Lungani Zungu
Ngesikhathi uWelile Gumede ehleli engasebenzi futhi ekhungathekile, wathatha igxathu elikhulu ngonyaka wezi-2018: engenalwazi kwezolimo, walungisa indlwana yezithombo eyayinganakiwe waqala ukulima imifino.
Le ndlwana yezithombo kwakungeyakwaQwabe-Nkanini Trust, kanti uGumede waxhasa ngemali yesibonelelo sendodakazi yakhe ukuze kulungiswe le ndawo.
Namuhlanje uGumede odabuka kwaMaphumulo eKZN, ujabulela izithelo zokuzikhandla kwakhe nokuzimisela.
Ngenkathi eqala, wayekhiqiza utamatisi kanye nopelepele oluhlaza ongaphansi kwamakhilogremu angama-700 ngonyaka epulazini lakhe KwaDukuza.
Lelo nani selikhuphuke laya kumathani ayi-18 katamatisi kanye nopelepele oluhlaza minyaka yonke, kanjalo nesibalo sabasebenzi sesinyukile kusuka kwababili ngowezi-2018 kuya kwabayi-17 ngonyaka wezi-2021.
“Amakhasimende ami ngabantu abadayisa imifino emigwaqeni. Ngiyakujabulela ukusebenza kanye nokwenza ibhizinisi nabo,” kusho yena.
Uyavuma ukuthi bekunzima ukugcina ibhizinisi lisebenza, kodwa abe-National Empowerment Fund bamutakule obhoshini ngemuva kokumnikeza izigidi ezingu-R3.5 ngonyaka odlule.
“Lokhu kwaletha ukukhululeka okukhulu kimi nakubasebenzi bami abebesaba ukuphelelwa ngumsebenzi.”
Ngesikhathi esayina isivumelwano sokuqasha esivuselelekayo seminyaka eyishumi neQwabe-Nkanini Trust ngowezi-2018, ipulazi lalinamathonela amathathu kuphela.
Ngemuva kweminyaka emithathu, usengeze eminye imithonela eyi-17.
“Indlela engiphila ngayo impilo yami ngikholelwa ekwenzeni, kunokukhuluma. Ukukhuluma akubuyiseli. Uma unephupho, lilandele.”
UGumede uthe njengoba bekunguye yedwa intombazane emndenini wezelamani ezinhlanu, ukusebenza kanzima kukanina kwamkhuthaza.
Uthe umama wakhe onguthisha, wayondla umndeni ngesikhathi ubaba wakhe engasebenzi.
“Uhlezi evuka njalo ekuseni ukuze akwazi ukusondla. Angikaze ngizwe nakanye ekhononda,” kusho uGumede.
Lo mfundi uthe wafundela i-Dental Assisting eNyuvesi yaseThekwini Yezobuchwepheshe, waphothula izifundo ngowezi-2009.
Ngemuva kwalokho, akazange awuthole umsebenzi, okwamshiya ekhungathekile futhi ephelelwe yithemba.
Kodwa esikhundleni sokuhlala ekhaya azidabukele, wabhalisela i-Chemical Engineering e-Berea Technical College eThekwini.
“Noma sengphothule izifundo ngowezi-2014, angikaze ngiwuthole umsebenzi. Ikhanda lami ladideka ngoba ngangineziqu ezimbili, kodwa noma kunjalo, angikwazanga ukuthola umsebenzi.”
Yilapho-ke engaphendukela khona kwezolimo, umkhakha avumayo ukuthi wayengenandaba nawo.
Njengamanje uyakujabulela ukusebenza kulo mkhakha.
“Angisoze ngayeka ukwenza lo msebenzi. Ngizizwa ngijabule kakhulu emhlabeni ngokwenza lo msebenzi.”
Iseluleko sakhe kosomabhizinisi abasafufusa uthi: “bengalibala kuze kwedlule isikhathi ukwenza abakufisayo, abekwenze kusemanje”