‘Ubani Ozobheka Izingane Zethu?
IZINKULISA kuwo wonke umhlaba ziwumphumela wokuthutheleka kwabesifazane ezindaweni zomsebenzi okungakaze kubonwe. Isazi sezezinkulisa uAlison Clarke-Stewart uthi, “Iqembu elikhula ngokushesha okukhulu endaweni yomsebenzi, omama bezingane ezisenkulisa, ikakhulukazi izingane ezingaphansi kweminyaka emithathu. Lomkhuba ugunyaziwe futhi usemhlabeni wonke.”
Nokho, ukuthola othile othembekile ukuba abheke izingane lapho umama esebenza, kungase kube yinto enzima ukuba yenzeke.
Akuvamile ukuba izihlobo zivume ukusiza. Uhide olude lwabazanyana—olwenziwa ukuqasha abangane nomakhelwane—ngokuvamile lufunyaniswa luyingozi enkulu futhi ludida izingane. Abazanyana abathembekile abakhokhelwayo abatholakali—futhi babiza kakhulu ngemibhangqwana eminingi.
Isimo singesikhungathekisa ngokufanayo emazweni athuthukayo. Abesifazane baseNigeria babejwayele ukuba babelethe izinsana zabo lapho besebenza. Kodwa inani elandayo labesifazane baseAfrika liyishiyile imisebenzi yasekhaya noma eyasepulazini ngenxa yemisebenzi yasemahhovisi, yasezitolo, neyasezimbonini lapho indlela yokubeletha izingane ingafaneleki khona. Ezikhathini ezidlule, abesifazane babengacela othile emindenini yakubo ukuba abe umzanyana onakekelayo. Kodwa, iSunday Times yaseLagos, eNigeria, iyachaza, “ngenxa yokuvulwa kwemfundo yamahhala ezikoleni zabaqalayo, nokutholakala kwemisebenzi yezandla eminingi engafundelwa, insalela yokugcina [izihlobo ezitholakalayo] ezizohlalisa izingane ekhaya nayo ayisekho.” Iphephandaba lasikisela lokhu: “Izinkulisa ezihlelwe kahle zingase zibe yikhambi.”
Yebo, amakhaya okunakekela izingane nezinkulisa ngokushesha aba izindawo ezinakekela izingane ezikhethwayo. Empeleni, ngokuvamile ziyathembeka, ziyafaneleka, futhi zibiza kancane kunomzanyana oqashiwe. Zivumela izingane ukuba zijwayelane neqembu lontanga. Zilungiselela ukudla okunomsoco, nezinhlelo zokuzijabulisa nezifundisayo. Kunjengoba umeluleki wenkulisa uDelores Alexander atshela iPhaphama!: “Inkulisa iwusizo kuwo wonke umkhaya.”
Noma kunjalo, abanye besaba ukuthi ukuthambekela ezinkulisa okukhona kungase kube nezinto ezihilelekile ezisongelayo ezinganeni. Ingabe zikhona izizathu ezizwakalayo zokukhathazeka okunjalo? Abazali kudingeka bazi ukuze benze isinqumo esiqondile uma sekuziwa ezinganeni zabo.