Ushushiso Ezweni Elinokuthula

EMINYAKENI engaphezu kwama-60 lelizwe belinokuthula, linabantu abanobungane ababuswa inkosi enomusa. Khona-ke inkosi yakhothama. Cishe kungalindelekile izwe elinokuthula laphenduka indawo yokuhlupheka okwazwiwa iqembu elincane elaziwa emhlabeni wonke ngothando lwalo ngomakhelwane nangokuhlonipha igunya. Kungani babeshushiswa? Kungenxa yesifiso sabo sokuphila ngezimiso zeBhayibheli. Kwenzeka kuphi lokhu? ESwazini.

ISwaziland iyizwe elincane elihle elingamakhilomitha skwele ayi-20 100 eliphakathi kweNingizimu Afrika neMozambique. Liluhlaza futhi lizintabantaba ngasentshonalanga, lingamathafa futhi ligagadekile ngasempumalanga, linabantu abakhileyo abangaphezu kwengxenye yesigidi. Isizwe samaSwazi sahlala kulendawo ngasekuqaleni kwekhulu le-18. Ngo-1903 sangena ngaphansi kombuso wamaNgisi kodwa samiswa njengombuso ozimele ngo-1968, sibuswa iNkosi uSobhuza II.

Lendoda eqhamile yathola idumela, ngokuba osukwini lwayo, ibe inkosi endala kakhulu futhi ebuse isikhathi eside emhlabeni, ibusa kusukela ngo-1921 kuze kube sekufeni kwayo ngoAugust 21, 1982. Yayiphawuleka ngokuhlakanipha kwayo nokuqonda kwayo kobudoda. Njengoba izwe layo liphakathi kwamazwe iNingizimu Afrika neMozambique anempatho yawo eyehluke kakhulu, yalandela inkambo yokungathathi hlangothi. Ngenxa yalokho, iSwaziland yahlala iyizwe lokuthula nokuchuma okwandayo.

Umlando Ongokwenkolo

Njengabantu abaningi abaNsundu, amaSwazi emakhulwini eminyaka aye akhonza amadlozi. Ezikhathini zamuva izithunywa eziningi namasonto kuye kwasebenza ngokukhululekile eSwazini, kodwa amasiko esizwe nezindlela zokugcinwa kwawo kusenethonya elikhulu ekuphileni kweningi. Ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1930 oFakazi BakaJehova bathumela izithunywa zevangeli ukuba zisakaze izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Izikhathi eziningana lezizithunywa zavakashela iNkosi uSobhuza, ngaso sonke isikhathi eyabamukela kahle kakhulu.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, amaSwazi amaningi asabela esigijimini esasishunyayelwa oFakazi BakaJehova. Njengoba manje ayelalela umthetho kaNkulunkulu njengoba ubekwe eBhayibhelini, laba babengasenakulandela amasiko athile enkolo angebona ubuKristu. Lokho kwabangela ukuphikiswa ngamakhosi athile, kodwa iNkosi ayivumelanga ukuba oFakazi BakaJehova bashushiswe. Ngakho oFakazi banesizathu esihle sokuyibonga futhi bakulilele ngokuqotho ukufa kwayo. Kodwa ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi kumelwe bahlanganyele emasikweni esizwe okulila okungokwenkolo, njengokuphuca ikhanda?

Imikhosi Yokulila

Imikhosi enjalo ibaluleke kakhulu kwabayigcinayo. Isazi samasiko abaNsundu, uDr. I. Schapera, wabhala: “Ukukhulekelwa kwamadlozi kusekelwe enkolelweni yokuthi uma umuntu efa uyaqhubeka enethonya ekuphileni kwezihlobo zakhe ezisele emhlabeni.” Ngokuqondene nabafileyo, siyachaza: “Uma becasulwe ukwephulwa okuthile kwesiko, bangaletha isomiso, isifo sezinkomo, ingozi esizweni noma kumuntu siqu, ukugula noma ukufa.” Uma kuhileleke inkosi, lokhu “kusebenza ngamandla.” Ngakho-ke, ukwehluleka ukugcina amasiko okulilela inkosi kungaba ubuwula kulabo abakholelwa kulamasiko esizwe.

Nokho, amaKristu kumelwe acabangele indlela uJehova uNkulunkulu awabheka ngayo amasiko anjalo. Eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane edlule uNkulunkulu wathi kubantu bakhe abakhethiweyo: “Aniyikuzisika, ningaziphuculi phezu kwamehlo enu ngenxa yabafileyo. Ngokuba ningabantu abangcwele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.”—Duteronomi 14:1, 2.

Lokhu kunengqondo ngoba akukho lutho esingalwenza lokujabulisa noma lokujabhisa othile ofile. “Abafileyo abazi-lutho.” (UmShumayeli 9:5) Ngisho nombusi ekufeni ‘ubuyela emhlabathini wakhe; ngalona lolosuku amacebo akhe ayaphela.’ (IHubo 146:3, 4) Kulesosimo ulele, akazi lutho. Okuyilona themba lakhe lisovukweni lwesikhathi esizayo ngoNkulunkulu. Akanakusiza noma alimaze ababeyizikhonzi zakhe.

Ukugunda ikhanda lomuntu ngenxa yomuntu ofileyo kunganikeza umcabango wokuthi lowomuntu ukholelwa ukuthi umphefumulo wakhe usaphila. Isenzo esinjalo singaba esobuzenzisi ngomunye woFakazi BakaJehova. (Hezekeli 18:4) Angabe ‘eqamba amanga’ futhi ejabhisa uNkulunkulu. (IsAmbulo 22:15) Ngaphandle kwalokho, amaKristu eqiniso axwayiswa kakhulu ukuba angaxubanisi amasiko angebona ubuKristu nokukhulekela kwawo. (2 Korinte 6:14) Awanakuwagcina ngenhliziyo emhlophe amasiko okulila amelene neBhayibheli, nokho adabuka kakhulu uma umngane efa.

Ukusabela Kwezikhulu

NgoSeptember 13, 1982, iThe Times yaseSwazini yayinalombiko: “UMphatheli wenkosi kwaLobamba uye wamemezela iziyalezo okufanele zilandelwe isizwe samaSwazi phakathi nenkathi yokulilela iNkosi uSobhuza II eshonile.” Induna uVusumuzi Bhembe iye yamemezela emsakazweni wesizwe ukuthi njengophawu lokulila wonke amadoda angamaSwazi kumelwe agunde izinwele zawo [aphuce ikhanda]. . . . Abesifazane abashadile bancwele izinwele ezingaphezu kwezindlebe ngokuzungeleza njalo ikhanda. Ngokushesha ukucindezela kwehliselwa kulabo abanonembeza ongabavumeli ukuba benze ngokuvumelena nalesisimemezelo.

NgoLwesine, ngoSeptember 23, 1982, uAndreas Xaba, ophethe owudokotela wezilwane osebenzela uHulumeni waseSwazini, wabuzwa isikhulu sakhe, uMnu. Mavimbela, isizathu sokungaphuci kwakhe ikhanda. Lapho uAndreas ezama ukuchaza, uMnu. Mavimbela wenqaba ukulalela futhi walanda amasosha amathathu asenkanjini eseduze yempi. Nokho, amasosha anquma ukuthi amaphoyisa okumelwe asingathe loludaba.

Lapho kusalindwe amaphoyisa, uMnu. Mavimbela wacela elinye lamasosha ukuba lilande umka-Andreas ekhaya lakhe ngoba naye, futhi, wayengazigundile izinwele zakhe. Iphoyisa lafika, kodwa ophethe isikhundla esiphakeme wathi abayekwe uMnu. noNkkz. Xaba njengoba kwakungekho siyalezo esasivela kuhulumeni sokuba kuboshwe labo ababengazigundile izinwele zabo.

Kodwa, ngalobobusuku amasosha ayisikhombisa afika ekhaya likaXaba ephelekezelwa uMnu. Mavimbela futhi abathatha abayisa enkanjini yeMpi. Lapho onke amasosha ahlangana ndawonye futhi, ngemva kokubabuza, ashaya ngokuphindaphindiwe uAndreas nomkakhe. Khona-ke bavalelwa futhi baphoqelelwa ukuba balale ngemihlane yabo lapho amasosha ebashaya ezinyaweni. Ekugcineni amakhanda abo aphuculwa ngenkani futhi badedelwa bahamba.

Ngo-October 11, 1982 oFakazi BakaJehova abane bathethiswa icala enkantolo yesizwe kwaManzini. Ngaphambi kokukhipha isigwebo, uMongameli weNkantolo, uMabhula Shongwe, wayaleza iphoyisa ukuba liphuce amakhanda abo. Lokhu kwenziwa ngonya. Ofakazi bokuzibonela babika ukuthi kwakopha igazi ngenxa yokusikwa emakhanda. Khona-ke isigwebo sakhishwa: unyaka owodwa ejele noma ihlawulo le-R100.

Ezinsukwini ezimbili kamuva oFakazi abayi-11, amadoda ayi-10 nowesifazane, baboshwa endaweni yabo yomsebenzi, eMhlume Company. Ngosuku olulandelayo abalindi balefemu baya emakhaya alamadoda futhi bavimbezela omkawo nabantwana futhi babavalela ejele. Ngo-October 20 bonke banikezwa ithuba lokuchaza enkantolo isizathu sokuba bangaphuci amakhanda abo. Ngenhlonipho bachaza indaba, besebenzisa amavesi eBhayibheli njengoDuteronomi 14:1 noMathewu 6:17, 18. Kodwa, bagwetshwa unyaka ejele noma ihlawulo le-R100. Futhi amakhanda abo nawomkabo nawabantwana aphucwa wonke ngendluzula. Kamuva baxoshwa eMhlume Company.

NgoSeptember 28, 1982, oFakazi abayi-13 abaqashwe Osuthu Pulp Company bagwetshwa uMntwana Logiyela Dlamini eNkantolo Yesizwe eBhunya ukuba bakhokhe u-R60. Kamuva bavinjelwa ukuba bangene ezindaweni zabo emsebenzini. Bacela ukubona abaphathi kodwa esikhundleni salokho baphoqelelwa ukuba bavele ngaphambi kweSigungu esikhulu Sabeluleki kwaLobamba ngo-October 7.

Usihlalo walesisigungu uMnu. Lusendvo Fakudze, wavumela oFakazi ukuba bachaze ukuma kwabo. Phakathi nengxoxo omunye wamakhosi wasongela: “Ngo-1975 safuna ukunichitha, kodwa navikelwa yileNkosi ekhotheme. Ubani ozokunivikela manje?” Ekugcineni oFakazi batshelwa ukuthi udaba lwaluzokwedluliselwa endikimbeni yabantwana beNkosi futhi-ke naseNdlovukazini kwaLobamba. Ngesikhathi esifanayo abaqashi babo balulekwa ukuba bangabamukeli ngaphandle kokuba bephuce amakhanda abo.

Ngesonto elilandelayo laboFakazi baboshwa futhi. Abayisithupha babo kwakufanele bavele enkantolo ngo-October 19, kwefanayo iNkantolo Yesizwe eBhunya. Lapho usuku lufika, umongameli wenkantolo akavelanga. Kwadingeka ukuba icala lihlehliswe kuze kube usuku olulandelayo futhi kumiswe umongameli omusha, uMnu. Magomba Dlamini. Wayaleza ukuba oFakazi baphucwe ngendluzula futhi wabagweba izinyanga ezintathu ejele noma ihlawulo lika-R30.

Phakathi kwalabo ababoshwa kwakunguAaron Phakathi, uLeonard Mabuza, uBartholomew Mbuli, uStephen Mngomezulu, uJohn Shabangu noLina Mbuli. Laba manje base begwetshwe okwesibili ngecala elifanayo. Bonke baxoshwa Osuthu Pulp Company.

Ngesikhathi sokubhala, cishe oFakazi abayi-90 sebeye baboshwa futhi bagwetshwa ngokwemibiko eyamukelwe. Abanye baye baboshwa ngaphezu kwesikhathi esisodwa.

Eminye Imiphumela Emihle

Naphezu kobunzima okunye okuhlangenwe nakho okukhuthazayo kuye kwaba umphumela walokho kushushiswa okwakungalindelekile. Cabanga ngombiko olandelayo woFakazi ababevalelwe ejele lakwaManzini:

“Lapho sifika kulendawo, umlindi wejele wayemelene nathi kakhulu, ethi sasilwa nohulumeni. Wavimbela abazalwane bethu ukuba bazosibona futhi wabaphindisela emuva nakho konke ukudla ababesiphathele khona. Kodwa saqhubeka sibonisa inhlonipho ejulile ngaye futhi simphendula ngesizotha. Lapho ebona lokhu, isimo sakhe sashintsha. Wasinikeza iBhayibheli lakhe futhi wasicela ukuba sishumayele kuzo zonke iziboshwa. Ekugcineni, wonke umuntu lapho wayazi ukuthi sisejele ngenxa yokulunga futhi kokubili iziboshwa nephoyisa babesikhuthaza ukuba sime siqinile.”

UNkulunkulu Noma UKesari?

OFakazi BakaJehova bayawakhumbula amazwi omphostoli uPawulu: “Akube yilowo nalowo azithobe phansi kwamandla ombuso.” (Roma 13:1) Bayakhumbula, futhi, ukuthi uJesu wafundisa: “Nikani uKesari okukaKesari.” Nokho, uJesu wenezela: “NoNkulunkulu okukaNkulunkulu.” (Mathewu 22:19-21) Lapho abaphostoli bakaJesu beyalezwa ukuba bayeke ukwenza okuthile lokho uNkulunkulu ayebayale ukuba bakwenze, baphendula: “Simelwe ukulalela uNkulunkulu kunabantu.” (IzEnzo 5:29) Abazange bafune ukungalaleli ababusi babo abangabantu. Kodwa lapho labo babusi bebaphoqelela ukuba bakhethe phakathi kokulalela uNkulunkulu nokulalela abantu, kwakumelwe balalele uNkulunkulu kuqala.

OFakazi BakaJehova balandela lesisibonelo sobuKristu. Ngesikhathi esifanayo bathandazela ukuba iziphathimandla zifinyelele ekuqondeni umbono wabo. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Ngakho-ke, kuqala kukho konke ngiyala ukuba ukunxusa, nokukhuleka, nokucela, nokubonga kwenzelwe . . . amakhosi nabo bonke abakhulu, ukuze sihlale kahle nangokuthula.”—1 Thimothewu 2:1, 2.

Ngokungangabazeki iziphathimandla zaseSwazini ziyaqaphela ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bazama ukuphila “kahle nangokuthula.” Njengeqembu, bakhokha izintela zabo futhi baphila ukuphila okuhlanzekile nangokwethembeka. Nokho, kusukela ekufeni kweNkosi uSobhuza, isandulelo esiyingozi sokushushiswa okungokwenkolo saqala. Futhi, oFakazi abaningi amadoda nabesifazane manje abanazo izindlela zokuziphilisa, baye baxoshwa emisebenzini yabo.

Yini Oyicabangayo?

Ingabe kuyakumangalisa ukuthi kulenkathi yesimanje isizwe sonke siyaphoqelelwa ukuba sigcine amasiko okushweleza kwabafileyo? Ingabe ukholelwa ukuthi abantu kumelwe bakwazi ukukhulekela uNkulunkulu ngokukanembeza wabo? Ingabe unesihe ngalabo abahlushwa ngenxa yokwenqatshelwa lokhu? Uma kunjalo, ungase ufise ukuthumela itelegramu noma incwadi—ngomoya wenhlonipho nomusa—koyedwa noma abengeziwe bezikhulu zikaHulumeni waseSwazini. Ebhokisini elilapha kunamagama ezinye zezikhulu eziphakeme ongase ufise ukuzibhalela.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 30]