Everson Luhanga
Ukugubha usuku lwe-16 kuNhlangulana sijoyina uBaba uLinda Twala wase-Alexandra
UBab’ uTwala usehlale e-Alexandra iminyaka engaphezulu kwamashumi amahlanu, useze waba ngubaba womuntu wonke kulendawo.
Uchithe iningi lempilo yakhe evikela izisulu zobandlululo – ehlela izindawo zamathuna okungcwaba izishoshovu ezabulawa ngamaphoyisa aphinde anikeze abampofu ukudla nezingubo.
Njengamanje ubhekene nesitha esiyigciwane le-Covid-19. UBab’ uTwala usemigwaqeni yase-Alexandra, ugqoke izingubo zokuzivikela, unikela ngamaphasela okudla kubantu abathintekile ngokwempilo kulesi sikhathi somvalelo.
UBab’ uTwala uzibiza ngokuthi “uyinceku yabantu”.
Engxoxweni abe nayo nabakwa-Scrolla.Africa endlini yakhe e-Alexandra, uthi okube yimpumelelo kuye ukuhlela nokwenza amatshe amathuna, enzela intsha eyashona ngesikhathi kuqubuka umbhikisho wonyaka wezi-1976 wezingane zesikole kanye nokuhlaselwa ngamaphoyisa ngonyaka wezi-1986 e-Alex.
Uma sibala amatshe amathuna asewafakile singabala okungenani angama-45, uma sibala nelikaSipho Mavimbela. NgoNhlaba saxoxa nomama kaSipho u-Emily owathi “Ngibonga kakhulu futhi ngibonga angiphezi ku Bab’ uTwala. Ngohlezi ngimubonga njalo. Umsebenzi omuhle awenzayo uvela kuNkulunkulu futhi inhliziyo yakhe ayinakuqhathaniswa nanoma ngubani kulo mhlaba.”
Ngaphansi kobandlululo, uBab’ uTwala wayeyisishoshovu somphakathi. Uthi usesinde kaningi ezigamekweni zabantu bezama ukumbulala. “Ngelinye ilanga kwafika izinkabi ezimbili endlini yami ngenhloso yokungibulala. Kepha ngathi ngibuya emsebenzini, izinkabi zangibona, zashiya etafuleni izibhamu nemali eyayikhokhelwe ukuthi bengibulale, bahamba.”
UBab’ uTwala uthi unenhlanhla yokuthi usaphila namanje.
Ucweba izinyimbezi nje ukhumbula “osekwadlula ngezikhathi zakudala”, uthi:
-“Inkululeko esiyithokozela namhlanje ayizange itholakale kalula”
-“Kwaba nokuchitheka kwegazi”
-“Kwakunezinhlungu nezinyembezi”
-“Abantu balahlekelwa izimpilo”
-“Kwakuyisikhathi esinzima kakhulu sokuphila”
-“Abantu balahlekelwe abangani, abasondelene nabo kanye namalungu emindeni yabo abayithandayo.”
Kepha kuyo yonke le minyaka eyedlule, iningi lalababantu alikaze likhunjulwe. “Ngosizo lwabathile abanolwazi olunzulu, ngihola phambili futhi ngiyizwi labantu abasha ababulawa ngesikhathi sodlame, amaqhawe ase-Alexandra.”
Konke kwaqala ngesikhathi eneminyaka engama-23 ubudala ngenkathi engcwaba uGogo uRose Tshabalala. UGogo uRose wayengomunye wabantu abaningi ababevame ukuthola ukudla kumama kaBab’ uTwala. “Kwakuthi noma inini lapho uGogo efika ezolanda ukudla, wayengikhomba ngenduku yakhe yokuhamba engitshela ukuthi mhla washona kumele ngimungcwabe.”
Kwathi uGogo eseshonile, uBab’Twala wathatha isinqumo sokumngcwaba njengesifiso sakhe.
Wacela abangcwabi, i-BOS Sibeko Funeral, ukuthi imusize angcwabe ugogo.
Yize abazali bakhe babengacabangi ukuthi uzokwazi ukungcwaba ugogo, uBab’ uTwala wavele wabamangaza. Ugogo uRose wangcwatshwa kahle ngesizotha, uBab’ uTwala waze wahalaliselwa ngubaba wakhe ngomsebenzi omuhle awenza.
UBab’ uTwala ubeqave kakhulu kwezamabhizinisi futhi nomsebenzi wakhe ubumuhle kakhulu. “Ngasebenza njengomthengisi ezinkampanini ezahlukahlukene ngiseyinsizwa. Ngiyakujabulela ukusebenza kepha ukusiza abantu kungubizo lwami.”
UBab’ uTwala uveza ukuthi uthando lwabantu ulithathe kumama wakhe. “Uthi umama wayethatha konke ukudla kwethu akunike isivakashi uma sifika ekhaya ebese esenzela okunye ukudla. Ubengumuntu othanda kakhulu abantu,”usho njalo.
Yini egcine uBab’ uTwala iminyaka eminingi kangaka?
UBab’ uTwala uthi uthando lwabantu lumenza aqhubeke nakwenzayo.
Ezinyangeni ezintathu ezedlule kusukela iNingizimu Afrika ikumvalelo, uBab’ uTwala ubelokhu esiza abantu emiphakathini eyehlukene.
Ubenikeza abantu abadinga ukudla, aphinde anikeze abasengozini yokuthola igciwane izingubo nemishini yokuzivikela eyenzelwe imiphakathi yase-Alexandra, Diepsloot, Soweto, Tembisa, Honeydew, Vosloorus, kanye neminye imiphakathi ngosizo lwe-One People Fund, Tebogo Mogashoa, Rotary Rosebank, Gift of the Givers, Feed SA, Maningi Metals, Rail to Rail Furnishers kanye nabo bonke abanye abanikeli abakhulu.
