UPalesa Mohlakoana uthole umklomelo wophume isibili emncintiswaneni wokubhala emkhakheni wesiZulu obuhlelwe uMtapo wolwazi ngaphansi koMkhandlu weTheku ngo 2008.
Indaba yakhe:
Selokhu kwasebenza intando yeningi emhlabeni esihlala kuwona izinto zaguquka, itshe lagaya ngomunye umhlathi. Iningi labantu lafuduka ezindaweni eziningi zasemakhaya laya emadolobheni nasemalokishini. Kungakho-ke usubona imikhukhu isigcwele yonke indawo emadolobheni, nase malokishini kungasekho nesikhala sokuphefumula nje.
Wonke umuntu usuka lena emakhaya afike lapha agxumeke umkhukhu abesethi ikwakhe lapha. Uhulumeni wethu ayasizamela imizi kepha akubonakali. Ziningi izingane ezidela amakhaya zihambe ziyohlala emigwaqeni ngoba zifuna ukuzibusa nokuziphatha.
Uhulumeni wethu uzama ukwakha ezinye iziteshi zokuphehla ugesi. Idolobha lethu selimumethe umphakathi omningi kakhulu. Ngisho abasuka kwamanye amazwe angomakhelwane beqa imingcele beze kulelidolobha lakithi.
Kunendawo lapho kungahanjwa khona uma sekuhlwile, ngoba izigebengu ziyavutha zithi bhe! Lendawo siyibiza ngokuthi ikwajomba igazi. Umphakathi wethu awuthandi ukugcina idolobha lethu lihlanzekile ngoba ulahla udoti nanoma ikuphi kepha ibe ikhona imigqomo kadoti. Kuhle ukugcina idolobha lethu lihlanzekile ngoba phela kuzodlalelwa lapha ngonyaka ka2010.
Idolobha lethu lihle futhi linezinto ezinhle eziheha izivakashi. Kunolwandle othi nxashana umile ngakhona ulibuka kuheleze umoya omnandi, ukhohlwe nayizinsizi onazo. Kunenkundla eyakhiwayo edolobheni lakithi iTheku. Le nkundla kuzodlalelwa kuyona iNdebe yomhlaba ngonyaka ka2010. Nayo ayiyinhle nje igila ilumbo. Ubona nje sinanemisebenzi emihle eyenziwa abantu bakithi ngezandla zabo. Imigwaqo iyalungiswa mihle iyabukeka, ungafunga ukuthi uhamba ezulwini elincane nxashana uhamba kuyo.
Emalokishini ethu amakhansela ayabakhela abantu izindlu zemixhaso ezibukekayo, kepha ngithanda ukukhuza kulabo abanomhobholo abangafuni inqubekela phambili ababulala izivalo namawindi ezindlu zemixhaso. Intengo yenani likagesi yenyukile kakhulu kulezizinsuku. Abantu abadla imbuya ngothi abazi ukuthi bazothathani bayihlanganise nani, kwazise phela abasebenzi ndawo.
Intengo yokudla nayo imba eqolo ngoba isinkwa sisodwa sesibiza opondo abahlanu imali owawuthenga ngayo inkomo kuqala. Izinto zazisahamba kahle, yeka kusadliwa ngoludala.
Mphakathi omuhle masihlanganeni sibe yimbumba sizame ukwenza amaqoqwana, sikwazi ukwenza umsebenzi ngokuhlanganyela ukuze senze amabhizinisi okungawethu. Ngalokho siyokwazi ukuxosha ikati eziko. IsiZulu sithi “Ubucu obuhle buhamba ngabubili”.
Izikole zethu ziseduze nemizi yethu. Izingane zethu azivamisile ukuhamba amabanga amade uma ziya ezikoleni, kanti nemigwaqo iyalungiswa futhi. Imitholampilo yethu isithuthukisiwe isisezingeni eliphezulu kunaseminyakeni eyedlule, izinto eziningi usuyakwazi ukuzithola khona, ngisho ungayanga ezibhedlela ezinkulu. Imithi usuyakwazi ukuyithola khona, nodokotela bethu basezingeni eliphakeme lokuqeqeshwa kanjalo nabahlengikazi bethu. Imitholampilo yethu ihlanzekile.
Sinemitapo yolwazi esezingeni eliphezulu enazo zonke izincwadi ezidingekayo kanye nama “computer”. Amagalaji amaningi ayavalwa abasebenzi baphelelwa umsebenzi kwazise ukuthi uphethiloli uyaphela. Imali yokugibela Ibiza kakhulu ngoba sekwaba ishumi lopondo ukuya nokubuya eThekwini. Osomabhizinisi kuhle nabo baxhase izikole zethu ngezinto ezidingakalayo ukuze imfundo yethu izoba sezingeni eliphambili.
Amaposi amaningi akhiwe alungiswa ngendlela egculisayo sezaphela leziya zakhiwo zakudala. Amaholo nawo asisiza kakhulu uma kuzoba nomshado noma umngcwabo neminye nje imicimbi enhlobonhlobo. Mphakathi wethu masihlanganeni sithenge amapulazi sifuye (izinkomo, izimbuzi, iziklabhu kanye nezinkukhu) siphinde sitshale nezitshalo ukuze sixoshe ikati eziko. Iningi lethu liphelelwe ngisho izembatho ngoba alisebenzi. Intengo yempahla iyabiza ezitolo yikho nje usubona abantu begqoka izinto ezidabukile.
Our Town, Our Community
Palesa Mohlakoana was the Second Prize Winner in the isiZulu Language Category of the Creative Writing Competition of the eThekwini Municipal Library in 2008.
Part of her story: Since democracy had taken place many things have changed in the universe. Masses of the people had migrated to town seeking interesting greener fields, which had led to over population in the towns and urban areas.
Due to these dynamics lately our environment has faced various crises such as (unemployment, crowded shacks, high rate of crime etc.)
In our days there are places which had turned to NO-GO ZONES just because of the crime rate. Our government is trying to make a difference, but there are some individuals who are opposing development by means of vandalism.
Our city is riding a wagon of progress which may be defined by attractive icons as our beautiful stadium (Moses Mabhida), which gives a nice view of the Indian Ocean. The roads are in construction, if you drive through eThekwini you may observe a glance of development anytime, anywhere or everywhere you go.
Our success is our solidarity, let us empower ourselves by creating initiatives which are going to be driven by us as the community.