Imfundiso yamaRoma imenze waba yisishabasheki uFlorence Mkhize
Inxanxathela yebhilidi elisemgwaqeni u-Anton Lembede, enkabeni yeTheku, okukhokhelwa kulona ugesi liqanjwe ngoMama uFlorence Mkhize owayaziwa kakhulu ngokuthi nguMama uFlo. Yiqhawekazi elalwela inkululeko leli, lilwa nenqubo yobandlululo kunzima. Wayengumgqugquzeli enyunyaneni iSouth African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTWU), ekanye noMnu uSteve Dlamini, uMnu uHarry Gwala nabanye. Ibhilidi okuqanjwe ngalo uMama uFlo, lalikade liqanjwe ngeMeya yaseThekwini yakudala, uMnu uMartin West. UMama uFlo uzalelwe eMzinto ogwini oluseningizimu yeKwaZulu-Natal ngonyaka we-1932. Uqale ukuzibandakanya nepolitiki eneminyaka eyi-16, ekhuthazwa ngamaRoma aKhatholika, kwelakubo lapho azalelwa khona. Eqeda ukufunda ufudukele eThekwini ngeminyaka ye-1950, washada noMnu u-Amos Mswane.
UMama uFlo, ngomunye wamavolontiya eNkosi u-Albert Luthuli, njengoba babesekhaleni emkhankasweni weDefi ance Campaign, wango we-1952. Kulowo mkhankaso abantu babedelela yonke imithetho eyayishaywa ngumbuso wobandlululo. Isithombe sikaMama uFlo eshisa udompasi wakhe, sasabalala umhlaba wonke. Ngowe-1954, uMama uFlo waba ngomunye wabasunguli beFederation of South African Women (FEDSAW), wabasebuholini bayo eThekwini namaphethelo. Ngowe-1956 kube nenhlabaluhide, ibheke e-Union Building ePretoria, abesifazane bekhononda ngokuphathiswa odompasi. Ngebhadi ibhasi elalihamba omama uFlo, libheke ePretoria, ngalelo langa lango we-1956 ziyisi-9 kuNcwaba, lavinjwa ngamaphoyisa aliphindisela emuva. Wayekhona emkhankasweni wokuduba amazambane ngowe-1957. UHulumeni wobandlululo ushaye umthetho iSuppression of Communism Act, uMama uFlo waphinde wavalwa umlomo ngowe-1968.
Nguyena uMama uFlo benoSolwazi uFatima Meer, abaqoqa izimali ukuze kwakhiwe iPhambili High School, eMbilo, eThekwini. Lesi sikole besenzelwe izingane zezishoshovu zepolitiki ebezibandlululwa ngenxa yeqhaza labazali bazo emzabalazweni. Yibona oMama uFlo noSolwazi uMeer, abaya e-Amsterdam baqoqa izimali khona zokwakha lesiya sikole. Ngesikhathi i-United Democratic Front (UDF) yethulwa ngokusemthethweni, uMama uFlo waba sebuholini bayo eThekwini. Ngesikhathi eshona uMama uFlo ngowe-1999, ubeseyikhansela lakuWard 75, eLamontivile, eningizimu yeTheku. Uphendule umuzi wakhe waba yikhaya lapho “amaphekulazikhuni” ayecasha khona. UNgqongqoshe wamaphoyisa kuZwelonke, uMnu uBheki Cele, ngomunye wabantu ababecasha khona, besasebenza umshoshaphansi noMkhonto Wesizwe (uphiko lwezempi lwe-ANC). Naye uMama uFlo ubesebenza umshoshaphansi ne-African National Congress (ANC).
Ubeyithanda imfundo futhi eyikhuthalele, lokhu kubonakale ngoba ubesemakomidini alawula izikole ezahlukene eThekwini. Ngowe-1998 i-ANC Women’s League imhloniphe ngendondo yobuqhawe. UMnu uNelson Mandela, umhloniphe ngendondo yeSouth African Gold Medal ngowe-1999. Wayeyikhomanisi, engaphuthi ezingqungqutheleni zeSouth African Communist Party (SACP). Ngeminyaka ye-1970 wabangomunye wabasunguli beRelease Mandela Campaign, eyayiholwa nguMhleli wamaphephandaba, uMnu uPercy Qoboza. KuFEDSAW wayenoMama uDorothy Nyembe noNkk uHelen Joseph. (nabo abangasekho). Usebenzile nomndeni wakwaMxenge, wakwaShusha, oMnu uMsizi Dube wodumo lwe- Asinamali, uMama uDorothy Nyembe, uMntwana uCyril Zulu wakwaDeda nabanye.
Umyeni wakhe kwakungeyena umuntu wepolitiki kodwa ubemvumela ahambe zonke izindawo ngisho nasemazweni aphesheya ngenxa yomzabalazo, emeseka. Amadodana akhe uMandla noThulani nabo sebashona, kwasala amadodakazi amabili. UMama uFlo ulwele ukuthi kwakhiwe isikhungo sokuqwashisa nokunakekela abahaqwe igciwane lengculaza nesandulelangculaza eLamontville. Lelo phupho lakhe lagcina selifezekile noma yena wayengasekho emhlabeni. Udlule emhlabeni ziyisi-7 kuNtuikazi ngowe-1999. Abaholi bophiko lwabesifazane kwa- ANC, esingabala kubo oNkk uWinnie Madikizela-Mandela (ongasekho), uNkk u-Angie Motsekga, uNkk Nosiviwe Maphisa-Nqakula, uNks Bathabile Dlamini, nabanye, bebemthatha njengesibonelo esihle kwabesifazane abasebuholini uMama uFlo. Yona le ntombi yaseMbo, njengoMama u-D (uDorothy Nyembe), bahlushwe kakhlu ngamaphoyisa ezomoya eThekwini.
Uma kuzwakala ukuthi kukhona “iphekulazikhuni” elikhona eNatal, kwakugaselwa emzini kaMama uFlo noma kaMama u-D, kuqala kupheqululwe khona. UMama uFlo ukhethwe waba yiKhansela kuMasipala weTheku, ngesikhathi usuhlelwa kabusha uhambisana nezakhiwo zentando yeningi. Isigceme ayeyiKhansela kuso, u-Ward 75, eLamonti. Indlela eyekhuthele ngayo uMama uFlo ibibabazeka, bekungathi kusebenza itshitshi uqobo ngoba ubevuka ekuseni ayosebenzela umphakathi, aze aphumule phakathi kwamabili. Ubumthola ehlangene nemiphakathi yaseMjondolo, elalela izinkinga zayo. Nasehositela eWema, ubumthola khona ehamba noMntwana uMfanafuthi Cyril Zulu, waKwaDeda, belalela izinkinga zabantu abahlala emahostela, ngenhloso yokubasiza.
Uyokhumbuleka uMama uFlo uma kunemingcwabo, ubefi ka qathatha kulowo muzi okushonwe kuwo esigcemeni sakhe, ubengagcini nje ngokubhonga emswaneni, kodwa ubefaka isandla. Miningi imindeni nabantu eLamontville eyangcwaba izihlobo namalungu emindeni yawo ngosizo ayeluthola kuMama uFlo. Ubeba khona ngisho nasemilindelweni yaleyo mizi eshonelwe. Uma kukhona umfundi ophase kahle ebangeni le-12, kodwa engenayo imali yokuqhubeka nokufunda, uMama uFlo ubeyazi iminyango obekufanele angqongqoze kuyona, iphume ingane iye esikoleni. Namanje umphakathi waseLamontville usasho ukuthi amagalelo kaMama uFlo awalingananga nawabanye abantu.
Kwakuvutha amalangabi eMlaza, eningizimu yeTheku, ngoNcwaba we-1985, ngemuva kokubulawa ngesihluku kumaMama uNonyamezelo Victoria Mxenge. Abantu babetshelwe ukuthi yiNkatha eyayibulale uMama wakwaMxenge, kanti kwakungabasocongi ababesebenzela uMbuso wobandlululo, ababudula uMama, baphinde bamgenca phambi kwezingane zakhe uMbasa, uViwe noNamhla. Ubulawe mhla lu-1 kuNcwaba ngowe-1985, kwathi ngakusasa uMlaza wavalwa thaqa, abafundi nentsha bengalawuleki befuna ababulali bakaMama la. Amaphoyisa aze asebenzisa isisi esikhalisa unyembezi nezinhlamvu zenjoloba ukuhlakaza abantu ababevale imigwaqo benze nezihlabaluhide zamamashi. Waqala waba ngumhlengikazi wagcina esengummeli uMama wakwaMxenge njengomyeni wakhe uMnu uMlungisi Griffi ths Mxenge, naye owabulawa yibona abasocongi bobandlululo ngoLwezi we-1981. Ngaphandle kokuba ngummeli wamalungelo abantu.
uMama wakwaMxenge wayebuye abe yisishoshovu se-African National Congress (ANC) noMgcinimafa we-United Democratic Front (UDF), eNatal. Wayezalelwe emakhaya eTamara, eKing Williams Town, esifundazweni i-Eastern Cape, mhla lu-1 kuMasingana ngowe-1942. Ukhulele khona wafunda waze waphothula izifundo zobuhlengikazi ngowe-1964. Yena, nomyeni wakhe uGriffi ths, bafudukele eThekwini, ubaba uMxenge wasungula inkampani yabameli, elwela amalungelo abantu. Kwakuhlale kuphithizela emahhovisi kaMxenge, eDumjee Centre, eThekwini. UMama wakwaMxenge usebenze esibhedlela eKing Edward, ngaphambi kokuba ayosebenza emitholampilo eyahlukene eMlaza. UMama wenze izifundo zomthetho e-UNISA, wagcina esengummeli ngokugcwele ngowe-1981.
Uqale ngawo lowo nyaka wasebenza nomyeni wakhe, bengabameli bamalungelo abantu. Ukubulawa ngesihluku komyeni wakhe kwavula esinye isahluko empilweni kaMama wakwaMxenge, ngoba umkhuzi womashayabhuqe baseVlaakplaas, uDirk Coetzee, wayethi uMxenge ubulawe uKhongolose, okuyinto uMama wakwaMxenge ayeyiphika. Ngaphambi kokuba abulawe ubaba uMxenge wake wadonsa iminyaka emibili eRobben Island ngoba wayenendima ayeyidlala kwipolitiki. UMama wakwaMxenge ubengummeli onamava namagalelo ngoba ubemela abalwelinkululeko namadelakufa. Ekuqaleni kweminyaka ye-1980, uHulumeni wobandlululo wagasela eMatola, eMozambique, washaya wabhubhisa kumalungu e-African National Congress (ANC), waphinda futhi wahlasela eLesotho ngoZibandlela we- 1985, wabulala amalungu e-ANC.
Nguyena uMama owayemele imindeni yabantu ababulawa kulezo zibhicongo. Nguyena futhi uMama owayemele abafundi bakaMatikuletsheni ngowe-1983, imiphumela yabo eyayigodlwe nguMnyango Wezemfundo kuzwelonke. UMama wakwaMxenge wamela izigagayi ze-UDF eMgungundlovu, ezazithweswe icala lokuvukela uMbuso. Nguyena futhi uMama owayesekomidini lokukhululwa kukaMandela iRelease Mandela Committee. Ubengumholi weNational Organization of Women (NAWO). Ubulawa nje uMama wakwaMxenge wayephuma emhlanganweni wepolitiki engena egcekeni kwakhe kwa-V eMlazi. NgoNtulikazi we-1985 wayekade ethule inkulumo emngcwabeni weCradock Four, oMatthew Goniwe, uFort Calata, uSparow Mkhonto noSicelo Mhlawuli. Umgcwabo kaMama wawuthanyelwe yizinkumbi zabantu emakhaya aseRayi, ngaseKing Williams Town, bebalelwa ezi-10 000.
Imiyalezo yenduduzo evela kuMnu u-Oliver Reginald Tambo noMnu uNelson Mandela yafundwa, kulowo mgcwabo. Ngesikhathi kuhleli isigcawu seKhomishini Yamaqiniso Nokubuyisana, ngowe-1996, kwavela okushaqisayo ukuthi kanti uMama wakwaMxenge wabulawa ngabasocongi bethunywe ngamaBhunu. UMartin Sefako waphumela obala okokuqala wathi wayengomunye wamadoda amane asoconga uMama kwa-V eMlazi, yena esabizwa ngoBongi Raymond Malinga. Wathi wayethunywe nguBrigadier uPeter Swanepoel, umkhuzi wabasocongi. IMantshi eThekwini yenqaba ukuthi kube nophenyo oluvulelekile ngokusocongwa kukaMama yathi akwemukelwe umbiko othi ubulawe yizingozi azithole ekhanda. Isibindi sikaMama, ukuzinikela kwakhe ekusebenzeleni umphakathi kusukela engumhlengikazi, eba ngummeli wamalungelo abantu, abeyisigomagoma somzabalazo wenkululeko, eba ngumfelokazi ozikhandlayo, nomama emndenini wakhe nasemphakathini, abeyisibani sethemba kubantu baseNingizimu Afrika, yikhona okwenza kukhulunywe ngaye nanamuhla, kutuswe amagalelo akhe.
AbakwaMxenge bahlonishwe ngendondo yamaqhawe omzabalazo i-Order of Luthuli in Silver. UMasipala weTheku, ubahloniphile abakwaMxenge ngemifuziselo ekhona uma ungena elokishini uMlazi. Izinto ezazuzwa nguMama uMxenge empilweni yakhe, wayengazenzeli yena siqu sakhe, kodwa wayenzela abantu baseNingizimu Afrika abacindezelwe. Kusukela esengumhlengikazi, wabona ukuthi useyikhathulile indima kulowo mkhakha, wangena kowokulwela amalungelo abantu, waba ngummeli. Akagcinanga lapho ube ngumholi wezinhlangano zomphakathi ezingenzi nzuzo, inqubo nje uma kusizakala aboHlanga.
Ngumama lo owagona wakhulisa izingane ayengazizali siqu sakhe, kodwa ezazimthathisa okukaMama wazo. Yingakho iciko uMbongeni Ngema aqamba ingoma ukuhlonipha uMama uMxenge, isihloko sayo sathi ‘”MAMA”. Wayema enkantolo uMama uMxenge enabanye abameli bamalungelo abantu, abanjengoMnu uKwenza Mlaba, uMnu uBheka Shezi, uMnu uLouis S’kweyiya, uMnu uJustice Phoswa, uMnu u-Aubrey Nyembezi, uMnu uVuka Shabalala, uMnu u-Archie Gumede, besiza abantu noma benganamali benzela ukuthi kube nobulungiswa. UMama uMxenge, wathola ukwesekwa okuyisimanga ngoba ubandlululo ayelwa nalo kwakuyinqubo eyayigxekwa ngamazwe omhlaba.
