Umlando ka 21 March, usuku lokukhumbula amalungelo abantu.
Ngonyaka we-1960 mhlaka 21 March, umhlaba waphosa amehlo eNingizimu Afrika emva kwesihluku esavezwa nguhulumeni wobandlululo ngenkathi amaphoyisa ayesebenzele lo mbutho edubula ebulala ababhikishi bebala elimnyama endaweni yaseSharpeville, eGoli.
Abantu abayi-69 bafela khona lapho, kwalimala abangaphezu kwamakhulu amabili, okwakubalwa kubona izingane nabantu besifazane. Imibiko iveza ukuthi abantu abaningi badutshulwa emhlane, okukhombisa ukuthi babebaleka benganazikhali zokubulala futhi bengalwi namaphoyisa.
Laba babhikisha babekhalaza ngokuphoqwa kwabantu abamnyama ukuthi mabaphathe amapasi ngempoqo uma behambela izindawo zasemadolobheni nalezo ezikhethwe nguhulumeni.
Namhlanje lolu usuku luka 21 March 1960 lubungazwa ngokuthi wusuku lwamalungelo abantu, phecelezi i-Human Rights Day.
Umculo
Ngokuchaza kwabacwaningi umculo wadlala indima enkulu kakhulu ekukhuthazeni umzabalazo. Kanjalo ke udlala indima enkulu ekukhumbuleni izigameko ezifana nenhlekelele yaseSharpeville.
Lapha ngaphansi ngifake ama-lyrics elinye lama culo aziwa kakhulu ngomzabalazo, futhi ashiwo kakhulu uma kukhunjulwa labo abafela inkululeko yeNingizimu Afrika. Le miculo ixoxa ngobuhlungu nangomlando leli lizwe ladlula kuwona ukuze lifike kulesigaba eselikulo manje. Nali elinye lamaculo adlale indima enkulu ekuxoxeni umlando waseNingizimu Afrika.
Nongqongqo
Bahleli bonke etilongweni,
(They are together in prison)
Bahleli bonke kwaNongqongqo [x4]
(They are together at Nongqongqo – name of a South Africa prison at the time)
Yi Yi..Yi (sound of weeping)
Halala (sound of exclamation)
Nangu, nangu uSobukwe,
(Here, here is Sobukwe)
Nangu, nangu etilongweni [x2]
(Here, here he is in prison)
Yi…..ni bawo Luthuli,
(Why, why Father Luthuli?)
Hhayi uzotheni, uzotheni?
(What have you done wrong?)
Nangu, nangu uMandela,
(Here, here is Mandela)
Nangu, nangu uSisulu
(Here, here is Sisulu)
Nangu, nangu etilongweni [x2]
(Here, here he is in prison)
Yi…..ni wema Afrika,
(Why, why Africans?)
Hhayi uzotheni, uzotheni? [x2]
(What have you done wrong?)
Bahleli bonke etilongweni,
(They are together in prison)
Bahleli bonke kwaNongqongongqo
(They are together at Nongqongqo)
Brief overview
The above article, in remembrance of the 21 March 1960 Sharpeville Massacre offers a brief background of the events of that dreadful day where 69 civilians were shot dead by the police of the apartheid regime and where over 200 civilians were wounded. This included women and children. However, the gist of the article lies in the fact that it commemorates the role of music in the anti-apartheid struggle. An example of an anti-apartheid song is included. The lyrics of Nongqongo, an anti-apartheid song largely perpetuated by the legendary Miriam Makeba, together with literal English translations are included in the article.