Umkhuba noma Isiko: Umthetho ngokushadiswa kwezingane
Ukushadisa izingane kuyinto eyenzekayo kakhulu e-Afrika kanti iNingizimu Afrika ingelinye lamazwe avumela ukuthi izingane zikwazi ukubopha ifindo likasofa silahlane. Izibalo ziveze ukuthi iNingizimu Afrika yaqopha imishado yezingane ezingma-207 ngowe-2021. Umthetho eNingizimu Afrika ubeka ukuthi kubafana iminyaka esemthethweni yokushada yiminyaka eli-18 kanti eli-15 emantombazaneni. Isigatshana soMthetho we- 12(2) womthetho wezingane (Children’s Act), uvikela izingane ukuthi zingashadiswa ngenkani, okusho ukuthi ingane kufanele ivume ukushada yize eyona mvume esemqoka kungeyabazali kodwa nayo ingane ezobopha ifindo lika sofa silahlane kufanele ivume ukuthi ishade. Uma ingane ekufanele ishade noma evuma ukushada ingapansi kweminyakha eli-15, kudingeka imvume ka ngqongqoshe womnyango wezasekhaya (Home Affairs). UNgqongqoshe angase futhi ‘agunyaze noma yisiphi isikhulu esisebenzela umphakathi ukuthi sinikeze imvume ebhaliwe egameni lakhe’ ukuze avumele ukushada kwentombazane eneminyaka eli-12 ubudala.
Imvume yengane ibaluleke kakhulu nakuba ukubhaliswa komshado wengane udinga imvume ebhalwe phansi yabazali noma yalowo oyigadile ingane kodwa imvume yengane eyenza umshado wengane ube semthethweni. Umbuzo uthi ingabe ngempela imvume iyatholwa enganeni uma kwamanye amabandla lapho ingane uma isifinyelela eminyakeni ethile (ikakhulukazi eli-15) ithathwa ngokuthi isilungele umshado futhi kufanele izinikele emishadweni ehleliwe. Ingabe imvume iyatholwa ngempela enganeni uma abazali behlela ukuba izingane zabo zishade. Ingabe imvume ingempela- ngempela iyatholwa enganeni
uma kunomthwalo wamasiko othweswe ingane ikakhulukazi amantombazane ukuthi idinga ukuzibandakanya nemihlangano enemigomo ethile lapho ilungiselelwa khona ukuthi kungenzeka ikhethwe ukuthi iyoshada noma wona umshado uqobo.
Abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi, izizathu ezenza ukuba ukushada kwezingane kwande inhlupheko nokweswela, izinkolelo zama bandla athile, ukubukela phansi amalungelo abesifazane, ukuhlukumeza noma ukuhlukumezeka, kanye nesifiso sokulawula abesifazane, ikakhulukazi amantombazane. Izimbangela ezisemqoka zokushada kwezingane kukholakala ukuthi ubumpofu, ubulili, isiko, ukucwaswa, umthetho, ukungalandelwa kahle kwemithetho, ukuntula kolwazi ikakhulukazi ezikoleni nasemiphakathini yethu yonkana. Uma ingane inelungelo lokuthola imfundo, ukunakekelwa umzali, ukuvikelwa ekuhlukunyezweni, ukunakekela kanye nokunganakwa, ukucekelwa phansi kwesithunzi sayo kanti futhi akukho ngane okufanele yenze umsebenzi ozophazamisa imfundo noma ukukhula kwayo, njengoba kushiwo kuMthethosisekelo wethu, umbuzo uthi ingabe ingane uma isishadile iseyi ngane na, umshadikazi oyingane ingabe uhlomula kumaphi amalungelo ngoba phela umthetho uthi umuntu oneminyakha engaphansi kweminyaka eli-18 ubalwa njengokuthi uyingane. Ingabe lamalungelo awacindezeleki yini.
Ucwaningo luveza ukuthi ukugana kwezingane kunomthelela ongemuhle emnothweni wethu. Amantombazane nabafana abashadile beseyizingane
maningi amathuba okuthi bantule amakhono, ulwazi kanye namathuba emisebenzi abamancane kakhulu kubo ngakho-ke bagcina bengakwazi ukuthi bakhiphe imindeni yabo ebuphofini futhi babe neqhaza ekukhuleni kwezenhlalo nomnotho wezwe. Izingane ezishada zisencane kuthiwa maningi amathuba okuthi zibhekane nodlame lwasekhaya nokuhlukumezekha. Lezi zingane zinemiphumela emibi kakhulu ezikoleni, ngokwengqondo, ngokomzimba kanye nakwezempilo kunontanga bazo abangashadile. Njengoba besuke beshadile futhi kulindeleke ukuthi iningi labo lithole izingane (teenage pregnancy) kanti futhi kusuke nabo beseyizingane futhi umzimba wabo ungekakulungeli ukukhulelwa. Lokhu futhi kugcina kwenza izwe lingakwazi ukuhlinzeka ngezempilo nezemfundo okusezingeni eliphezulu. Ukuganana kwezingane kunemiphumela eminingi empilweni yamantombazane okuhlanganisa ukwanda kwengozi yezifo zocansi, umdlavuza womlomo wesibeletho kanye nokufa ngesikhathi ebeletha. Kulindeleke futhi ukuthi babe ngamakhosikazi nomama futhi kulindeleke ukuba baziphathe ngendlela ethize efanele owesifazane oganile ngoba phela ugcina engasavunyelwe ukuba ingane njengoba besheshe bathwale imithwalo kanye nezimfanelo zobufazi, ukunakekela ikhaya kanye nomndeni kanti phela usuke eseyingane naye esadinga ukuya kodlala nabalingani bakhe.
Ucwaningo luveza ukuthi kakhulu uma ezoganele kwisthembu noma kumndeni lapho kunezingane ezilingana naye. Kuphinde kuvele ukuthi amantombazane ashadile anokuxhumana okumbalwa komphakathi, abavumelekile ukuhamba izinhlehlo ezithile ngakho-ke basengozini enkulu yodlame lwasekhaya phakathi kwezinye izinto.
Uthuthandana nengane kuyicala ezweni lethu (statutory rape). Ukuxhumana ngokocansi phakathi komuntu omdala nengane encane, ngisho ngabe benivumelene kuyicala. Lokhu kusho ukuthi akukho emthethweni ukuthi umuntu omdala abe nobudlelwane bocansi nanoma imuphi umuntu oneminyaka engaphansi kweli-16. Umbuzo uthi uma-ke ingane yentombazane eneminyaka eli-15 ivumelekile ukuthi ishade nomuntu omdala futhi ungqongqoshe angase anikeze imvume yokuthi amantombazane aneminyakha engaphansi kwe-15 ngisho eneminyaka eli-12 ubudala ukuba ishade kusho ukuthini lokhu. Ingabe kuchaza ukuthi istatutory rape akulona icala uma abantu beshadile? Ingane eniminyaka eli- 12 isuke ishadiswa nenye ingane? Ngoba phela izingane zabafana zona kufanele ibe neminyaka eli-18 okuchaza ukuthi umuntu oneminyakha eli-18 uyingane futhi?
UMthetho Wokuchibiyela Amacala Ocansi noma iSOAA uhlose ukuvikela noma yimuphi umuntu oke wahlukunyezwa ngokocansi njengoba ubeka ukuthi “Ukudlwengula kwenzeka lapho umuntu ephoqa omunye ukuthi enze ucansi ngaphandle kwemvume yakhe. Lokhu kuyicala futhi kumele kubikwe.” Ukudlwengulwa emshadweni kwenzeka lapho oshade naye ephoqa umlingani wakhe ukuba ahlanganyele ezenzweni zocansi ngaphandle kwemvume yakhe. Lokhu kuhlanganisa noma yikuphi ukuya ocansini okungafunwa noma ukungena okutholwe ngenkani, ukusongelwa ngenkani noma lapho umngane womshado engakwazi ukuvuma. Ukudlwengulwa emshadweni kuthathwa njengohlobo
lodlame lwasekhaya kanye nokunukubezwa ngokocansi.
Lombhalo awusona iselulekho ngezomithetho kodwa izi zolwazi olungwayekile. Abafundi balenkulumo bayagququzelwa ukuthi baxhumane nabameli ukuthola iseluleko ngezomthetho nolwazi okuyilona lona.