Umfula Ezimbokodweni

Umfula owaziwa ngokuthi Izimbokodo noma Ezimbokodweni ugeleza uqhamuka endaweni yaseMbumbulu wehle njalo uhlukanise ilokishi laseMlazi ingxenye okuthiwa uBB kanye nendawo yasemakhaya eyaziwa ngokuthi iseFolweni. Abantu abakhelene nalomfula baxhaseka ndlela zonke ekutheni baphile mihla namalanga.

Umfula lona usetshenziswa ukukha amanzi okugeza izimpahla, izimoto. Ubuye futhi usetshenziswe ekutheni labo abanamabhizinisi okwakha izitini bawakhe eduze amanzi. Kuchelelwa ngawo izitshalo, nezingadi zakhona zisondele impela kulomfula ukuze abantu bangahambi ibanga elide ukukha amanzi okuchelela izitshalo zabo.

Lomfula ngaphesheya kwawo kukhona intaba enkulu eyaziwa ngokuthi iNtabankulu egudla lomfula. Inehlathi eliyihlokozi lapho kunezinyamazane zasendle. Imfuyo yabantu balapha iye igudle lentaba iyophuza kuyo Izimbokodo kanye nezinyamazane ezikulo lelihlathi. Abantu abakhele phezu kwalentaba bagibela izimoto eziya edolobheni ngaphesheya komfula elokishini kwa BB noma beya esikoleni ezikulona lelilokishi. Kuningi okuwusizo labantu basemakhaya okuphoqa labantu bawelele kuleli lokishi ukusizakala. Umtholampilo oseduzane, amaphoyisa, izitodlwana ezingcono nokunye.

Sekube nezigemegeme lapho abantu uma bethi bayawela, kakhulukazi ehlobo uma line kakhulu wagcwala lomfula, kwemuka izingane nabadala. Kanti namabhuloho asemaningana aseshanelwe izikhukhula kuwo lomfula. Lamabhuloho ilawa ezinyawo lawa ashaneleke kulezi zikhathi zezimvula. Uma ugcwele umfula udla izindodli, abantu bayakekela ngaphansi kwalentaba bayowelela kuleli bhuloho lezimoto elixhumanisa iFolweni kanye noBB elingenhla komfula. Leli lona lakhiwa laqina ngenxa yokuthi elezimoto.

Umnumzane Makhanya wakwa BB yena useduze naleli bhuloho lezinyawo futhi unengadi yakhe egudla khona emfuleni. Usewabonile akhiwa ashaneleke waze wabona naleli elisha. Ngenxa yezigameko eziningikazi nezikhalo zomphakathi ngengozi yalomfula, sekwakhiwe elisha ibhuloho lezinyawo, ukuphakama kwalo kungalinganiselwa emamitheni angu 4.5 bese ubude balo kuba u 100m ububanzi kuba u 2m. Leli lihloliwe laphasiswa.

Abantu manje sebewela ngenkulu injabulo nokuphepha. Leli elingenhla lezimoto lona ukuphakama lingaba amamitha amabili, ububanzi libe ngu 15 m ubude libe ngu 22m. Uma lomfula ugcwele amanzi ayakwazi ukuhamba ngaphezu kwalo ngaphandle kokusabisa ngengozi. Izingane zithola nokuzijabulisa kuwona ngoba ziyadoba phela kuwona lomfula zibuye zibhukude khona lapha. Lokhu kwenza lomfula ube nesasasa kubantu abakhelene nawo lomfula.

The River Ezimbokodweni

This river starts from the top at a place called Mbumbulu and flows all the way to the sea, separating the semi rural area Umlazi BB section and Folweni. This river supports the people of this area in many ways, such as providing water for cleaning their cars or doing their washing. It also helps people who make bricks, water the plants, for fishing purposes, feeding animals and bush bucks. It also serves as entertainment means where the youth enjoys a swim when the weather is hot.

There are two bridges between uMlazi and Folweni and the people of eNtabankulu. The people that live at Ntabankulu often depend on the transport to town which is at the township, hence they have to cross this river to get to the township. This township also supports these people with a number of needs such as polices access, clinics, schools and many other things. Hence people are forced to cross this river everyday of their lives.

When the weather is bad and it had been raining hard, the river rises and makes it impossible for these people to cross this river. Then they have to walk along the river to the top where there is another bridge which is used for cars and people. That bridge is about 2m high, 15m in breadth and 22m long . Although it is a distance to walk, there is no other choice they have besides staying home.

A new bridge has just been built for these people and this bridge will withstand any storm that may come along. The height of this one is about 4.5m, 2m breadth and 100m length. People of this area have welcomed this gift with great appreciation as they had anticipated and requested it a long time ago.

Mr Makhanya, a resident from eMlazi who lives at BB section near the river, has also testified to the horrors and dangers that have been caused by this river before the building of the new bridge. He has a vegetable garden which he treasures and finds pleasure at looking after. The form of irrigation is they collect a number of empty containers and they fill them with water. Then they keep them along the bedside of the garden.

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