Isikhumbuzo sokuzika kwenqanawa uMendi
Abamnyama boMzantsi Afrika mabazingce ngokuqaqamba kwembali yabo ekuthabatheni inxaxheba nokuzibandakanya kwabo kukhuselo lwabo ukususela kwimfazwe yokuqala yelizwe kude kube ngoku. Kanti naxa babesilwa ingcinezelo yezinye intlanga ezibonwa zidelekile kuburhulumente belo zwe baphantsi kwalo.
Sekulithuba amajoni omzantsi ethunyelwa kwezo mfazwe, amanye ade afele apho. Kule minyaka nabafele emfazweni imizimba yabo ibuyiselwa ekhaya izekungcwatywa ngesidima nesithozela kwinkonzo ezenzelwa amagorha; bathi nabazibalule ngobugorha bawongwe nguMongameli weli ngembasa zobukhalipha.
Ngelishwa akuzange kubenjalo kumkhosi owawuphantsi kwequmrhu iSouth African Native Labour Corps, lo mkhosi watshabalalayo ekuzikeni kwenqanawa uMendi.
Amajoni azinikela ezibandakanya kwimfazwe yelizwe yokuqala. Esi siganeko esingenakuze silibaleke kwimbali zemfazwe athi la amagorha azibandakanya kuzo.
Ngentsasa ye 21 February 1917 inqanawe i SS Darro ebunzima babuzitoni ezi 10 000 emphathi wayo yayingu Mnu. Stumps, yayiqhutywa ngesantya esasingekho mthethweni, singakhanyisi nezilumkiso kulo nkungu yalo ntsasa.
uMendi owayebunzima be 4 230 betoni waba ngumthanyana nje owasuka wangquzulwa wantywiliselwa ngu Darro ngemizuzu engama 20. Akukho nanxaxheba yathathwa nguye yokuncedisana no Mendi kulo ntlekele. Phofu uStumps wayezithethelela ngelithi wayeyinqanawe eyayinemithwalo yoshishino eyayinokuhlaselwa ngabaphangi base lwandle abazimela kwizikhephe ezirhubuluza esiswini solwandle (torpedoes). Kanti abezopolitiko babecinga ukuba wayesenziwa kukuchasana ngobuhlanga nala maqhawe kaMendi. Bambi bathi wayephatshile engaqinisekanga yinto amakayenze.
Yaba yinqanawe iH.M.S eyakhupha izikhitshana zokuhlangula, zixhasa abo babethe batsibela kolo lwandle lwalungumkhenkce. Ababesele ku Mendi babezomeleza, bekhuthazwa nguRev. Isaac Wawuchope Dyoba, becula, bexhentsa owokufa, owokugqibela ababewubiza besithi kukungqunqgela ukufa. Kodwa ke bethu uDyoba wanqumama ngokusuka kuphume owakhe umphefumlo, alishiye eli esacula njalo.
Kwathabathisa utitshala owayevela ePitoli uJoseph Tshite, bedumisa, bethandaza nabo babesele. Bambi baziphosa kweso sithokothoko sobumnyama solwandle olwaluqhaqhazelisa amazinyo luhlobisa negazi, begxwala Museum of Military History besithi “Bani bani, mntaka mama sowufile na le nto ungandiphenduli xa ndikule mbandezelo” okanye “Owu bani bani ndivuyiswa nje kukuba sisifa simanyene singabentlanga ezahlukileyo, singabazalwana."
Kulo maqhawe kwakukho nezibonda zase Mampondweni o Henry Bhokleni, Dokoda Richard Ndamase, Mxhonywa Bangani, Mongameli, nomfundisi Isaac Wauchope Dyoba.
iPalamente yomzantsi yakha yathi xha, inika imbeko kulo magorha. Yayiphantsi komongameli weloxhesha uMnu. Louis Botha. Phofu kukho inkolo yokuba intlanga ezimnyama emakhayeni aba babengenamanakani ngeso sehlo, bengekazixelelwa ngabasemagunyeni.
Abasindayo bafika apho babesingise khona, baqhuba, bezalisekisa injongo ababeyele yona e France. Into eyayingalibaleki ku Koos Matli Photo: South African National wohlanga lwama Bahaduba yayi kukubonana ubuso ngobuso no Kumkani u George we V nokumkanikazi uMary owayebancoma ebabulela ngobugorha babo, ebaxelela nokuba bazakukhululeka bagoduswe kungekudala. Ebacela nokuba bazise iinkosi nabazalwane ngalo mbulelo wakhe - kwowu amabhongo obukumkani!
Isikhumbuzo sokuzika kukaMendi senziwa minyaka le kwicawa yesithathu kwinyanga kaFebruary. Kulo nyaka kuyakuba kukhunjulwa ikhulu leminyaka emva kwesi sehlo.
Zikhona ke ne zakhiwo zezikhumbuzo (monuments) zesi Sikhumbuzo kwindawo eziliqela eMpuma nase Ntshona Koloni, ndibala ne Museum ka Mnu Mandela phesheya kwenciba, iBhayi neKapa; apho uyakude kufike nakwindawo la Majoni ayezilungiselela khona phambi kwahambo lwawo.