba kwesibindi nodakada. Kumanqanaba okugqibela, njengoko ezi zifunxi-gazi zingena kwinkqubo yemithambo-luvo, ingqondo yomguli iyadodobala, uyaxhuzula, ufa isiqaqa aze afe.

Ekuqaleni kwale nkulungwane, ukuqhambuka kwesifo sobuthongo kuye kwalidlavula ilizwekazi laseAfrika. Phakathi kowe-1902 nowe-1905, esi sifo sabulala abantu abamalunga nama-30000 kufutshane neLake Victoria. Kumashumi eminyaka eyalandelayo, esi sifo sanwenwela eCameroon, eGhana naseNigeria. Kwiidolophana ezininzi umntu omnye kwabathathu wosulelwa sesi sifo, okwabangela ukufuduka kwabantu abaninzi kwiintlambo ezininzi zemilambo. Amaqela ahambahambayo anyanga amakhulu amawaka abantu. Lo bhubhani akazange aphele de kwasekupheleni kweminyaka yee-1930.

Namhlanje esi sifo sithwaxa abantu abanokuba ngama-25 000 nyaka ngamnye. Ngokutsho kweWorld Health Organization, ngabantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezingama-50 abakumazwe angezantsi kweSahara angama-36 abasengozini yokwasulelwa sesi sifo. Nangona isifo sobuthongo sinokubulala xa singanyangwa, akho amayeza okusinyanga. Kutshanje kuye kwaveliswa iyeza elitsha ekuthiwa yieflornithine lokunyanga esi sifo—iyeza lokuqala elilolo hlobo kwiminyaka engama-40.

Abantu balwe idabi ixesha elide netsetse fly nesifo esisibangelayo. Ngowe-1907, uWinston Churchill wabhala wathi ngephulo lokutshayela itsetse fly: “Kuye kwazanywa indlela yokuyithintela.” Xa sikhangela emva kuyabonakala ukuba loo ‘ndlela yokuyithintela’ wayethetha ngayo uChurchill ayizange iphumelele kwaphela. Incwadi ethi Foundations of Parasitology ithi: “Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku iminyaka engama-80 yokuzama ukutshayela i-tsetse iye yenza okuncinane kakhulu ekuzameni ukuthintela kwe-tsetse.”

Ilizwi Lokusithethelela

Imbongi yaseMerika uOgden Nash yabhala: “UThixo ngobulumko Bakhe wenza esi sinambuzane waza walibala ukusixelela isizathu sokusenza kwakhe.” Nangona kuyinyaniso ukuba uYehova uThixo unguMdali wezinto zonke, ngokuqinisekileyo aliyonyaniso elokuba uyalibala. Izinto ezininzi uyekela ukuba sizazele ngokwethu. Ngoko kuthekani ngetsetse fly? Ngaba kukho okuthile okunokuthethwa ukuthethelela lo mbulali waziwayo?

Mhlawumbi eyona nto iyithethelelayo okwangoku ikukuba indima yayo ekutshabalaliseni iinkomo iye yanceda ekukhuseleni iindawo zokugcina izilwanyana zasendle ezisaseleyo eAfrika. Imimandla emininzi yaseAfrika iyafana namathafa engca akwintshona yeUnited States—eli lizwe liyakwazi ukuxhasa imfuyo yasekhaya. Kodwa ngenxa yetsetse fly, izilwanyana zasekhaya zibulawa ziitrypanosome ezingazibulaliyo izilwanyana ezitya ingca zalapha.

Abaninzi bakholelwa kwelokuba ukuba ibingekho itsetse fly, iindawo zokugcina izilwanyana zasendle eAfrika ngekukudala zazaliswa yimihlambi yeenkomo. UWillie van Niekerk, umkhenkethisi kwindawo yogcino-zilwanyana zasendle eBotswana wathi: “Ndiyothulel’ umnqwazi i-tsetse. Ukuba sinokuyicim’ igama i-tsetse, iinkomo ziya kwanda, ibe iinkomo ziyayonakalisa iAfrika, zikhukulisa eli lizwekazi zilenze umqwebedu.” Wongezelela ngelithi: “Esi sinambuzane simele sihlale sikho.”

Kambe ke asinguye wonk’ ubani ovumelana noko. Oku akuyincedi iqonde indoda ebona abantwana neenkomo zayo zithwaxwa yitrypanosomiasis. Akubancedi baqonde nabo bema ngelithi kufuneka iAfrika ibe neenkomo ukuze yondle abantu bayo.

Noko ke, ngokungathandabuzekiyo kusekho okuninzi okumelwe kufundwe ngendima edlalwa yitsetse fly kwindalo. Nangona izityholo ebekwa zona zibonakala zinamandla, mhlawumbi akukabi lilo ithuba lokuyigweba.

Sisathetha ngezinambuzane esinye sisandul’ ukungena apha egumbini. Uxolo kancinane khe ndiqinisekise ukuba asiyotsetse.

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 11]

Tsetse fly: ©Martin Dohrn, The National Audubon Society Collection/PR