“Ujantshi Wobuhlanya” WaseMpumalanga Afrika

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! EKENYA

AMACEBO eBrithani eminyakeni engaphezudlwana nje kweyikhulu edlule okwakha ujantshi onqamula iMpumalanga Afrika awasekelwanga ngentshiseko yiwo wonke umuntu ephalamende laseLondon. Egcona, omunye owayemelene nakho wabhala:

“Kuyomba eqolo kakhulu ukuwakha;

Akukho noyedwa owaziyo ukuthi inhloso yawo iyini;

Akekho owaziyo ukuthi uyoqala kuphi;

Akekho owaziyo ukuthi uyophelela kuphi.

Ukuthi uyosetshenziselwani akekho ongaqagela;

Akekho ongachaza ukuthi uyothuthani;

Kusobala ukuthi uwujantshi wobuhlanya.”

Empeleni, lo msebenzi wawungemubi ngaleyo ndlela. Kwakulindeleke ukuba lo jantshi uhlanganise ibanga elingaba amakhilomitha angu-1000, ukusuka eMombasa, itheku laseKenya elise-Indian Ocean, kuya eLake Victoria. Abasekeli bokwakhiwa kwawo bagomela ngokuthi lapho usuqediwe, uyokhuthaza ezohwebo nentuthuko futhi uqede ukuhweba ngezigqila kulesi sifundazwe. Izindleko zokwakha lo jantshi zalinganiselwa emaRandini ayizigidi ezingu-25, okuyimali eyayizokhokhwa ngentela yabantu baseBrithani. Isikhathi sokuwakha salinganiselwa eminyakeni emine kuya kwemihlanu.

Noma kunjalo, imininingwane yawo yayingacaci. Lapho uGeorge Whitehouse, unjiniyela omkhulu, efika eMombasa ngo-December 1895, wayephethe umdwebo ongatheni wezindawo ujantshi okwakufanele udlule kuzo. Lokho uWhitehouse akuthola kamuva kwakusabisa kakhulu. Ngasentshonalanga yeMombasa kwakunendawo eshisayo neyomile ababeyigwema abaningi abahamba ngezilwane ezithwala imithwalo. Ngalé kwaleyo ndawo, ujantshi wawuzonqamula emathafeni nasemahlathini ahlanganisa ibanga elingamakhilomitha angu-500, ayegcwele amabhubesi, izimpukuvane nomiyane. Bese kuba nenkangala yezintaba-mlilo ehlukaniswa yiGreat Rift Valley engamakhilomitha angu-80 ububanzi, enamawa angamamitha angu-600. Ibanga lokugcina elingamakhilomitha angaba ngu-150 ukuya echibini kuthiwa laliyindawo ewubishi. Akumangalisi-ke ukuthi ukwakhiwa kwalo jantshi kwakuyoba esinye sezimanga e-Afrika.

Izinkinga Zokuqala

Ngokusobala, umsebenzi omkhulu kangaka wawuyodinga izisebenzi eziningi. Njengoba umphakathi waseMombasa wawumncane, kwalethwa izisebenzi zivela eNdiya. Phakathi no-1896 kuphela, ezingaphezu kuka-2000 zafika ngemikhumbi—abaqophi bamatshe, abakhandi bensimbi, ababazi, abaklami, abadwebi bamapulani, onobhala nezisebenzi ezivamile.

Kwakunanomsebenzi wokwenza iMombasa ibe yindawo efanelekayo yokwamukela impahla eningi eyathunyelwa ukuze kwakhiwe ujantshi ongamakhilomitha angu-1000. Lo jantshi uwodwa wawudinga izinsimbi zikajantshi ezingu-200 000, ngayinye engamamitha angu-9 ubude futhi inesisindo esingamakhilogremu angaba ngu-200. Futhi kwakudingeka izisekelo zikajantshi eziyizigidi ezingu-1,2 (iningi lazo kungezensimbi). Ukubopha ojantshi nezisekelo kwakudinga ukuba kuthunyelwe amabhawodi okubopha ujantshi angu-200 000, awokubahlanganisa nezisekelo angu-400 000 kanye nawokubopha izisekelo ayizigidi ezingu-4,8. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwadingeka ukuba kuthunyelwe amaguzu, izinqola zezimpahla nezamathuluzi kanye namakalishi abagibeli. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba kubekwe ujantshi wokuqala, kwadingeka ukuba kwakhiwe iziteshi, amashede, izindawo zokulala zezisebenzi namashabhu. Ngokushesha leli dolobha lasogwini elithulile laphenduka itheku lesimanje.

Ngokushesha uWhitehouse waqaphela ukuthi kwakuzoba nenkinga yamanzi; imithombo yamanzi embalwa eMombasa yayingazanelisi ngisho nezidingo zezakhamuzi. Nokho, kwakuzodingeka amanzi amaningi okuphuza nokugeza nokwakha. UWhitehouse wabhala: “Ngokwalokho esengikubonile nengikwaziyo ngaleli lizwe, alikho elinye icebo engingaliveza ngaphandle kokuba kube nezitimela ezithwala amanzi ebangeni lokuqala elingamamayela ayikhulu [amakhilomitha angu-160].” Lezo zitimela ezithwala amanzi kwakuzodingeka zilethe okungenani amalitha angu-40 000 ngosuku!

Ekuqaleni, onjiniyela bakajantshi baxazulula le nkinga yamanzi ngokwakha idamu emfuleni kanye nethange elaligcina amanzi emvula. Kamuva, kwalethwa imishini ekhipha usawoti emanzini asolwandle.

Umsebenzi waqala, futhi ekupheleni kuka-1896—ngemva konyaka uWhitehouse efike eMombasa—kwase kuqedwe ujantshi ongamakhilomitha angu-40. Naphezu kwalo msebenzi owafinyelelwa, abagxeki baveza ukuthi uma umsebenzi wokwakha ungasheshi, isitimela sokuqala esisuka ogwini siye eLake Victoria sasiyoze sihambe kulo jantshi ekuqaleni kwawo-1920!

Ukunqamula EThafeni LaseTaru

Ngaleso sikhathi, abakhi bahlaselwa izifo. Ngo-December 1896, izibhedlela ezingamatende zazilalise izisebenzi ezingaphezu kuka-500 ezazinomalaleveva, uhudo, izilonda zokushisa ne-pneumonia. Emasontweni ambalwa kamuva, isigamu sezisebenzi sasilele phansi sigula.

Noma kunjalo, umsebenzi waqhubeka, futhi ngo-May ujantshi wawusuhambe ibanga elingaphezu kwamakhilomitha angu-80, eThafeni laseTaru eliwugwadule. Nakuba lapho uqala ukuyibona le ndawo ibonakala ikulungele ukusheshiswa komsebenzi wokwakha, iTaru yayiyihlathi elinezihlahla zameva ezinde ngangomuntu, ezicijile. Izisebenzi zazixhoshwa uthuli olubomvu. Ilanga lalikhiph’umkhovu etsheni, lishisa bhe—le ndawo yayishisa igcwele nameva. Ngisho nasebusuku, izinga lokushisa lalicishe libe ngu-40°C. Umlobi uM. F. Hill waphawula lokhu emlandweni wakhe ophathelene nalo jantshi: “Kwabonakala sengathi izwe lase-Afrika alikufuni ukuphazanyiswa ujantshi wabelungu.”

Zahlaselwa Amabhubesi

Ngasekupheleni kuka-1898 ujantshi wawususondela ngaseMfuleni iTsavo, usungamakhilomitha angu-195. Khona-ke, ngaphandle kwezinkinga ezibangelwa indawo eyomile, kwaqubuka enye inkinga—amabhubesi amabili aqala ukuhlasela izisebenzi. Amabhubesi amaningi ayakugwema ukudla abantu. Ngokuvamile lawo abahlaselayo asuke esegugile noma engasakwazi ukuzingela izinyamazane. La mabhubesi amabili aseTsavo, eliyiduna neliyinsikazi, ayehlukile. Njengoba ayengagugile futhi engebuthaka, ayefika ngesinyenyela ebusuku abulale abantu.

Izisebenzi ezinovalo zabiyela amakamu azo ngezihlahla zameva, zabasa amakloba omlilo ebusuku, futhi zamisa abalindi ababeshaya imigqomo kawoyela engenalutho ukuze baxoshe izilwane. Ngo-December izisebenzi zazesaba amabhubesi kangangokuthi ezinye zamisa isitimela esasibuyela eMombasa ngokulala kujantshi, kwabe sekugibela ezingaba ngu-500. Kwasala izisebenzi ezingaphezudlwana kwamashumi amane kuphela. Umsebenzi wokwakha wama amasonto amathathu alandela ngoba izisebenzi zazizama izindlela zokuzivikela.

Ekugcineni, amabhubesi abanjwa, futhi umsebenzi waqhubeka.

Ezinye Izingqinamba

Maphakathi no-1899 ujantshi wawusufika eNairobi. Kusuka lapho wadlulela ngasentshonalanga, wehlela ezansi ngamamitha angaphezu kuka-400 ukuya eRift Valley bese unyuka ngaphesheya uthubeleze emahlathini ayisinindolo nasezihosheni uze uyofika eSiqongweni SaseMau, esingamamitha angu-2600 ukuphakama.

Izinkinga zokwakha ujantshi endaweni embi kangaka zaziyinselele, kodwa kwakunezinye izingqinamba. Ngokwesibonelo, amaqhawe endawo ayengena ekamu futhi azithathele impahla yokwakha—izintambo zezingcingo ayokwenza ngazo imigexo yokuhloba kanye namabhawodi, izipikili nezinsimbi zikajantshi ayokwenza ngazo izikhali. Ekhuluma ngalokhu, uSir Charles Eliot, owayengukhomishane waseMpumalanga Afrika, wabhala: “Umuntu angacabanga ukuthi kwakuyokwebiwa kangakanani kujantshi waseYurophu ukube izintambo zezingcingo beziyimigexo yamaparele nezinsimbi ziyizibhamu zokudlala eziphambili . . . Yingakho [abomdabu] bengakwazanga ukulwa nalesi silingo.”

Ingxenye Yokugcina

Njengoba izisebenzi zakwaloliwe zaziqedela ibanga lokugcina elingamakhilomitha ayishumi ukuya eLake Victoria, zahlaselwa uhudo nomalaleveva. Isigamu sezisebenzi sagula. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, kwafika izimvula, ezenza le ndawo eyayivele ithambile yaba ubishi. Izisekelo zikajantshi zathamba kangangokuba kwakudingeka ukuba impahla yethulwe ezitimeleni zisahamba; ngaphandle kwalokho, zaziyogingqika zingene obishini. Isisebenzi esithile sachaza ukuthi isitimela “sasiza kancane ngokuqapha, sigudluzela, siya ngapha nangapha njengomkhumbi osolwandle olunamagagasi, silokhu sitshakela udaka emaceleni ebangeni elingamafidi ayishumi [amamitha amathathu].”

Ekugcineni, ngo-December 21, 1901, kwafakwa insimbi yokugcina kajantshi ePort Florence (manje eyiKisumu), osebeni lweLake Victoria. Sekukonke, lo jantshi ongamakhilomitha angu-937 kwathatha iminyaka emihlanu nezinyanga ezine ukuwakha futhi wabiza imali engu-R45 700 000. Izisebenzi ezingaphezu kuka-2000 kwezingu-31 983 ezalandwa eNdiya zafa, ezinye zaphindela eNdiya, kanti eziyizinkulungwane zasala futhi zakha umphakathi omkhulu wabase-Asia abahlala eMpumalanga Afrika namuhla. Kwakhiwa iziteshi zikaloliwe ezingu-43, kanye nemihubhe engu-35 namabhuloho angaphezu kuka-1000.

Umlobi u-Elspeth Huxley wawubiza ngokuthi “ujantshi owawudinga isibindi kakhulu kunabo bonke emhlabeni.” Nokho, kwasala umbuzo othi, Ingabe umphumela wawuwufanele umzamo, noma ingabe empeleni lo jantshi “kwakuwujantshi wobuhlanya,” ukuchithwa okukhulu kwesikhathi, imali nokudlala ngokuphila kwabantu abaningi?

Lowo Jantshi Namuhla

Impendulo yalowo mbuzo itholakala ngokucabangela lokho okuye kwenzeka kule minyaka engaba yikhulu kusukela kwaqedwa ujantshi wokuqala. Amaguzu abaselwa ngezinkuni asethathelwe indawo izitimela ezinamandla ezisebenzisa u-diesel ezingaphezu kuka-200 namuhla. Ujantshi uye wandiswa wafika emadolobhaneni amaningi nasemadolobheni aseKenya nase-Uganda. Uye wafeza ingxenye ebalulekile ekuthuthukisweni kwezinhloko-dolobha iNairobi neKampala.

Indima yalo jantshi namuhla ikabili. Okokuqala, uthuthela abagibeli ngokwethembeka nangokuphepha ezindaweni abalibangise kuzo. Okwesibili, lo jantshi uthutha izinto ezinjengosimende, ikhofi, imishini, izingodo nokudla. Kanti uLoliwe waseKenya uthola imali eningi ngokuthutha amabhokisi amaningi uwangenise ngaphakathi ezweni ngemva kokuba ehliswe emikhunjini.

Ngokusobala, lo jantshi uye waba usizo olukhulu eMpumalanga Afrika. Mhlawumbe nawe ngolunye usuku uyojabulela ukuhamba kujantshi odumile okwake kwathiwa “ujantshi wobuhlanya.”

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 24]

UKUHAMBA NGESITIMELA

KUBANTU abayizivakashi nabayizakhamuzi, isitimela siyindlela yokuhamba ethandwa kakhulu, ikakhulukazi phakathi kweMombasa neNairobi. Izitimela ezithwala abantu zisuka eNairobi naseMombasa nsuku zonke ngo-7:00 kusihlwa. Uma uhamba ngo-first class noma ngo-second class, ngaphambi kokuba ugibele ubheka izaziso ezichonyiwe ukuthi inqola nekamelo lakho likuphi. Umsizi olindile lapho uyakubuza ukuthi ufisa ukudla ngo-7:15 noma ngo-8:30 kusihlwa yini. Uyazikhethela, abese ekunikeza ithikithi elifanele.

Uyagibela. Kukhala impempe, bese kudlala umculo njengoba isitimela siphuma esiteshini.

Lapho kufika isikhathi sokudla, kudlula othile ephasishi elincane eshaya i-xylophone encane ekutshela ukuthi sekuyisikhathi sokudla. Egumbini lokudlela, u-oda ukudla okufunayo ebhukwini; kuthi lapho usadla, kungene isisebenzi ekamelweni lakho siyolungisa indawo yokulala.

Ingxenye yokuqala yohambo isebusuku. Nokho, ngaphambi kokuba ulale, ungase uthande ukucisha izibani zekamelo lakho, ulunguze ngefasitela, bese uyazibuza, ‘Ingabe leziya zithunzi ezikhanyiswe yinyanga yizindlovu namabhubesi, noma kumane nje kuyizihlahla? Kwakunjani ukulala ngaphandle kule ndawo eminyakeni engaba yikhulu edlule lapho kusakhiwa lo jantshi? Ingabe ngangiyosaba ukulala lapha ngaleso sikhathi? Kuthiwani manje?’

Lolu hambo luthatha amahora angaphansi kwangu-14, ngakho kuningi osazokubona ngemva kokuphuma kwelanga kule ndawo yase-Afrika. Uma ulibangise eMombasa, ilanga liphuma libomvu ehlathini lezihlahla zameva, okulandela izihlahla zesundu ngemva kwazo bese kuba utshani obugundiwe, uthango lwezihlahla ezincweliwe nezakhiwo zesimanje zaseMombasa. Abalimi bahlakula amasimu abo ngamageja kuyilapho izingane ezishaya ngolukaCetshwayo zivayizisa izandla zibingelela abagibeli abasesitimeleni ngenjabulo.

Uma ulibangise eNairobi, ilanga liphuma lapho nisanqamula ethafeni eliwudedangendlale. Lapho, kulula ukubona izilwane, ikakhulukazi lapho nidlula eNairobi National Park.

Lesi senzakalo siyingqayizivele ngempela. Kukusiphi esinye isitimela lapho ungajabulela khona ukudla kwasekuseni okwehl’esiphundu ube ubuka ngefasitela imihlambi yamadube noma yezinyamazane?

[Umthombo]

Kenya Railways

[Ibalazwe/Izithombe ekhasini 23]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

KENYA

Lake Victoria

Kisumu

NAIROBI

Tsavo

Mombasa

INDIAN OCEAN

[Imithombo]

Globe: Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.

Map of Africa on globe: The Complete Encyclopedia of Illustration/J. G. Heck

Male and female kudu. Lydekker

Trains: Kenya Railways

Lioness. Century Magazine