Naphezu kweminyaka ukudweba kusegazini entombin’endala
Kule nyanga kuhlangana ncimishi iminyaka engama-90 kwazalwa iciko lakuleli eselihambele amazwe ngamazwe ngesiphiwo esingandele bani sokudweba lisebenzisa imibala yesiNdebele.
UNkk u-Esther Nikwambi Mahlangu osewahlonishwa ngeziqu zobudokotela ngenxa yemisebenzi yakhe wazalwa zi-11 kuLwezi ngowezi-1935 eMiddleburg (eMhluzi). Namuhla iNingizimu Afrika ihlonishwa kwezobuciko nje yingenxa yamagalelo akhe awakhombisa eneminyaka elishumi ubudala ethathela kugogo wakhe. Imidwebo yakhe igxile ekuqhakambiseni amaNdebele esebenzisa imibala yawo egqamile okuyikho okudonsa amehlo abantu ngemisebenzi yakhe.
Uhulumeni waseNingizimu Afrika wamchoma uphaphe legwalagwala ngowezi-2006 ngokumhlonipha nge-Order of Ikhamanga in Silver ngokuqhakambisa ubuciko besiNdebele ezweni nasemhlabeni jikelele.
Yize ayeseneminyaka eyiciko elidwebayo, kepha ugqame kakhulu ngonyaka we-1999 ngesikhathi inkampani yezimoto iBMW imcela ukuba adwebe nye yezimoto zayo ngemibala yesiNdebele. Le moto kuyinamuhla isagciniwe ekomkhulu lakwaBMW eMunich eJalimani. Nguye futhi uMama uMahlangu owadweba umsila webhanoyi lakwaBritish Airways.
Yize esemdala usaqhubeka nokudweba nokudlulisela ulwazi lobuciko entsheni. Imisebenzi yakhe yaholela ekutheni uhulumeni wesifundazwe iMpumalanga usungule isikhwama esibizwa ngegama lakhe sezobuciko. Endaweni yaseMhluzi izivakashi zamazwe zingena ziphuma zibabele ukumbona nokudwebelwa izinto zazo ezingamagugu ezisuke zizobuyela nazo emazweni azo.
Umsebenzi wakhe wezobuciko usukhonjiswe emazweni ahlukahlukene okukhona i-Australia, i-America, iJapan naseYurophu. eminye imisebenzi yakhe igcinwe kuma galari amakhulu emhlabeni njengeNew Identities Exhibition eBocum Museum eGermany, iVirgin Atlantic Times Square, iNational Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC neCivic Theatre eGoli.
Ukuzinikela kwakhe kulo msebenzi kuvuselele nokuzigqaja kwesizwe samaNdebele. Lokhu sekwenze nokuthi lapho umuntu ecabanga ngalesi sizwe into eyaye ifike kuqala kuba imibala yaso egqamile nekhangayo. Uma ungena egumbi lakhe lokuphumula elamukela izivakashi ezisuke zizozikholisa ngemisebenzi yakhe ukhangwa izindondo nezimendlela azizuze kule ndlela. Useke wazuza uMklomelo kwiMpumalanga Arts and Culture, indondo kuMnyango Wezobuciko eFrance, omunye umklomelo kuNassau County Commendation, i-Incorporated Village of Hempstead Citation e-United States of America. Umi kwelokuthi ngoba ukwazile ukudlulisela ikhono lakhe entsheni enentshisekelo yokudweba baningi abanye o-Esther Mahlangu abasazoqhamuka emuva kwakhe.