Umdidiyeli wamabutho uKlenyeklenye Cebekhulu
Uma uzwa izibongo zeSILO “uMdlokombane vuk’ume ngeNtaba” noma isithi “Ibhubesi lakithi belidilaya izintaba zePitoli liphelekezelwa uKlenyeklenye ezalwa KwaCebekhulu.”
Leli gama lijwayelekile kwabazi izibongo zeSILO, namuhla kudume igama lo mdidiyeli wamabutho, uMgilija Nhleko, oyiNala ngokwebutho. Lesi sikhundla sasikade siphethwe nguPhondolwendlovu, uMnu uDlakonke Simon “Klenyeklenye” Cebekhulu owazalelwa Osuthu, endaweni yakwaPhenyane. Uzalwa yintombi yakwaShamase, kaMgcwagcwa owagcagcela kuGwinyitshe Cebekhulu uDakwa. UKlenyeklenye wedlule emhlabeni ngomhla zingama-22 kuMasingana wezi-2005. Ngibe nenhlanhla ngakhulela kwaMajomela ngakhona umkhulu wangixoxelwa okuningi ngaye. Wayehamba nomkhulu u-Elliot “Sozacile’ Ximba. “Umkhonto ozikhomba Mangwane, ithole leduna INkosi yamaNyimbane.”
Wayenesikhundla, engu-Envoy. Kuyaziwa ukuthi izikhundla zaseSalvation Army ziyizigaba zombutho wezokuvikela. Engangikuqaphela ukuthi yena wayengawufaki umfamiswano waseNkonzweni kunalokho wayezifakela isudu eyindoni yamanzi (Navy) nehembe elimhlophe nontanjana obomvu. Kwakuthi uma kunezinkonzo ezinkulu afake imvunulo yakhe iphelele. Ibandla lakhe lalengamelwe ngabamhlophe. Sasiye sibone esehlaliswe laphaya phambili, kuthiwe uyinduna yeSILO. Uma kufike iSILO ezinkonzweni ezinkulu zasebandleni wayehamba naso. Kuqala iSonto labo elikhulu beliseThokazi, kodwa bekhonzela kwaXimba. Babeya khona ngezinkonzo ezinkulu. Kwabe sekuba nendlu eyakhiwa kwaMajomela, kwavulwa igatsha elaba ngelesibili ukuba likhulu. Bagcina sebekhonzela khona. Kwaya ngokuya bekhula, wabe esekhulekela indawo eSilweni. Banikezwa indawo khona eMahhashini, lapha bagcine sebezimele khona. Bekuthi bonke abefundisi noMengameli uma befika, ubebathatha ayobethula eSilweni. Isigodlo seBandla esikhulu sikwaNgwelu lapha kwakhiwe khona isikole iMathunjwa.
UKlenyeklenye Dlakonke Simon Cebekhulu ngokwenkolo, wayebhabhadiswe futhi ekhonza ngokugcwele ebandleni iSalvation Army “Impi Yosindiso” elilungu eliphelele khona futhi Wayeyisishabasheki. Iculo eyelikhonzile kwakuliculo uNombolo 28 emaculweni amadala eseMpini Yondiso elithi.
“Yima nami Msindisi yima nami,
Anginawo amandla okuma ngokwami.”
Wayeze adlalisele ngamagama athi “God Stand by me” Wayesaziwa ngalokho.
Ngikhumbula ukuthi ngaleso sikhathi kwakunobaba uMsibi waseKhenani, owayetolika enkonzweni. UCebekhulu wayeganwe ngamakhosikazi amahlanu, oMaXimba ababili, oKaMagwaza ababili kanye noMaNdebele. Wabusiswa ngezingane ezingama-21, izinsizwa eziyishagalolunye nezintombi ezilishumi nanye.
Lomdidiyeli wamabutho, empeleni wayebekwe yiSILO sakwaDlamahlahla, uMqwalajuba. Ngaleso sikhathi wayesebenza ezimayini eTransvaal, osekwaba yiGauteng. Kuhambe isikhathi wabuya wazoba ngasekhaya okuyilapho afika waba semsebenzini wesizwe ngokuphelele. Ngaleso sikhathi zazingaholi izinduna, kwakusetshenzwa ngothando lwesizwe. Ekusebenzeni kwakhe wayengeyedwa ngoba babekhona oManukelana noMathangetshitshi Nhleko.
KwaMajomela kwakukhona uNtabayezulu, uMndawe Ngcobo, owayengumkhongi weSILO kuyolotsholwa Indlovukazi “Umsingathi weLanga”. Wayeyinduna yebutho iNala benomkhulu uMathambo Gwala owayeyiNyosi. Wayekhona umkhulu Ntulizenkosi Dlamini, iNyosi eyaqopha kakhulu izibongo zikaBhejane kanye nobaba uBuzetsheni Mdletshe, oyinyosi namanje. UKlenyeklenye uzokhumbuleka ukuthi wayevumisa ethi,
“Ngiyafa ngivuke vuma bo!”
“Yingwe ngapha isihlahla ngapha!”
Okuthe uma kuqhubeka wagcina esethi; “Nunu nansi nunu!” Lapho kuthiwa ISILO sambuza ukuthi usuke eqondeni. Wachaza ukuthi yini lena asuke eyikhomba. Wathi usuke esho iNgwe. Wabe esecelwa ukuthi azedlulise, angabe esaphinde avumise ngazo.
Isikhundla sokudidiyela amabutho, kuzokhumbuleka ukuthi ibutho ligqame kakhulu ngezikhathi kuqala imikhosi. Noma lalikhona, kwabuye kwaba nezikhathi zodlame lapha kwakwaziwa ukuthi kuzoqhamuka ibutho bese kuyokonakala. Uma ukude wawungabesaba nomsebenzi wabo ungeke uwuqonde ukuthi uyini. Abaningi baze baqala ukuwubona ngokufiphala kweLanga lakwaKhethomthandayo, babona baphinde baqala ukwazi ukuthi ibutho linomsebenzi omkhulu wokukhweza iSILO.
UKlenyeklenye waqala ukuphatha amabutho imiyalezo isahanjiswa ngezinduna emadibheni. Elokuqala laliseMahhashini, kwalandela elakwaBangumuzi elalisezansi kwaseFefe. Imibiko yayedluliswa khona kodwa yayingaphuthi. Njengoba kwazeka ukuthi kwakuba nemingcele yezigodi okwathi kungashona uMathangetshitshgi. Uke uzwe iNyosi seyimusho ukuthi; “weqhatha impi esaba ukungena eNdlunkulu ethwele isiDlokolo.” kwabe sekuba nguKhuhlaza Ndwandwe.
Ngezikhathi zodlame kuzokhumbuleka ukuthi iSILO sake sabiza wonke uZulu owayehlala eGoli lapho kwagcwala inkundla yezemidlalo phama lapho umfo kaCebekhulu wasukuma wavumisa wathi; “Uyayivubela!” Lavuma ibutho lasho lathi; “Impi, uyayivubela!” kwasukuma iSILO uSihluthu mabhul’iMbawula sathi; “Klenyeklenye uphaka impi ngalesi saga.” Wayikhuza esebeke phansi izinduku, esehlanganise izandla, wayihlalisa phansi. Yahlala phansi yabamb’umthetho, ekhomba noxolo kOmdala. Izinduna ezazilapho obab’uMbhatha waseJeppe nobaba uMthabela Sibiya eThokoza, uGqobha Ndwandwe koSihlokolo, uMntwana Somjumase Zulu, uSomvumase Khumalo, uZiyathokoza Khumalo kwaNgenetsheni kanye noMtwana wakwaMinya uGedeon.
Ngalesi sikhathi uSuthu lwalusafaka amaqhele abomvu. Owayephethe intelezi yoSuthu kunguMnu uFogo Mbatha owayakhe eMdletsheni. UKlenyeklenye wayethembakele nakuNdunankulu kaZulu ngoba kwakuyisikhundla esingaphansi kwakhe lesi sokudidiyela amabutho onke. Kuze kwathi ngelinye ilanga iNkosi yakwaButhelezi yambiza kwaPhindangene. Yamhlabisa ngalelo langa. Waya ephelekezelwa ngumfo kaMaswabhula ababengehlukani, naye bephethe izindaba zaseNdlunkulu ngobunono.
Wayethi yena ngabe kanayo impandla, yadalwa ukuthwala izinqoko zaseNdlunkulu, akhombe namadolo athi yena akahambi ngezinyawo uma ebizwa yiSILO. Uhamba ngamadolo ezama ukwedlulisela inhlonipho kithi, okwakuyiyona eyayisenhlizwiyeni yakhe, ukukhonza iNdlunkulu. Akukho lapha kwakuba neSILO nebutho engabibikho yena.
“UKlenyeklenye uyayithanda inyama. Hhiya wemngoma
Nkonyane yebhubesi ivelete
Umthwanqa ezingane ezincane
Engabe kwabadala wesabani,
Uyadela ngoba udla eleThwasa,
Yini lena ethi Klenyeklenye
Ngale komgonqo.”
Yiyona ke lendoda eyayingumdidiyeli wamabutho kaZulu kuzona zonke izinkalo njengoba manje sekungubaba uMgilija, iNala eseyengamele lo msebenzi.