John Langalibalele Dube was a publisher, an educator, an editor and he the founder of Ohlange High School at Inanda. John Dube was also known as Mafukuzela named by the community of Inanda. Mafukuzela died on the 11th of February 1946. The Mafukuzela Day was started on the 11th of February 1958 by Reverend BK Mndlandla who knew Mafukuzela because he used to visit his church during Easter service. He saw that it was important to commemorate the life of JL Dube for his commitment in helping other people in the community. This day is an important part of the school calendar. The school invites the members of the Dube family, the founder of the celebration Rev BK Mndlandla and other dignitaries to be part of the celebration. Learners are always in full uniform on this day.
Paying respect to JL Dube
The day starts with a proceeding to the tombstone of JL Dube. Learners and teachers form a guard of honour which is led by two learners carrying a wreath to be placed on the tombstone. All dignitaries are part of this. Matriculants are asked to be at the front just after the two learners who are carrying the wreath. Then the principal asks Rev BK Mndlandla to open in prayer and after the prayer the principal tells the story of John Langalibalele Dube. This is mainly done to inform the new learners of the person who started the school and to announce new rules for the school especially the change in uniform.
Lulu Dube and BK Mndlandla lay the wreath on the tombstone and Lulu communicates with her father telling him about what is happening and asking for his blessing and to bless all the learners especially matriculants.
Thoughts for day by educators and learners
Mr Boysie Mthethwa an educator at Ohlange High School said: ‘It is important that we celebrate this day. I wish that the whole country can also celebrate it because of the work that Mafukuzela did for the nation and not only for the community of Ohlange.”
One of the learners Olga Mkhize, 16 in Grade 9 said that: “In the beginning I did not care about this day. But now we like it. We are the ones who remind our educators about this day so that they can prepare. I would like to see more community members to be part of the celebration because some of them don’t know much about Mafukuzela.”
IsiZulu Summary: Usuku lukaMafukuzela Ohlange High School, Inanda
UJohn Langalibalele Dube owayaziwa ngoMafukuzela ngenxa yokusebenzela kwakhe umphakathi wayenguthisha, engumbhali, engumhleli wamaphepha futhi engumqali wesikole samabanga aphezulu esaziwa ngOhlange High School endaweni yaseNanda. UMafukuzela washona ngonyaka ka 1946 ku February 11.
Usuku lokubungaza impilo yakhe lwaqala mhlaka 11 February 1958 luqalwa ngu Mfundisi BK Mndlandla. UMfundisi BK Mndlandla wamazi uMafukuzela ngesikhathi esavakashela ibandla ayeliphethe ngalelosikhathi uma benezinkonzo ezinkulu njengePhasika kanye nenkonzo kaJuly. Lolusuku lubalulekile empilweni yalesisikole. Kumenywa izicukuthwane eziningi njalo ngalolusuku njengomndeni kaMafukuzela, uBK Mndlandla nabanye.
Ukuhlonipha impilo kaMafukuzela
Usuku luqalwa ngokuthi bonke abafundi nothisha bahambe ngokuhlonipha baye ethuneni likaMafukuzela beholwa ngabafundi ababili umfana nentombazane bephethe imbali eyisikhumbuzo. Uthishanhloko uyaye abone kubalulekile ukuthi abafundi abenza ibanga leshumi kube yibo ababa ngaphambili ukuze bacelelwe izibusiso zokwenza kahle emsebenzini wabo wesikole.
UMfundisi BK Mndlandla uyaye avule ngomthandazo bese kukhulunywa ngempilo kaMafukuzela. Uma sekuqediwe izinkulumo indodakazi kaMafukuzela uLulu Dube uthatha imbali elekelelwa nguBK Mndlandla bayibeke phezu kwethuna likaMafukuzela bese ekhuluma noyise ngokuhlonipha emazisa ngabahlangene ngakho acele nezibusiso.
Okwenzakalayo ngosuku lukaMafukuzela
Ngemuva komsebenzi wasethuneni kuba khona izinto ezenziwayo njengokucula amaqembu ahlukene ehholo lesikole. Lolusuku futhi lusetshenziselwa ukumemezela ngezinguquko zesikole. Njengokushintshwa komfaniswano emabangeni athize. Kumenywa nabacula abasebandleni lamaNazaretha ukuzonandisa. Abantu bomphakathi bathola nethuba lokuyobona umuzi kaMafukuzela bafunde nangezinto abezenza endaweni. Obasiza ngolwazi oluphelele uMandla ongumsebenzi wesikhungo sikaMafukuzela.
Okucatshangwa ngothisha nabafundi ngalolusuku
Sikhulume nothisha ofundisa khona oHlange amabanga aphansi uneminyaka emithathu efundisa kulesikole. “Kubalulekile ukuthi kubungazwe lolusuku lukaMafukuzela. Ngiyafisa ukuthi iNingizimu Afrika ilubungaze lolusuku njengoba uJL wenza imisebenzi emihle eyenzele isizwe sonke hhayi abantu basOhlange kuphela.” Boysie Mthethwa
Olga Mkhize oneminyaka engu16 ofunda uGrade 9 nongumfundi kulesisikole yena uthi “Lolusuku ngangikade ngingalunaki esikhathini esingaphambili. Manje sesiyaluthanda ngoba sesazi kabanzi ngomlando walolusuku. Thina besizidlalela nje. Yithina esesikwazi ukuthi sikhumbuze othisha ukuthi bangakhohlwa ukuthi usuku luyeza kufanele bahlele kahle yonke into. Ngingathannda ukuthi abantu basendaweni yasoHlange baziswe ukuze bakwazi ukuthi babeyingxenye yalolusuku olubalulekile. Nokuthi abantu bafundiswe endaweni ngemisebenzi ayenzayo uMafukuzela”.
Our forgotten Hero’s and heroen’s, its great that their are initiatives to commomerate them.
Few is being said about the black hero.ANC seem to forget about him and the role he played in the black community.
we all have to remember our heroes nothing more than that
what a shame that south africa does not honour its true hero’s of the struggle.
It gives me some suspicion why a man of such status is not honoured accordingly.
A wonderful day indeed, with such a rich history of our fallen heroes. I was part this famous high school during the leadership of the Great SD NGCOBO in the 70’s