Amandla Kagesi Avela Eqhweni
NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! E-AUSTRALIA
NJENGOBA ngezinye izikhathi zibizwa ngokuthi isiqongo sase-Australia, izintaba i-Alps zase-Australia ziphakathi kwezifundazwe zaseNew South Wales naseVictoria. Kulezi zintaba kuneziNtaba zaseSnowy, lapho kukhona khona umthombo woMfula iSnowy. Eshukunyiswe yilezi zintaba eziphakeme ezimangelengele nabagibeli bamahhashi bakhona abanamandla nabayizingqalabutho, u-A. B. (Banjo) Paterson wabhala inkondlo enesihloko esithi “The Man From Snowy River,” kamuva eyenziwa isithombe sebhayisikobho.
Nokho, namuhla amagquma ayingozi lapho kwahamba khona lomgibeli wehhashi wodumo ayindawo enemisele yesimangaliso sezobuchwepheshe—i-Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme. Ngo-1967 i-American Society of Engineers yabiza lesi simiso esiyinkimbinkimbi semisele, imihubhe, amadamu nezikhungo zikagesi ngokuthi “esinye sezimangaliso eziyisikhombisa zobuchwepheshe bezwe lanamuhla.” Ungathanda yini ukuvakashela lesi “simangaliso” sasentabeni? Nokho, ake siqale sibone ukuthi sakhiwelwani nokuthi sakhiwa ngobani.
Izwe Elomile
Ngokumangalisayo, abafuduki bokuqala ababenezifiso ezabangela ukusungulwa kwe-Scheme babengawucabangi ngisho nogesi ophehlwa ngamanzi. Behlukunyezwe isomiso, labo balimi bekhulu le-19 basesigodini saseMurray naseDarling, okuyindawo yezolimo ebaluleke kakhulu e-Australia, babefuna nje umthombo wamanzi onokwethenjelwa.
Babazi ukuthi amanzi atholakalaphi—eMfuleni iSnowy. Kodwa lomfula iSnowy wawugelezela ngalé ohlangothini lwentaba olunohlaza oluhle okukhephuzelayo uyongena eTasman Sea. Kwakubonakala sengathi kudlalwa ngamanzi. Ukube phezulu ezintabeni kwakungaba nomsele wokuphambukisa lamanzi ahlanzekile abandayo aye emithonjeni yemifula eshile yaseMurray naseMurrumbidgee, abalimi babeyothola isivikelo esomisweni esibiza amaRandi angaphezu kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezintathu. Kwakuwukuxosha utalagu.
Ngo-1908 leli phupho lacishe lafezeka lapho iPhalamande LikaHulumeni likhetha isigodi esiseduze saseCanberra njengendawo yokwakha inhloko-dolobha yase-Australia. Ingabe ugesi ophehlwa ngamanzi wawuzohlangabezana nezidingo zaleli dolobha elalisazokwakhiwa? Nalapha futhi, ukunaka kwagxila eziNtabeni zaseSnowy.
Kwethulwa futhi kwachithwa izihlongozo ezihlukahlukene—ezinye ezazikhuthaza ugesi ophehlwa ngamanzi kanti ezinye zisekela ukunisela ngenkasa. Khona-ke, ngo-1944, kwahlongozwa isimiso sokuqala sokunisela ngenkasa sikagesi ophehlwa ngamanzi, futhi samukelwa ngokushesha. Ngo-1949 uhulumeni wezwe wanikeza i-Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Authority umthwalo wemfanelo wokuklama nokwakha isimiso esinezinjongo ezimbili.
Kodwa izwe elincane, eligxile kwezolimo elingenalwazi lwezobuchwepheshe noma izisebenzi ezengeziwe, lalingakwazi kanjani ukusingatha umsebenzi omkhulu noyinkimbinkimbi owawungakaze wenziwe ngaphambili?
Ukusuka Ekucekelweni Phansi Kuya Eqhweni
Ikhambi laba ukufuduka kwabantu. Njengoba yayisantenga ngemva kweMpi Yezwe II, iYurophu yayiyindawo eyesabekayo ecekelwe phansi ngempela, ukuntuleka kwemisebenzi namakhaya. Ngakho ibambisene neZizwe Ezihlangene, i-Australia yamema abantu baseYurophu abanamakhono adingekayo ukuba bafake isicelo sokusebenza kulomsebenzi.
Esabela, amashumi ezinkulungwane zezisebenzi zasemazweni angu-33 ashiya iYurophu eyayicekelwe phansi alibangisa e-Australia. Ayezoba izingxenye ezimbili kwezintathu zazo zonke izisebenzi ze-Scheme, futhi ayezosishintsha unomphela isimo sezenhlalo e-Australia. Encwadini yakhe ethi Snowy, uBrad Collis uthi: “Izwe elasungulwa . . . abantu baseBrithani cishe ngokuphazima kweso laba ngomunye wemiphakathi ehlanganisa izinhlanga zonke emhlabeni.” UCollis uyanezela: “[Lamadoda] athunyelwa ezintabeni—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ayeyizitha noma abahlobo, omashiqela noma izisulu—ukuba ayosebenza ndawonye.” Nakuba engazange azwane ngokushesha, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi azwana.
Ukuphila Ezintabeni
Ezinsukwini zokuqala zomsebenzi we-Scheme, ukuya ezintabeni kwakunzima kakhulu. Imizila eneqhwa nodaka, ewumqansa futhi ekhandlayo yayenza uhambo luthathe isikhathi futhi lukhathaze. Ngempela, kwezinye izingxenye lomzila wawuyingozi futhi unzima kangangokuba kwakwethukela ngisho nokubona ama-kangaroo! Akumangalisi ukuthi ngokukaCollis, i-Snowy Authority “idume ngokuba inhlangano yokuqala emhlabeni eyashaya umthetho wokubopha ibhande.”
Izindawo zokulala zazizimbi njengemigwaqo—amatende asempini angenalo iphansi! Ekugcineni, ngokushesha kwaba khona amakamu namadolobha amatende angaphezu kwekhulu eziqongweni zezintaba. Elinye lalamadolobha, iCabramurra—elingaselona idolobha lamatende—laziwa ngokuba idolobha eliphakeme kunawo wonke e-Australia.
Njengoba ungase ucabange, ukusebenza nokulala kulezi zimo ezinzima kwakuwavivinya kakhulu amandla omuntu. Iziphepho zeqhwa zasebusika zazishubisa umnkantsha, ukushisa kwasehlobo okukhiph’umkhovu etsheni kwakwenza ukunyakaza kube umshikashika, kanti ifu lezimpukane ezingabekezeleleki lalintinyela ubuso nemihlane ejulukile. Yeka indlela abaseYurophu ababezizonda ngayo lezo zimpukane!
Kodwa abaningi bakhuthazela. Njengoba babeke babhekana nempi futhi beqinile, babezimisele ukuphumelela endleleni yabo yokuphila entsha. Abanye baze bawathanda ngisho namahlathi ase-Australia asabekayo, anezilwane nezinyoka ezingavamile kanye nezinyoni eziklewulayo kunokuba zitshiyoze. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, kwakhiwa izindlu ezinhle zamapulangwe esikhundleni samatende, kwabe sekufika amakhosikazi nabantwana.
Kodwa kwakuzokwenziwani ngalezi zilimi eziningi kangaka? Ake ucabange ngamadoda asebenza ngemishini emikhulu nemishini yokubhola noma ngeziqhumane kodwa engakwazi ukukhulumisana! Kwakungaba yingozi, ngakho i-Authority yasungula amakilasi amahhala esiNgisi ngemva kwesikhathi somsebenzi. Ukuqhubeka kwezisebenzi emsebenzini kwakuxhomeke ekubeni kwazo nolwazi oluyisisekelo lokukhuluma ulimi, ngakho akumangalisi ukuthi lamakilasi ayegcwala!
Naphezu kwezithiyo eziningi kangaka, ngemva kweminyaka engu-25—esukela ku-1949 kuya ku-1974—lomsebenzi waqedwa ngesikhathi esifanele nangezindleko ezilinganiselwe. Izindleko ezingamaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-2700, nakuba zingambi eqolo ngokwezimiso zanamuhla, zaziphakeme ngaleso sikhathi, ikakhulukazi ezweni elinabantu abayizigidi ezingu-8 kuphela elalisazama ukuzinza ngemva kwempi.
Ukuze igubhe ukufezwa kwalomsebenzi, i-Authority ihlela umkhosi weminyaka engu-50 ngo-1999. Uyohlanganisa nabo bonke abasebenza kulomsebenzi—uma bengatholakala. Ukhomishane ophethe uthi: “Laba bantu basiza ekwakheni esinye sezimangaliso zobuchwepheshe emhlabeni futhi bashintsha umlando we-Australia. Sifuna ukubabonga.”
Ubukhulu Nomsebenzi We-Scheme
Ngokwencwajana ethi The Power of Water, “i-Scheme ihlanganisa indawo engamakhilomitha-skwele angu-3200 futhi ihlanganisa nemisele engamakhilomitha angu-80, imihubhe engamakhilomitha angu-140 namadamu amakhulu angu-16.” Lamadamu agcina amanzi angamalitha ayizigidi zezigidi ezingu-7000—aphindaphinda umthamo wamanzi aseSydney Harbor izikhathi ezingu-13, yona enamalitha ayizigidi zezigidi ezingu-530—kanti iLake Eucumbene iyidamu elikhulu. Izikhungo zikagesi ezingu-7, eziye zakhiqiza ugesi ongama-gigawatt-hour angu-6400 ngonyaka, zingakhiqiza amaphesenti afinyelela kwangu-17 kagesi odingwa iNingizimu-mpumalanga Australia, kuhlanganise neSydney, iMelbourne neCanberra.
Imishini ephehla amandla ayivamile ukusebenza usuku lonke, ngaphandle kwezikhathi zosuku lapho kunesidingo esikhulu, lapho obhayela bedinga usizo. Ugesi ophehlwa ngamanzi ukufanelekela kakhulu ukusekela lapho kuphuthuma ngoba usheshe usabele lapho kunesidingo esengeziwe—uthatha imizuzu emibili kuya kwemithathu, uma kuqhathaniswa namahora ambalwa adingekayo ukuze isimiso esibaselwa ngamalahle siqale ukusebenza.
Indlela I-Snowy Scheme Esebenza Ngayo
I-Snowy Authority ithi i-Scheme “idume ngokuba isimiso samanzi esiyinkimbinkimbi, esifeza izinjongo eziningi nesinamadamu amaningi emhlabeni.” Inezingxenye ezimbili ezixhumene—ingxenye yaseSnowy kuya eMurray kanye nengxenye yaseSnowy kuya eTumut.
Ingxenye yaseSnowy kuya eMurray iphambukisa amanzi aseMfuleni iSnowy esuka eDanyini lase-Island Bend adlule emhubheni wentaba aye eDanyini laseGeehi, nalo elithola amanzi eMfuleni iGeehi. Ukusuka lapha, amanzi ehla amamitha angu-820 eya ezikhungweni zikagesi ezimbili eMurray. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, iSiteshi Sikagesi SaseGuthega sithola amanzi avela eSnowy eduze kwentaba ephakeme kunazo zonke e-Australia, iMount Kosciusko. Ukusuka eGuthega, amanzi angena esimisweni semihubhe esiyinhloko e-Island Bend. Okusiza kakhulu ekusebenzeni kwe-Scheme ukuthi imihubhe eminingi, kuhlanganise nomhubhe osuka e-Island Bend kuya eLake Eucumbene, ivumela amanzi ukuba agelezele nhlangothi zombili.
Engxenyeni esuka eSnowy kuya eTumut, amanzi avela eLake Eucumbene, eDanyini laseTooma, eDanyini laseHappy Jack’s naseDanyini laseTumut Pond ehlela ezansi ngemisele futhi adlule ezikhungweni ezine zikagesi ngaphambi kokuba aphumele eMfuleni iTumut, owumngenela weMurrumbidgee. Lengxenye inesikhungo sikagesi esikhulu kunazo zonke, iTumut 3, esinemisele eyisithupha, ngamunye olingana nebhasi eliyisitezi!
Lapho isimo singaphuthumi, i-Scheme futhi impompa amanzi iwakhuphulele eLake Eucumbene esuka eLake Jindabyne, bese iwadlulisela eDanyini laseTalbingo esuka ngezansi kweSiteshi Sikagesi SaseTumut 3, naso esiyisikhungo esimpompa amanzi. Kodwa kungani kusaphazwa ugesi kumpompwa amanzi akhushulwe? Ngokumangalisayo, kwenzelwa ukuthola inzuzo. Phela, lemishini yokumpompa isebenzisa ugesi oshibhile, ongasebenzi, othengwa ezikhungweni zobhayela. Khona-ke, lapho kuphuthuma, lamanzi ayakhishwa futhi, bese ugesi ophehlwa ngawo uthengiselwa lezo zikhungo ngemali ethé xaxa. Yiqiniso, amanzi amaningi—amalitha angaphezu kwezigidi zezigidi ezingu-2000 ngonyaka—akhishelwa emifuleni engasentshonalanga ngaphandle kwenkokhiso.
Ingabe Ugesi Ongakubangeli Ukungcola?
Yebo, ngoba amanzi ayinto engangcolisi, engenamfucumfucu. Abekho oshimula nemibhoshongo yokupholisa amanzi engcolisa izintaba. Ngakho, izinkulungwane ezishwibeka eqhweni kulezi zintaba ebusika noma eziqwala izintaba ehlobo aziyazi imisele nezikhungo zikagesi ezihamba phezu kwayo.
Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukube ugesi ophehlwa yi-Scheme ubuvela ezikhungweni zobhayela, amathani ayizigidi ezinhlanu esikhutha abeyophumela emoyeni unyaka ngamunye.
Nokho, indawo ezungezile iye yathinteka, ikakhulukazi uMfula iSnowy. Njengoba amanzi akhona amaningi ephambukisiwe, isiwumsele uma iqhathaniswa nesimo sayo sangaphambili. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amadamu e-Scheme amakhulu enza ezinye izindawo ezingamahlanze zachichima amanzi, kanti-ke lawo manzi amaningi abangela ukuba kususwe amadolobhana ase-Adaminaby naseJindabyne.
Ngakolunye uhlangothi, i-Snowy Scheme iye yaba usizo kakhulu—okuwubufakazi beseluleko esihlakaniphile sikakhomishane wokuqala we-Authority: “Ubuhle nenhlonipho kuvela ngomsebenzi ofeziwe, hhayi ngenkulumo-ze.”
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 16]
All photos on pages 16-19: Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Authority
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Umfanekiso wasemoyeni weSikhungo Sikagesi SaseTumut 3, isikhungo esikhulu kunazo zonke se-Snowy Scheme
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Izisebenzi kwadingeka zikhuthazelele izimo zokuphila ezinzima
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Ukuze zibambisane njengeqembu, kwadingeka ukuba izisebenzi zifunde isiNgisi
[Isithombe ekhasini 19]
Ukwakhiwa kwe-Scheme kwakuhlanganisa nokwakha imihubhe enqamula ezintabeni