Umpetha Wejubane
Ngumlobeli we-Phaphama! eNingizimu Afrika
YINI ebizwa ngalesi siqu? Ingulule, isilwane esinejubane kunazo zonke emhlabeni emabangeni amafushane. Ingulule ngayinye inamabala ahlukile—yingakho inegama lesiNgisi elithi cheetah, elivela egameni lesiSanskrit elisho “umzimba onamabala.”
Abanye bathi lapho ulithi nhlá okokuqala leli kati, kubonakala sengathi linemilenze kuphela. Abanye baphawula ukuthi umhlane walo uthambile futhi inhloko yalo incane kakhulu. Kodwa zona kanye lezi zici zinenzuzo kuyingulule. Imilenze yangemuva emide inikeza ingulule amandla, iyisize ukuba ihambe ngesizotha futhi igijime ngobunono. Futhi lesi silwane siyagijima ngempela! Kusukela kade imile, phakathi nemizuzwana embalwa ingulule ingafinyelela ijubane elingamakhilomitha angaba ngu-110 ngehora.
Ingulule ikuklanyelwe kahle ukugijima ngejubane eliphakeme. Amathambo ayo alula ahlanganisa nomgogodla othambile ofingqana futhi uthombuluke njengesipilingi. Ingulule futhi inesifuba esibanzi, amaphaphu amakhulu, inhliziyo enamandla, umsila oyenza ikwazi ukuzimela, nemigudu yokuphefumula emikhulu eyenza iphefumule ngokushesha—konke okunengxenye ekwenzeni lesi silwane sibe nejubane elingenakuqhathaniswa. Nokho, lamandla okuntininiza amakhulu engulule angawesikhashana. Ngemva kokugijima ngomfutho amamitha nje angu-400, kumelwe ime ukuze iphumule.
Ngokuvamile izingulule azilona usongo kubantu. U-Ann van Dyk, oseneminyaka eminingi ezalanisa izingulule, uyabhala encwadini yakhe ethi The Cheetahs of De Wildt: “Ngemva kokuba sezidlile, ngangithanda ukuchitha leyo mizuzu yokugcina ngaphambi kokuba kuhlwe nomkhaya wami wamakati. Kwase kwakheke umuzwa wokuthembana phakathi kwethu futhi nakuba zazingathanjisiwe ngangazi ukuthi zazingeke zingilimaze.”
Nokho, abantu abazange babe nomusa kuyingulule ngaso sonke isikhathi. Ngokwesibonelo, abazingeli e-Afrika babehalela isikhumba sayo esingajwayelekile, futhi ukwenziwa kwamakoloni kunciphise indawo ingulule engagijima kuyo. Lokhu kulinciphise kakhulu inani lezingulule. Nakuba zake zaba inqwaba eNdiya, izingulule zaphela lapho ngo-1952. Futhi azisatholakali kwamanye amazwe asemngceleni waseMediterranean.
Yeka ukuthi singajabula kanjani ngokuthi ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu, izilwane ngeke zisasongelwa abantu abahahayo! (Isaya 11:6-9) Mhlawumbe ngaleso sikhathi uyoba nelungelo lokubona lompetha wejubane oklanywe ngokumangalisayo, ingulule.