Nokuthaba Dlamini
VICTORIA FALLS - Abafelokazi labesifazane abazimeleyo eVictoria Falls basebenza gadalala ukuze beguqule impilo yabo.
Kulabathunga okutshiyeneyo labalolonga izithombe zenyamazana zasendle lokunye okuthakazelelwa ngabantu bokuza abavela phose emhlabeni wonke jikelele. Umfelokazi uVirginia Ndlovu uphila ngokuvukela emabhawa labazukulu bakhe esiyadobha izivimbo zokunathwayo azisebenzisa ukwenza amacansi amancane okwendlala ngaphansi kwezitsha zokudla. Ngomunye wabafelokazi lamanina azimeleyo abedlula ikhulu abasebenza eZambezi Art and Craft Women’s Market eVictoria Falls.
“Ngiyahamba labazukulu bami emabhawa loba ezitolo lapha abanatha khona utshwala loba okunye okunathwayo ngihamba ngidobha izivimbo, ngibuye ngihambe kuma tailor athunga izigqoko ngicela ama pieces awamalembu ngithunge izivimbo ngifake ilembu.”
Uthi ngezivimbo lezi, ngemva kokutshiywa ngumkakhe, wenelisa ukufundisa abantwana bakhe, omunye waze wayafika emfundweni ephezulu. Umfelokazi uRhoda Dube ngomunye wabaqala inhlanganiso le ngomnyaka ka1979. Uthi ngemva kokubhubha komkakhe wenelisa ukondla abantwana ngokweluka okutshiyeneyo langokulolonga izigodo.
“Ngenza umsebenzi wokuthengisa izigodo, kudala sasithengisa amadoyili kodwa ngokusweleka kwentambo yokuthunga, kayisekho, Sesiwoda izibazwa ezifana lemiganu lentudla esikulolonga ukuze sithengise.
“Kusukela khonapho, ngiyaziphilisa ngakho ukuthengisa. Labantwana bomnewethu abayisitshiyagalombili abatshiywa ngabazali, ngakho angilayo enye indlela yokubaphilisa ngendaba yokuswelakala kwemali. Impilo iyangomela, bengicela ukuthi uhulumende angenele ukuthi sithole ukuphila kahle lezinto esizithengisayo zingakwanisa ukuphuma ngaphandle kamazwe sithole ukuba lendlela yokuthengisa.”
Abacubunguli benhlalo zabantu abeZimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee kumnyaka ophelileyo bethule umbiko othi isabelo seMatabeleland North silenani labantu abangamatshumi amabili lasikhombisa ekhulwini - 27 percent abangabafelokazi.
Babika njalo isabelo lesi silentandane ezingamatshumi amabili lambili ekhulwini – 22 percent. Baphinda bathi liphezulu inani labalomkhuhlane wengqondo. UNkosikazi Monica Moyo uthi kunzima kakhulu ukuthengisa impahla etshiyeneyo ngenxa yobhubhane loCOVID-19.
“Amakhiwa semalutshwane, kwawasabuyi njengakudala. Balutshwana, kwesinye esikhathi siyabathola lathi sizuze esiphila ngakho lokuthi ungazuza okuyimadlana khonokho uyakuhambisa esikolo uyebhadalela abazukulu uthole lokudla khonapho.”
Umngcinisihlalo wenhlanganiso le, uNkosikazi Buyisile Sibanda, wengeze esithi imithelo yekhansilo lohulumende iqonge kakhulu okwedlula imali abayithola ngenyanga. Uthi bathola amatshumi amabili amadola eMelika ngenyanga.
“Besikhangelele ukuthi singathola uncedo lokuthi sincediseke sikwanise ukuthwala impahla siyethengisa izinto zethu emazweni lapho okungathi singathola imarket engcono than lapha kithi.”
Abogatsha lweZimbabwe Tourism Authority bathi ngomnyaka ubhubhane lweCovid-19 luqhamuka, inani lezethekeli lehla okuphezu kwamatshumi ayisikhombisa ekhulwini – 70 percent njalo lokhu kwadala ukuthi inengi labantu lilahlekelwe yimisebenzi ngoba inkampani ezinye zavalwa.
UMnu. Godfrey Koti, isikhulumeli sogatsha lolu, ubika ukuba selikhuphuka inani lezethekeli eVictoria Falls. Lokhu kukhangelelwe ukuba kuzanceda abafelokazi labesifazana abazimeleyo abathengisa impahla etshiyeneyo edolobheni leli.