INyalaland—IPharadesi Elingonakalisiwe Umuntu
Ngumlobeli we-Phaphama! eNingizimu Afrika
YEKA ushintsho olusenza siqabuleke thina esiyisishiyagalombili esihlala edolobheni!
SiseNyalaland—indawo enkulu ongahamba kuyo ngokungcebeleka ngaphansi kokuqondisa kwabaqaphi bezindawo zezinyamazane enyakatho yeKruger National Park yaseNingizimu Afrika. Leligama liqanjwe ngalenyamazane enhle oyibonayo eboniswe kulelikhasi. Lena i-nyala eyiduna.
Kusebusuku, futhi sotha umlilo wezinkuni njengoba sidla isitshulu senyathi. Ehlanzeni elizungezile kukhona izindlovu, amabhubesi, izingwe, izinyathi, nezinye izilo ezinhle. Kodwa sizizwa silondekile ngaphansi kokuqondisa kwabaqaphi ababili bezindawo zezinyamazane. Eqinisweni, sizikhumbuza ukuthi kuphephe kakhulu lapha kunokuhlala edolobheni elikhungethwe ubugebengu noma ukushayela emgwaqweni omkhulu ohamba izimoto eziningi.
“Nikuzwile lokho kutshiyoza kwesikhova?” kubuza uKobus Wentzel, umqaphi wendawo yezinyamazane ophethe. Ngobuchwepheshe uphinda lokho kutshiyoza, prrrrup. “Lokho,” enezela, “ukutshiyoza okuvame ukuzwakala kulendawo. Ohambweni lwethu lwakusasa, ngizonibonisa izinyoni, ngakho-ke niphathe incwadi ekhuluma ngezinyoni.”
Futhi iNyalaland iyipharadesi lesazi sezitshalo. Zimbalwa izindawo emhlabeni ezingafana nayo ngokuba nezinhlobonhlobo zezitshalo. Isizathu salokhu ngokwe-Illustrated Guide to the Game Parks and Nature Reserves of Southern Africa yakwa-Reader’s Digest, siwukuthi “izimiso ezinkulu zezinto eziphilisanayo eziyisishiyagalolunye zase-Afrika” zihlangana enyakatho yeKruger Park. “Lapha,” kuqhubeka lencwadi, “indawo enomhlabathi oswakeme ehlangana nehlane elomile, ihlathi lihlangana nethafa elivulekile, amadwala ahlangana nesihlabathi esijulile.” Cishe amakhilomitha-skwele angu-400 alesisifunda esiyingqayizivele aye abekelwa eceleni njengendawo yaseNyalaland yokuhamba kokungcebeleka. Ngaphandle kwezisebenzi ezimbalwa zalenkambu, abekho abanye abantu abahlala lapha, futhi ayikho imigwaqo okuhamba kuyo izivakashi.
UKobus uzama ukudla ukudla kwakhe kwakusihlwa kuyilapho ephendula imibuzo yethu eminingi. Uneziqu zeMaster of Science azithola eYunivesithi yasePitoli, lapho afunda khona ukuphathwa kwezilwane zasendle, isayensi yokuhlolwa kokuphila kwezilwane, nesayensi yezitshalo. Ngokushesha saqaphela ukuthi ulwazi lwakhe alugcini kulokho akufunda encwadini.
“Ingabe wake wehlelwa yingozi yokuhlaselwa izilwane zasendle?”
“Ziye zangethusa nje izikhathi ezimbalwa,” kuphendula uKobus, “kodwa angikaze ngihlaselwe isilwane esiqonde ukungibulala.”
“Lapho ibhubesi liqonda kuwe, wazi kanjani ukuthi liyakwethusa nje?”
“Lapho lima ebangeni eliqhele ngamamitha amane noma amahlanu ukusuka kuwe bese liyeka ukugijima ngejubane,” ephendula.
Abaqaphi bezindawo zezinyamazane abafana noKobus baqeqeshiwe ukuba bangashaywa uvalo lapho isilwane sihlasela. Uyachaza: “Zikubekela inselele, futhi nawe uyasivivinya isilwane. Isimo esivamile singaba yilapho ibhubesi lensikazi linamawundlu noma eleduna lishela. Ngokuqonda kuwe, isilwane sisuke sikutshela ukuthi, ‘Usuyagabadela—futhi usugxambukela kokwami siqu, kungcono uhambe.’ Ngalesosikhathi, ngisuke sengisicuphile isibhamu sami futhi sengisilindele. Njalo ngizibekela engqondweni umugqa okungafanele siweqe. Uma siweqa lowomugqa, kumelwe ngidubule. Kodwa kokuhlangenwe nakho kwami njalo zima ngaphambi kokufika kulowomugqa, futhi akukaze kudingeke ngibulale isilwane kulokuhamba kokungcebeleka.”
Ngokusobala, uKobus akalona iphisi. Siyayazisa indlela ahlonipha ngayo izilwane zasendle. Sekuyahlwa, futhi kusasa kumelwe sivuke ngokushesha. Ngemva kokuvalelisana, silala ezindlini ezine ezingunxantathu ezifulelwe ngotshani futhi ezigxunyekwe ezinsikeni.
Ngo-4:45 a.m., uWilson, umpheki wakulenkambu, uyasivusa. Ngemva kokujabulela ukudla kwasekuseni siya ngalapho uhambo lwethu luzoqala khona. Sibheka ngokubonga isibhakabhaka esimbozwe amafu. Ezinsukwini zasehlobo ezingaguqubele izinga lokushisa lingafinyelela ama-degree Celsius angaphezu kuka-40.
Kwabanye bethu, lokhu kungokuhlangenwe nakho okusha ngokuphelele. Ekuqaleni sizizwa sesaba ukuthi mhlawumbe sizonyathela inyoka noma sizohlaselwa isilwane sasendle. Kodwa ngokushesha ukwesaba okunjalo kuthathelwa isikhundla umuzwa wokumangala njengoba sibona ithafa elibanzi elembozwe ngokuphawulekayo izihlahla eziluhlaza. Ihlanze ligcwele umculo wezinyoni kanye nokuchwaza kwezinambuzane. Oh, yeka injabulo okuyiyo ukuhogela umoya oqabulayo, ongangcolisiwe!
Ngaso sonke isikhathi, uKobus nomsizi wakhe, u-Ellion Nkuna, bayama ukuze basibonise okuthile okuthakazelisayo, njengequlo lezintuthwane noma imikhondo yezilwane. Sifika emthini onesiduli somuhlwa esiqwini sawo. “Lona,” kuchaza uKobus, “umuthi obizwa ngokuthi i-nyala berry. Ivame ukubonakala ikhula ezidulini zomuhlwa. Ukusebenza komuhlwa kuvundisa inhlabathi, futhi lokho kuzuzisa umuthi.”
Ngemva kokuhamba ihora, sidlula umuthi owawiswa indlovu. “Nakuba uwumuthi oqinile,” kuchaza uKobus, “indlovu ayiwubheki nokuwubheka. Imane iwufuqele phansi kalula nje. Zikwenza njalo lokhu. Kungazwakala kukubi, kodwa futhi kukhona nezici ezinhle kulokhu. Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa, ngokunokwenzeka lomuthi uzobe usufile. Njengoba ubola, unikeza ukudla izilwane ezincanyana ezivundisa inhlabathi futhi ufaka okusansimbi enhlabathini.”
“Ngicabanga ukuthi,” kwenezela omunye eqenjini lethu, “uma inani lezindlovu liyekwa lingalawulwa, indawo efana nalena ingaphenduka inkangala.”
“Uqinisile,” kuphendula uKobus. “Akukho muthi ongasala. Lapha eKruger Park, sizama ukugcina inani lezindlovu licishe libe ngu-7 500, lelo, ngokolwazi lwethu lwamanje, iKruger engalithwala.”
Khona-ke omunye uphawula umkhondo oqhamile esihlabathini. Ngokushesha ngababaza: “Ngumkhondo wengwe!”
“Cha,” kusho uKobus, “ngowempisi. Phawula ukuthi lona umkhondo owendlalekile. Futhi, kubonakala izimpawu zezinzipho ngoba impisi iyisilwane esinjengenja. Ayikwazi ukuzifaka ngaphakathi izinzipho zayo. Manje, uma uqhathanisa lomkhondo nowezilwane ezifana nekati, njengengwe noma ibhubesi, kulula kakhulu ukuhlukanisa. Umkhondo wezilwane ezifana nekati ubumbene, okungukuthi, uyindingilizi futhi awunazo izimpawu zezinzipho ngoba amakati ayakwazi ukuzifaka ngaphakathi izinzipho zawo. Futhi, uma ubheka lapho kunyathele khona intende yesidladla, kunezicubu ezimbili entendeni yempisi, kuyilapho izilwane ezinjengekati zinentende enkulu enezicubu ezintathu.”
Sesiqala ukuzizwa silambile manje. Ngakho sihlala phezu kwesiduli esikhulu somuhlwa futhi sijabulela ukudla okulula ebesilokhu sikuphethe ngojosaka. Ngemva kwalokho, siqonda egqumeni uKobus asikhuthaza ukuba siliqombole. Lapho siphakathi nendawo siphumula ematsheni athile futhi sijabulela ukubona kahle kakhulu ihlozi elicinene nemithi egcwele ithafa elibanzi iye iyofika okhahlamba olusemkhathizwe okude. UKobus usikhumbuza ukuthi lokho esikubonayo kunjengoba kwakunjalo endulo, akuthintwanga umuntu walelikhulu lama-20. Kodwa esiqongweni segquma, kuyasimangalisa ukubona lokho okubukeka kuyindlela ebihanjwa umuntu.
“Lona ngumzila wendlovu,” kuphawula uKobus.
Khona-ke, ngiyazibuza ukuthi yini emenza aqiniseke kangaka ukuthi yizilwane, akubona abantu abawenzile. Lapho lemiqondo isakhungathekise ingqondo yami, u-Ellion oneso elibukhali uthola ubufakazi. Ucosha izinyo lendlovu eselikhumuzekile.
“Ngokunokwenzeka sekuyiminyaka engamashumi lelizinyo likhona,” kusho uKobus.
“Yebo,” ngivuma, “lokho kubonakala kuwubufakazi bokuthi sekuyisikhathi eside umuntu agcina ukudlula kulendawo, ngoba phela umuntu ngeke ayishiye into eyigugu kangaka.” U-Ellion ufaka lelizinyo lendlovu kujosaka wakhe ukuze alinikeze abaphathi beKruger Park.
Isikhathi sesihambe ngokushesha, futhi sekucishe kube semini lapho sibona iLand Rover. Siye sathatha uhambo olujikelezayo cishe lwamakhilomitha angu-11. Lapho sifika enkambini, sithola ukuthi uWilson usekulungisile ukudla kwasemini, lokho esikudla ngenjabulo. Ngemva kokuthatha isihlwathi siyahamba ukuze sishaywe umoya wantambama eduze koMfula iLuvuvhu.
Lapha indawo yinhle kakhulu, inezitshalo ezincane ezicinene nemithi emikhulu, njengemithi yomkhiwane esinesimo sayo esithakazelisayo esimbaxambaxa. Ngemva kokwazi amagama nezici zezihlahla ezihlukahlukene, sidlula umhlambi wezimfene osibheka ngokuxwaya ungale kwamahlozi. Khona-ke sihlala phezu kwedwala elibhekene nomfula.
Njengoba silalele amanzi agobhozayo, u-Ellion udonsela ukunakekela kwethu ezinsikazini ze-nyala ezine ngemva kwethu eziza emfuleni. Ngenhlanhla, umoya uza ngakithi, ngakho-ke azikwazi ukuhogela iphunga lethu. Siyazibuka lezinyamazane ezinhle njengoba zilokhu zima futhi zidle lapha ehlozini. Cishe ngemva kwemizuzu eyishumi, enye yazo iyasibona bese ihlaba umkhosi ngokubhonga. Ngokushesha, zonke ziyabaleka zitshakadula.
Phakathi nalesosikhathi, ezinye zezimfene ezingamathatha sezisondele, futhi sizwa okuzwakala kuwukuklabalasa kwesijwana. Ngokunokwenzeka unina usishayela ukuthi sisondele kakhulu. Siyamcabanga ethi: ‘Ungaphinde usondele kulabaya bantu!’
Sekuyahlwa, kumelwe sibuyele enkanjini. Ngemva kokuba sesibuyile, liqala ukuna, ngakho-ke sidlela ukudla kwakusihlwa endaweni enhle enompheme efulelwe ngotshani evulekile ezinhlangothini. Silalela ukucabaza kwamathonsi emvula okuhambisana nokuhashaza kwehlozi. Izilwane zasendle zikhona khona lapha, futhi siphindela ekuxoxeni ngamabhubesi. Sibuza uKobus ukuthi sekuyizikhathi ezingaki ebhekana ubuso nobuso nebhubesi kulokuhamba kokungcebeleka.
“Cishe izikhathi ezingu-70,” ephendula.
“Uma kwenzeka, yikuphi ukusabela okuvamile?”
“Okuvame ukwenzeka,” kuphendula uKobus, “ukuthi ngiyamangala nalo limangale. Uzihambela endaweni, njengoba senzile namuhla, ulindele ukubona izinyamazane ezivamile, lapho ngokungazelele, emamitheni ambalwa ngaphambi kwakho ubona umhlambi wamabhubesi uziphumulele emthunzini. Ayakubuka, bese ubona amehlo awo eba makhulu sengathi awakukholelwa lokho akubonayo. Amehlo ami,” kuhleka uKobus, “ngokunokwenzeka aba makhulu nawo. Bese ngithi kwabakuloluhambo lokungcebeleka: ‘Wozani lapha masinyane! bhekani!’ Ngomzuzu olandelayo, uwezwa ebhonga kabili noma kathathu, maqede abaleke. Asesaba ngaphezu kokuba thina siwesaba.
“Ngezinye izikhathi uzithela kwelensikazi linamawundlu, lapho-ke isimo sihlukile. Esikhundleni sokubhonga, uzwa ukuvungama okuthatha isikhathi eside okusongelayo, bese ubona nomsila walo ushwibeka usuka kolunye uhlangothi uye kolunye. Ngicupha isibhamu sami bese ngitshela abantu abazongcebeleka ukuba bathule. Bese sihlehla ngokuhleleka, sisigqolozele isilwane futhi singafulatheli.”
Ngakusasa ekuseni, sihamba phakathi kweMashikiripoort enhle—isihosha esingebanzi esinamadwala aphakeme nhlangothi zombili. Ekugcineni sifika egqumeni elinomhume. Ngaphambi kokuba siliqombole, u-Ellion uphonsa itshe, libange umsindo omkhulu. “Ngiphonse leliyalitshe,” echaza kamuva, “ukuze ngihlole ukuthi awekho amabhubesi noma ezinye izilwane eziyingozi. Lokho kuzozinika ithuba lokubaleka.”
“Kungenjalo,” kunezela uKobus, “ungase uvimbezele isilwane esiyingozi, bese uzithola ususenkingeni.” Lapho sifika emhumeni, laphaya, kolunye lwezindonga zedwala, kukhona umdwebo womuThwa. UKobus uthi lomdwebo wendlulamithi kungenzeka wadwetshwa eminyakeni engaphezu kwamakhulu amabili edlule.
Phakathi naloluhambo, sibona futhi imihlambi yezindlulamithi, yezinkonkoni, neyamadube. Uma usemotweni, ngokuvamile ungasondela eduze kwalezilwane, kodwa uma uhamba ngezinyawo, lapho umoya uvunguzela ngakuzona, ngokungaxheguli zihogela iphunga lakho futhi zibaleke ngaphambi kokuba ufike eduze kwazo. Silalela ukugabavula komhlambi wamadube okude, futhi ngikhumbula amazwi ayiqiniso eBhayibheli: “Uvalo nokwesabeka kwenu akube-phezu kwezilwane zonke zomhlaba.”—Genesise 9:2.
Manje sesiyalihlonipha ikhono lika-Ellion lokubona izilwane nokuhlukanisa imikhondo yazo. Ungowesizwe samaTsonga—abantu abadume ngokuba namakhono okubona umkhondo. Siyambuza ngalokhu.
“Ngaqala ukukwazi lokhu lapho ngisengumfana omncane ngiselusa izinkomo,” echaza.
Kamuva, phakathi nohambo lwethu lokugcina lwantambama, ngu-Ellion osenza siqaphele umsindo wezimvubu. Ngokushesha sifika endaweni engenhla komfula. Ngokuqinisekile, laphaya emanzini kunomhlambi wezimvubu. Abaningi imvubu bayibheka njengesilwane esiyingozi kunazo zonke e-Afrika. Kodwa sesiye safunda ukuthembela kubaqaphi bethu abaqaphile, nabaqeqeshwe kahle. Ngokuthula, sihlala ogwini lomfula futhi siyabuka. Ngezikhathi ezithile, inhloko yemvubu ishona ngaphansi kwamanzi. Lapho nje sisacabanga ukuthi ihambile, ngokushesha iyavumbuka, ibhonge futhi ikhiphe amanzi ngamakhala ayo amakhulu. Khona-ke, zibhonga kakhulu kanye kanye ngendlela engalibaleki bese zivula imilomo yazo emikhulu.
Ngemva kokujatshuliswa yilabomakad’ ebona isikhathi esiyingxenye yehora, sihamba sizihudula ngoba sekuyahlwa. Ngalobobusuku, njengoba sotha umlilo enkanjini sibukeza okuhlangenwe nakho okwakhayo kwezinsuku ezimbili ezidlule. Kuyajabulisa ukwazi ukuthi umhlaba usenezindawo ezingonakalisiwe, ezinhle njengalena. Ngokuqondene nesikhathi esizayo isithembiso seBhayibheli sokuthi kungakephuzi kakhulu, uNkulunkulu uzongenela asindise umhlaba ekonakalisweni siyaduduza. Khona-ke, ngeke kube iNyalaland kuphela kodwa wonke umhlaba uyozuza esithembisweni sikaNkulunkulu esiqinisekile: “Bheka, ngenza konke kube-kusha.”—IsAmbulo 11:18; 21:3-5; Isaya 35:5-7.