Linda Ximba
Emgubhweni walo nyaka weNyanga yamaGugu uMengameli uCyril Ramaphosa uhloniphe umculo wesintu “owawukhona ngezinsuku zobumnyama zobukoloni kanye nobandlululo”.
Uhloniphe ingqalabutho yesicathamiya nowayengumqambi wezingoma odumile uSolomon Linda ngesikhathi ekhuluma nomphakathi e-Union Building ePitoli ngoMgqibelo.
USolomon Ntsele owazalelwa eMsinga KwaZulu-Natal ngo-1909 wasungula iqembu lesicathamiya elibizwa nge-Evening Birds futhi nguyena owayecula ingoma yakudala ethi “Mbube”.
Ngemuva kwesikhathi eside uLinda ashona ngenxa yokuhluleka kwezinso ngo-1962, leli culo lashintshwa laba yiculo elaziwa kancane lefilimu ye-Disney, elithi-The Lion Sleeps Tonight”. Ingoma ye-The Lion King idayise izigidi zamakhophi futhi ithandwa umhlaba wonke.
Kodwa ngaphambi kwalokho ingoma ethi “Mbube” yaduma kakhulu yadayisa amakhophi angaphezu kwabgu-100 000 ngo-1949. Kodwa ingcebo ayizange ilandele ngemuva kwalokho ngoba uLinda wayedayise amalungelo ale ngoma ngosheleni abayishumi – ngaphansi kwedola laseMelika namuhla.
URamaphosa ongomunye wabalandeli bakhe abakhulu, uthe ngaye ngoMgqibelo: “Kulo nyaka sisebenzisa inyanga yamagugu ukugubha umculo wesintu wakuleli ikakhulukazi umlando kaSolomon Popoli Linda.
“Sikhethe le ngqikithi ukuze sibonge iqhaza eladlalwa emculweni wesintu, ikakhulukazi isicathamiya ezimpilweni zabantu bakithi ngezikhathi zobumnyama, zobukoloni kanye nobandlululo.
Uqhube wathi umculo wesintu awugcini nje ngokujabulisa abantu uphinde ududuze iningi labantu abamnyama abaphucwa umhlaba kodwa ubuye ubahlanganise.