Onjiniyela Abahlakaniphile
Ngumlobeli we-Phaphama! eNingizimu Afrika
INGABE wake wazibona izakhiwo ezingokwemvelo ezinjengalezi eziboniswe kulelikhasi? Iziduli zemihlwa zivamile ukubonakala emahlanzeni ase-Afrika. Ezinye zimi njengoshimula abade ngesinye isikhathi abaphakama babe ngaphezu kwamamitha ayisithupha. Ezinye ziyizindilinga ezinkulu zomhlabathi eziba yindawo ethandwa izilwane ezidla ezinye ezinjengamabhubesi ezigibela kuyo zibuke kude.
Ngaphakathi esidulini ngasinye kunamaphasishi namakamelwana amaningi, okungahlala kuwo imihlwa emincane eyizigidigidi. Eminye imihlwa izilimela izivande zayo zesikhunta futhi ikwazi ukuzigcina zimanzi ngokwanele ngisho naphakathi neminyaka yesomiso. Kwenzeka kanjani lokho? Phakathi nawo-1930, lapho isomiso esikhulu sicekela phansi izingxenye ezithile zeNingizimu Afrika, isazi sezinto zemvelo, uDkt. Eugene Marais, sathola uhide lwemihlwa oluyizinhlu ezimbili, olunye lwehla kanti olunye lunyuka emgudwini womuhlwa. Lezidalwa ezincane zazimbé zafinyelela ekujuleni kwamamitha angaba ngu-30! Zazifinyelele emthonjeni ongokwemvelo. Kanjalo uMarais wayithola indlela ezazikwazi ngayo ukugcina izivande zazo zesikhunta ziswakeme phakathi nesomiso.
Isiduli somuhlwa sangempela, kuchaza uMichael Main encwadini yakhe ethi Kalahari, “kucatshangwa ukuthi siyisidleke esithuthuke ukudlula zonke kwezakhiwa yinoma yisiphi isilwane emhlabeni. . . . Yonke ilwela ukwenza nokugcina indawo ezungezile iswakeme ngokuphelele futhi ibe nezinga lokushisa eliphakathi kuka-29° C no-31° C, elivumelana kahle nakho kokubili isikhunta nomuhlwa. . . . Ngendlela ephumelelayo, zonke izidleke zenziwa zibe yindawo enesimiso esikahle kakhulu sokungenisa umoya.”
Manje ake ucabangele indlela lezidleke ezakhiwa ngayo. Imihlwa ihlikihla bese inameka inhlayiyana ngayinye yenhlabathi phezu kwenye. Cabanga ukuthi kusetshenziswa izigidi ezingaki zezinhlayiyana zenhlabathi ekwakheni isiduli esisodwa! “Izakhiwo ezinkulu kunazo zonke umuntu aye wazakha kulomhlaba; iMibhoshongo Engonxantathu yaseGibithe, isimiso sakwaLoliwe saseLondon Esisebenza Ngaphansi Komhlaba, amabhilidi amade kakhulu aseNew York, . . . uma ziqhathaniswa nemisebenzi yemihlwa, . . . zifana nezindunduma zezimvukuzane uma ziqhathaniswa nezintaba,” kubhala uMarais encwadini yakhe ethi The Soul of the White Ant. “Uma sicabangela ubukhulu,” uyaqhubeka, “umuntu bekuyodingeka akhe isakhiwo esingangeMatterhorn ukuphakama [isiqongo sentaba esingamamitha angu-4 478 eSwitzerland], ukuze umsebenzi wakhe ulingane nombhoshongo womuhlwa [ongamamitha angu-12] ukuphakama.”
Kodwa-ke imihlwa inanzuzoni kumuntu? Phakathi kokunye, imihlwa idla uhlaza oselufile futhi kanjalo isuse izibi eziningi. “Ngokuhudulela izibi ezomile ngaphansi komhlaba, ayinciphisi nje ingozi yomlilo kuphela kodwa futhi ivundisa umhlabathi ongaphansi,” kusho ibhodi elineziqondiso eKruger National Park.
Mhlawumbe nawe uyavuma ukuthi imihlwa edelelekile iyafaneleka ukuba ibizwe ngokuthi onjiniyela basemhlabeni abahlakaniphile.