“Umuzi Owawunabantu Abaningi”
ITOKYO, iSão Paulo, iLagos, iDolobha laseMexico, neSeoul ayayifanela lencazelo, nakuba umprofethi waseBhayibhelini uJeremiya ayengakhulumi ngawo. Wayekhuluma ngeJerusalema ngokushesha nje ngemva kokubhujiswa kwalo abaseBabiloni ngo-607 B.C.E.—IsiLilo 1:1.
Njengoba inani labantu abasemhlabeni manje licishe libe izigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezinhlanu nengxenye, amadolobha anabantu abaningi maningi. Ukuthambekela okusobala kwangengxenye yekhulu leminyaka edlule kwakulokhu kuwukwakha amadolobha amakhulu. Nakuba ngo-1950 kwakuyizindawo ezingamadolobha ezingu-7 kuphela emhlabeni ezazinezakhamuzi eziyizigidi ezinhlanu, izilinganiso zibonisa ukuthi ngokuphela kwalelikhulu leminyaka, okungenani amadolobha angu-21 ayoba nezakhamuzi ezingaphezu kwezigidi eziyishumi, kuhlanganise namadolobha amahlanu ashiwo ngenhla.
Kwenzeka Kanjani Ukuba Abe Makhulu Kangaka?
Amadolobha amakhulu akheka lapho izakhamuzi zasemaphandleni zithuthela edolobheni ziyofuna umsebenzi futhi lapho abahlala edolobheni bephuma enkabeni yedolobha beyofuna izindawo ezizungezile ezivulekile futhi ezikhangayo, lapho besebenzisa khona imoto, ibhasi, noma isitimela uma beya emsebenzini. Lezizindawo ezisemaphethelweni amadolobha, kuhlanganise nenkaba yawo yedolobha, ngokushesha kuyahlangana kwakhe indawo enkulu eyidolobha.
Amanye amadolobha amakhulu aba makhulu kusukela “esanda kwakhiwa.” ITenochtitlán—namuhla esiyibiza ngokuthi iDolobha laseMexico—yakhiwa cishe ngo-1325. Lapho abaseSpain befika ngo-1519, lenhloko-dolobha yoMbuso Wama-Aztec kakade yayisinenani labantu elicishe lifinyelele ku-300 000.
Nokho, njengabantu abahlushwa ukukhuluphala ngemva kweminyaka engu-40, amanye amadolobha aye anda njengoba isikhathi siqhubeka. ISeoul, indawo yama-Olympic ango-1988, inemvelaphi ehlehlela emuva ezinsukwini zangaphambi kobuKristu, kodwa eminyakeni engaba ngu-50 edlule, inani layo labantu lalilokhu liyingxenye eyodwa kweziyishumi kuphela kulokhu eliyikho namuhla. Manje iyikhaya labantu abacishe babe ingxenye eyodwa kwezine yezakhamuzi eziyizigidi ezingu-43 zalelizwe.
NjengeSeoul, igama leTokyo nalo lisho “inhloko-dolobha.” Eqinisweni, endabeni yeTokyo, lisho “inhlokodolobha yasempumalanga.” Njengoba ekuqaleni yayiyi-Edo, leligama lashintshwa laba iTokyo ngo-1868 lapho lenhloko-dolobha ithutha isuka edolobheni laseKyoto elalingaseNtshonalanga. Indawo engase-Edo kakade yayinezakhamuzi ezikhathini zangaphambi kobuKristu, kodwa isisekelo sedolobha elikhulu lanamuhla sasingakabekwa kwaze kwaba ngo-1457, lapho iqhawe elinamandla lakha khona inqaba. Phakathi nekhulu leminyaka le-17, lelidolobha lasungulwa, futhi phakathi nawo-1800 lalinenani labantu elingaphezu kwesigidi. Njengoba kwake kwathiwa inezimpawu eziningi ze-neon kunanoma yiliphi elinye idolobha emhlabeni, iTokyo iyisimanje-manje.
Elinye idolobha lesimanje elikhulu ngokufanayo elinobuhle obukhazimulayo iSão Paulo, eBrazil. Njengoba inemigwaqo emikhulu namabhilidi aphakeme esimanje, ibukeka iyintsha ngokuphawulekayo kunobudala bayo, njengoba yasungulwa izithunywa zevangeli zasePortugal ezingamaJesuit ngo-1554. Manje, phakathi no-January, izakhamuzi zayo—ama-Paulistano—zigubha unyaka wayo wama-440 ikhona. ISão Paulo yahlala incane kwaze kwaba ngawo-1880, cishe ngesikhathi imali yemboni yekhofi eyayisanda kuba khona yaseBrazil yayisebenza njengozibuthe wokudonsa izihambi ezivela eYurophu futhi kamuva e-Asia.
Futhi amaPutukezi aba nengxenye ekuthuthukiseni idolobha elikhulu eNigeria. Yebo, ngaphambili kakhulu kokuba abeLungu bafike ekupheleni kwekhulu leminyaka le-15, endaweni yaseLagos kwakuhlala abanye babantu base-Afrika abaningi futhi abaphucuke kakhulu basezindaweni ezishisayo zangezikhathi zangaphambi kwamakoloni, amaYoruba. Lelidolobha laliyindawo edumile okwakudayiswa kuyo izigqila kwaze kwaba phakathi nawo-1800. Ngo-1861 lathathwa iBrithani, futhi ngo-1914 laba inhloko-dolobha yalokho okwakuyikoloni laseBrithani ngalesosikhathi.
“Ubukhulu Abusengcono Neze”
Ubukhulu bunezinzuzo. Ngokuvamile, lapho idolobha lilikhulu, kuba yilapho izakhamuzi zalo ziba namathuba amaningi okuphila njengomphakathi onothile nophucukile. Izici ezingokomnotho nazo zisekela ubukhulu, njengoba inani elikhulu labantu lisekela kakhulu ngokwezomnotho nangamathuba omsebenzi. Njengozibuthe onamandla, izinzuzo zamadolobha ezingokomnotho zikhanga abantu abafuna izwe lesithembiso. Kodwa lapho behluleka ukuthola imisebenzi futhi begcina sebehlala emafukwini, ngokunokwenzeka benxiba ukuze baphile, noma lapho bengenamakhaya, ngenxa yokuntuleka kwezindlu ezifanelekayo, yeka ukuthi ukusanguluka nosizi kufika ngokushesha kangakanani!
Umagazini i-National Geographic uphikisa ngokuthi okukhulu kakhulu kumane nje kukhulu kakhulu, uthi: “Eminyakeni embalwa edlule, ngokuzigqaja amadolobha ayedonsela ukunakekela ekukhuleni kwawo. Ubukhulu babubuhle, futhi amadolobha amakhulu kakhulu ayeqhosha ngobukhulu bawo emhlabeni. Kodwa ubukhulu abusengcono neze. Namuhla, ukulwela isiqu esithi ‘idolobha elikhulu kunawo wonke emhlabeni’ kufana nomuntu osemusha ongumqemane lapho etshelwa ukuthi unesifo esibi kakhulu. Singase selashwe, kodwa asinakushaywa indiva.”
Ukuvimbela abantu ukuba bathutheleke emadolobheni ngamanani angavumelekile cishe kuwumsebenzi ongenakwenzeka. Ngakho amadolobha amakhulu azama ukuhlangabezana nalenselele ngezinye izindlela, mhlawumbe ngokwakha izinhlu ezilandelanayo zezindlu ezifanayo eziphuphile, ngokwakha amabhilidi aphakeme anyukela emazulwini, noma ngokuguqukela emiqondweni emisha ngokuphelele. Ngokwesibonelo, izinkampani zezokwakha zaseJapane manje zihlola umqondo wokwakha izithabathaba ezinkulu zezakhiwo ngaphansi komhlaba, lapho izigidi zabantu zingasebenza, zithenge, futhi zihlale ngisho nokuhlala khona. “Idolobha elingaphansi komhlaba aliselona iphupho,” kusho esinye isikhulu sezokwakha, “eqinisweni silindele ukuba libonakale engxenyeni yokuqala yekhulu leminyaka elilandelayo.”
Ngisho nangokombono ongokoqobo, ubukhulu abungcono ngaso sonke isikhathi. Izinhlekelele zingagadla—futhi ziyagadla—kuyo yonke indawo. Kodwa lapho zigadla emadolobheni, ukubhujiswa kokuphila nokwempahla kungaba kukhulu kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo: ITokyo iye yahlushwa izinhlekelele ezimbi, kokubili ezingokwemvelo nezenziwe ngumuntu. Ngo-1657 abantu abangaba ngu-100 000 babhubha emlilweni obhubhisayo, ngo-1923 inani elifanayo labhubha ekuzamazameni komhlaba okubulalayo nasemlilweni, futhi abangaba isigamu sesigidi babhubha ekupheleni kweMpi Yezwe II phakathi nokuhlasela ngamabhomu okukhulu.
Izinkinga zomhlaba zibonakala emadolobheni awo—ukungcola kwezindawo ezingamadolobha nokunqwabelana kwezimoto. Zombili lezizinkinga zibonakala ngokusobala eDolobheni laseMexico, elake lachazwa ngokuthi “liyisibonelo senhlekelele yasezindaweni ezingamadolobha.” Izimoto ezingaphezu kwezigidi ezintathu ziyaminyana emigwaqweni. Lezizimoto, kuhlanganise namafektri amelela ingxenye engaphezu kwengqikithi yazo zonke izimboni zaseMexico, kubangela ukuhogela ukungcola nsuku zonke kangangokuba, ngokombiko wango-1984, “ukuphefumula nje kufana nokubhema amaphakethe amabili kagwayi ngosuku.”
Yiqiniso, iDolobha laseMexico aliyona ingqayizivele. Yiliphi idolobha lesimanje elinezimboni elingenakho ukungcola kwalo siqu nokunqwabelana kwezimoto? ELagos, izimoto eziphithizelayo zibizwa ngokufaneleke kakhulu ngokuthi “omatotoba.” Lelidolobha linwebekele eziqhingini ezine eziyinhloko; amabhuloho avela ezweni awakwazi ukusingatha inani elikhulayo lezimoto ezigcwala imigwaqo, okubangela ukuba izimoto zicishe zinganyakazi. Incwadi ethi 5000 Days to Save the Planet ithi: “Cishe sesifikile isikhathi lapho kuyoba okusheshayo ukuhamba ngezinyawo.” Ingabe kuseduze?
Izinkinga Ezingathi Sína Ngisho Nangokwengeziwe
Amadolobha amakhulu ahlushwa izinkinga ezingathi sína ngisho nangokwengeziwe. Ngaphandle kwezindlu, izikole ezinezingane eziningi ngokweqile, nezibhedlela ezinezisebenzi ezingenele, izici ezingokwengqondo nazo zihilelekile. UDkt. Paul Leyhausen, isazi esiphambili sokuziphatha kwabantu saseJalimane, uthi “inani elikhulu lezifo zemizwa nokungahleleki kahle kwezenhlalo, ngokwengxenye noma ngokuphelele, ngokuqondile noma ngokungaqondile, kubangelwa abantu abaningi ngokweqile.”
Amadolobha amakhulu aphuca izakhamuzi zawo umuzwa wokuba umphakathi, enze idolobha libe nesinyokotho esesabekayo. Phakathi kwamakhulukhulu omakhelwane, umuntu ohlala edolobheni angaba nesizungu, elangazelela ukuba nabangane angenakubathola ndawo. Umuzwa wokwahlukaniswa obangelwa yilesisimo uba yingozi lapho ubangela ukuba izakhamuzi zezizwe eziningi zibe amaqembu obuhlanga noma obuzwe. Ukungalingani ngokwezomnotho noma izenzo zokubandlulula—ezingokoqobo noma ezicatshangelwayo—kungaholela enhlekeleleni, njengoba iLos Angeles yathola isifundo ngo-1992 lapho ukuqubuka kobudlova bobuhlanga kuphumela ekufeni kwabangaphezu kuka-50 nasekulimaleni kwabangu-2 000.
Ingozi enkulu kunazo zonke ehlobene nokuphila kwasedolobheni ukuthambekela kwalo kokucinanisa ingokomoya. Ukuphila kwasedolobheni kuyabiza, ngakho labo abahlala khona bangaphambukiswa kalula izinkathazo zokuphila. Ayikho enye indawo lapho kutholakala kalula khona izinto eziningi kangaka ezingaphambukisa abantu ekunakeni izinto ezingokoqobo nezinokubaluleka okuhlala njalo. Ayikho enye indawo lapho kutholakala khona amathuba okuzijabulisa—amahle, amabi, nangcolile—amaningi kangaka. Kwakumane nje kuwukuntula ingokomoya okunjalo okwabhubhisa iJerusalema, umuzi (idolobha) nabantu abaningi uJeremiya akhuluma ngawo.
Ingabe Ikusasa Liphetheni
Lapho icabangela lezizinkinga ezikhungathekisa kangaka, incwadi ethi 5000 Days to Save the Planet iphetha ngokuthi “umsebenzi wokubeka indinganiso enhle yokuphila kwabantu abahlala emadolobheni namuhla, ingasaphathwa eyezizukulwane ezizayo, udala izinkinga ezibonakala zingenakuxazululwa.” Ukuhlangabezana nje nezidingo ezikhona “kubeka umthwalo ongabekezeleleki endaweni ezungezile nasemphakathini.” Futhi uma ibheka esikhathini esizayo, iyaphawula: “Ukulindela ukuhlangabezana nazo lapho amadolobha esenenani labantu elande ngokuphindwe kathathu kunalelo elikhona manje kumane nje kuyisifiso.”
Akungabazeki, amadolobha asenkathazweni. Futhi amadolobha amakhulu, ngenxa yobukhulu bawo, asenkathazweni enkulu ngisho nangokwengeziwe! Izifo zawo ziye zaba nengxenye ekubekeni umhlaba wonke okhukhweni lwawo lokufa. Ingabe likhona ikhambi eliseduze?
Amadolobha amakhulu asithinta sonke. Ngisho namadolobha amancane angasithonya, amanye ngendlela engafani ngokuphelele nobukhulu bawo. Njengezibonelo zalokhu, cabangela amadolobha engeziwe okuzoxoxwa ngawo esihlokweni sikamagazini wethu olandelayo.
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
ILagos, enabantu abaningi