Owabaza isithombe sika Mbuya Nehanda, esivezwe ebulenjini bokuxhumana kunsukwana ezisanda kwedlula, uthi akumelanga abantu basichothoze ngoba usasibumba.
UMnu. David Mutasa, oqhatshwe nguhulumende ukuba abumbe isithombe lesi esizafakwa eHarare njalo okungavezwanga ukuba sibiza imali enganani, uthi abantu kumele babekezele ngoba usasilolonga.
Wethule amazwi la kulandela ukuchothozwa kwaso ngabantu abathi isithombe asibumbayo ngesentombazana esanda kuphuhla hatshi ugogo uNehanda, owaziwa emhlabeni wonke jikelele ngemifanekiso eyathathwa ngabamhlophe kudala ngama 1890s.
Abazi ngosiko lwedlozi lika Nehanda, elasetshenziswa ngesikhathi sempi yenkululeko ngabakubandla leZanu PF, bathi akwaziyo kahle ukuba wayeyisimo bani uNehanda, owathembisa abamhlophe ukuba amathambo akhe azavuka abahlamukele bangambulala.
UMutasa uyabasola kakhulu abantu abachothoza isithombe alokhu esibumba okuthiwa okwamanje sisendaweni ebizwa ngokuthi yiSnake Park.
“Ngubani owake wabona uMbuya Nehanda ngaphandle kokubona imfanekiso engaphumi kuhle. Ukhona osewake wabona uGogo uNehanda. Ngitshilo ukuthi asikaqedi ukulungisa isithombe. Sesimelele abasithumayo ukuba bavume kuqala ukuba silungile.”
UMutasa uthi abantu abasola umsebenzi wakhe ebulenjini bokuxhumana ngabantu abangazange bavumelane laye kusukela kudala.
“Okutshiwo ngabe social media yikulokhu abafuna abantu babe kwazi. Ekuqaleni sisenza lesi sithobe babesisola besithi kungani sisenziwa ngesikhathi seCOVID-19”
UMutasa uthi umangaliswa ngabantu abathi mubi umsebenzi wesithombe awenzayo.
“Mina ngingumuntu okwazi umsebenzi osebenza emhlabeni wonke jikelele. Ngaphiwa umsebenzi yindlu yobukhosi kwele Bhilithani phansi kuka Prince Charles.”
Kasenelisanga ukukhuluma ngodaba lolu lendlu okudabuka khona uNehanda ngenxa yokuthi banengi abantu abathi badlelana laye. Kodwa obona ngokwethulwa kwemibiko kubandla leZanu PF, uMnu. Tafadzwa Mugwadi, uthi uNehanda uqakatheke kakhulu kumbali yeZimbabwe ngakho-ke kulungile ukuba kwenziwe isithombe sakhe.
“Nxa sikhangelana lokuqakatheka kwesithombe lesi okwakumele silungiswe kudala, bengingasoze ngidlalise isikhathi ngiphendula abantu abangaboni okuhle ngelizwe labo. UGogo uNehanda ngumuntu oqakathekileyo kuleli, embalini yethu. Kakulazwe eliphila ezikhathini ezinje lingela ziga zalo.”
Ingcwethi kwezamasiko, uMnu. Phathisa Nyathi, uthi akalalwazi kangako ngoGogo uNehanda esithi izithombe ziqakathekile ekulondolozeni amasiko.
“Yikulondoza amafa ethu. Kuqondana lalokhu ukulondolza imbali yethu, ukwazi lapho esivela khona. Ukuzazi ukuthi singobani, sazi lapho esikhona lalpho esiyakhona.”
Lokhu kusekelwa nguMnu. David Mabinyana, inyanga elodumo, othi izithombe ziyindlela yokukhumbula amaqhawe atshonayo.
“Ngapha eSiNdebeleni kwakuvele kungekho. Kodwa bakwenzela imbali ukuthi umuntu abone ukuthi ubani wayenje ukuze bamncabange ukuthi umfanekiso nxa uwukhangele ukuthi wayelesimo esinjani, emi njani.”
UMholi obona ngokwenziwa kwemisebenzi kugatsha luka hulumende olweLocal Government and Public Works, uMnu. Phillip Mukura, utshele iphephandaba leHerald ukuba isithombe lesi kumele sibe sesiphelile mhlaka 9 Mpalakazi kodwa kavezanga imali eyasetshenziswa ukwenza lumsebenzi. Ingcwethi kwezombusazwe, uMnu. Discent Bajila, uthi uhulumende bekumele azwe imibono yabosiko lweSiShoneni engakalungisi isithombe sikaNehanda.
“Okukhona ngoMbuya Nehanda yikuba imbali yakhe ayicaci kuhle, kumbe kwakungumuntu loba ibizo ledlozi kumbe elenyanga kumbe elesangoma. Ngabe uhulumende uhlale phansi lengcwethi zamasiko esiShoneni engakasifaki lesi sithombe.”
Osakhulayo, uMnu. Pride Mkono, uthi uMbuya Nehanda kasuye yedwa okumele ahlonitshwe eZimbabwe.
“Ukufakwa kwesithombe sika Mbuya Nehanda eHarare kuyinto eqakathekileyo nxa sikhangele ukulondolozwa kwamasiko ethu eZimbabwe. Kumele sibone esika Lobhengula sifakwa koBulawayo kuthi esikaMkwati sifakwe eMberengwa leMatobo”
Kodwa omunye osakhulayo, uMnu. Tafadzwa Chigandiwa, uthi isithombe kasiqakathekanga nxa kukhangelwa indubo ezibhekane lele Zimbabwe.
“Kanti isithombe sakhona ngesani vele? Sisincedani nxa sikhangele umumo welizwe, simatasatsa ngomumo welizwe bona babhizi benza into zesithombe. Asifunakali isithombe lesi, basifake ngesikhathi esingayisiso.”
Isithombe sika Mbuya Nehanda sizafakwa eHarare okuhlangana khona umgwaqo uSamora Machel loJulius Nyerere. Enkundleni sokuxhumana kulabanye abathi lokhu yikuchitha isikhathi abantu bakwele Zimbabwe bebhekane lenhlupho ezinengi.
