Incwadi evela eShowe: Ukuqoqwa kwezinkomo
Kuqhubeka kushicilelo olwedlule
Kwathi ngenkathi iNgonyama uCetshwayo isekudingisweni, kwafika izithunywa eBanganoma zivela kuMalimade (Osborn Melmoth) Ekhowe (eShowe), ziletha incwadi kuMntwana uZibhebhu eyayiphuma kuNdlovukazi yamaNgisi uQueen Victoria. Incwadi lena yayithi uZulu akakhokhe izinkomo zikaJantoni kaMadoyi ezingaphezulu kwezinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisithupha. Lezo zinkomo uJantoni wayondla ngazo amasosha amaNgisi ngenkathi elwa noZulu. Ngakho kwathiwa uZulu akazikhokhe njengoba wehluliwe empini. Incwadi yaqhubeka yathi uma uZulu enqaba ukuzikhokha lezo zinkomo, iNdlovukazi ithi ngeke ilithethe icala leNgonyama uCetswhayo. UMntwana uZibhebhu wathi izithunywa azibuyele emuva zifike zitshele uMalimede ukuthi usazohambisa le ncwadi ayoyethula kubafowabo eNdlunkulu.
Kuyothi uma esebonene nabo abesephendula inkulumo ekule ncwadi. Wayithatha incwadi waqonda nayo koMkhulu eseyobikela aBantwana neNdlunkulu kanye nezikhulu zezwe likaZulu.
Wafika wakwethula ukukhuluma okwakusencwadini. Kwathi lapho ebabikela lokho aBantwana akwaze kwababikho ophuma nezwi eNdlunkulu nakhona ezikhulwini kwabanjalo. Wasethi usabuyela ekhaya eBanganoma uzobuya azozwa ukuthi bagcina bevumelana ngaliphi igama. Kuthe uma sekuphele isikhathi esingangenyanga wabuyela eNdlunkulu kuBantwana nakuzo izikhulu esezobuza ukuthi kwenziwa njani ngale nkulumo yeNdlovukazi yamaNgisi. Kuthiwa baphinde baba nokusola laba abeNkosi ukuthi incwadi yayisiwelani kuMntwana uZibhebhu bekhona bona abaqondene. Kwathi ukwethwasa kwenyanga zaphinde zatheleka izithunywa zikaMalimede eBanganoma, zathi uthi azizolanda impendulo leyo ayethembise ukuthi uzoyiletha. Wasuka futhi wabuyela khona eNdlunkulu nasezikhulwini eseyobazisa ukuthi izithunywa sezibuyile kujaheke impendulo. Nalapho akatholanga mpendulo eNdlunkulu.
AmaNgisi aphoqelela uMntwana uZibhebhu njengeBambabukhosi leSILO uCestwhayo ukuba aqoqe izinkomo zeSILO uCetshwayo ezazikubantu ukuze ziyokhokhela uJantoni owayondla amabutho amaNgisi ngenkathi elwa noZulu. Kwathiwa wonke laMakhosi ayishumi nantathu awaqoqe izinkomo zeSILO uCetshwayo ezazihlala kubantu baso kanye nezibhamu ezazidliwe ngamabutho kaZulu ezimpini zakhe namaNgisi. Lesi kwakuyisiphakamiso esasinzima kakhulu abasethweswa ngumbuso wamaNgisi ukuba basenze. Wabekelwa umbandela wokuthi uma uZulu esayifuna iNkosi yakhe akakhokhe lezo zinkomo ukuze iNdlovukazi yamaNgisi ithethe icala leSILO uCestwhayo.
Wakubona kufanele akwenze lokho uma nje kwakuzokhulula ISILO uCetshwayo. Wasukuma uMntwana uZibhebhu waziqoqa ezweni lonke lakwaMandlakazi nasoSuthu kanye nalezo ezazifike neWundlu uDinuzulu. Kwathi uma uSuthu selubona esethatha izinkomo zeNgonyama lwaphikisana kakhulu naye ngoba lwaba nenkolelo yokuthi usezicebisa ngazo. Wazithatha ezidla ngejozi kwaMinyamanzi eMatheni nakwaButhelezi kuNdunankulu uMnyamana akwabe kusabakhona ukubonisana nakancane nje. Kwafa abantu bethi bavikela izinkomo zabo, wayishisa imizi emikhulu yabanumnzane kwakhalwa izililo izintaba zonke.
Akabange esalinda waziqhuba ehamba namabutho akhe akwaMandlakazi. Kuthe lapho elifulathela elakwaMandlakazi wangena kwelikaMsushwana eMdletsheni endaweni yaseZibayeni wafika wazidla ngejozi wedlula nazo. UMntwana uZibhebhu wayehamba phambili kanye namabutho akhe athile bese kuthi laba abaqhuba izinkomo balandele nazo ngemuva kwabo. Wedlula lapho waqonda kuZuya Manqele endaweni yaseMaye. UZuya wafika wazikhipha engalwanga naye njengoba babezwana kakhulu behlobene kunguMntakanina. Wasuka lapho waqonda kwaMpukunyoni kuSomkhele kwaMkhwanazi. Wafika wazidla ngejozi wedlula nazo.
