Izilwandlekazi Zenkathazo
ONYAKENI ovamile, isintu silahlela amalitha kawoyela angaba izigidi ezingu-130 ezilwandlekazi zomhlaba. Lelonani, nakuba lishaqisa, alihlanganisi ngisho nokuchitheka kukawoyela okukhulukazi okwenzeka ngezinye izikhathi, njengenhlekelele yango-1989 yomkhumbi iExxon Valdez ngasogwini lweAlaska, eU.S.A., noma inhlekelele yasePersian Gulf ngonyaka odlule, lapho amalitha kawoyela angaba yizigidi ezingu-160 ngosuku ayegelezela olwandle!
Kodwa umuntu uchithela okungaphezu kakhulu kukawoyela ezilwandlekazini. OLwandle Olusenyakatho ngasogwini lweJalimane, amakhemikhali ezimboni afinyelela amazinga achazwa ochwepheshe njengabulalayo. Emakhilomitheni angu-200 ukusuka ogwini, isakhi esibulalayo sikapende osetshenziselwa ukuvikela imikhumbi sonakalisa lokho izazi zezilwandlekazi ezikubiza ngokuthi imicrolayer. Lolungwengwezi oluphezulu lolwandle olubalulekile luyindawo yamaqanda amaningi ezinhlanzi, nekhaya lezilokazana ezincane eziwukudla okuyinhloko kwezilwane eziningi zasolwandlekazini.
Eningizimu yeYurophu, ososayensi bathola ukuthi imicrolayer yoLwandle iMediterranean ngokufanayo igcwele amakhemikhali angcolisayo, uwoyela, nendle. Ikakhulukazi izilwane zasolwandle ezincelisayo, njengemikhomo, ngokukhethekile zilinyazwa imicrolayer engcolisiwe, njengoba kumelwe njalo zize ngaphezulu ukuze ziphefumule. Khona-ke, izilwane ezincelisayo zasolwandle ezingaba ngu-6 000 zifa minyaka yonke eMediterranean, ngokuyinhloko ngenxa yokungcola. Ngesinye isikhathi, amakhulu amahlengethwa akhafulelwa ezingwini zeMediterranean—afinyelela ku-50 isonto ngalinye ogwini lwaseFrance lodwa. Igciwane lalihlasele lezilwane ezizilungele, ezinomusa. Ukungcola kungenzeka nakho kusiza lesifo ngokwehlisa amandla amahlengethwa okuzivikela. Ngokusabisayo, isazi sezilwandlekazi, uJean-Michel Cousteau sabhala: “Uma amahlengethwa engabulawa ukungcola, nathi kungasibulala.”
Isibikezelo esinjalo singezwakala sesabisa. Kodwa iqiniso liwukuthi, ukungcola kakade kusongela isintu ngezindlela eziningi. Ngokwesibonelo, abatakuli ogwini lwaseNewfoundland bathola ukuthi ukungcola kwathiya imizamo yabo yokuthola abantu abasinda ekuphahlazekeni kwendiza. Kulokhu isithiyo sasiyimfucumfucu yepulasitiki. Yayigcwele olwandlekazi kangangokuthi amaqembu abatakuli ayengenakusho noma ayebona izincezu zendiza noma izincezu zokungcola. Abazange bathole noyedwa owasinda.
Indaba edabukisayo, akunjalo? Kodwa cabanga nje: Uma inhlekelele yokungcola ibadabukisa kangaka abantu, kumelwe ukuba uzizwa kanjani Lowo owadala “izilwandle nakho konke okukuzo”? (Nehemiya 9:6) Ngokuqinisekile, kumelwe ukuba sisondela ngokushesha isikhathi lapho ‘ezobhubhisa ababhubhisa umhlaba.’—IsAmbulo 11:18.
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 31]
Mike Baytoff/Black Star