I-Cator Manor indawo eyakhele idolobha laseThekwini yayibizwa ngoMkhumbane. Lendawo iseduze nesibhedlela Inkosi Albert Luthuli. UMkhumbane wawukhona ngeminyaka yawo 1949 ngesikhathi sempi yabantu abamnyama namaNdiya. Ngaleyominyaka lendawo yayinezakhiwo eziyimijondolo eminingi kwakuyikaduka emini. Kwakuhlala kakhulu abantu ababesebenza ezindaweni ezakhele iTheku. Ngaleyominyaka yayingekho imigwaqo kwakusetshenziswa imizila nezindlela zesintu, nenhlanzeko yayingekho wawungafunga ukuthi kwakuhlala izingulube ngenxa yokungcola. Izindlu zangasese zazingekho kwakusetshenziswa amabhakede ukuthutha indle okwakunzima kakhulu ukuthi imoto kamasipala iwakhuculule ngenxa yokwakhiwa kwemijondolo eyayisondelene eduze.
Namanzi ayengekho eduze kwezindlu, abantu babesebenzisa imiqgomo ukuyokha amanzi empompini. Nalapho kwakuthatha isikhathi eside abantu belinde ujenga ukuze bakhe amanzi. Lendawo yaseMkhumbane yayinobugebengu obukhulu. Kwakuye kuthi uma kuyizimpelasonto amaphoyisa ayetakula izidumbu zabantu okwakugcina kungaziwa ukuthi babulewe ngubani? Kwakuye kubonakale ngamanxeba ukuthi umuntu ugwaziwe. Izibhamu zazingandile ngaleyominyaka, kwakwande imibese izintshumentshu, obhushu kanye nokusetshenziswa kwamabhodlela otshwala ukugwaza abantu.
EMkhumbane kwakwande kakhulu amashibhi lapho kwakudayiswa ugavini kanye nesiqatha. Loluhlobo lotshwala lwaluboshelwa kakhulu. Ayethi uma esethelekile amaphoyisa ayithathe yonke imigqomo yotshwala kuboshwe nomnikazi weshibhi lelo.. Phela ngalezo zinsuku iveni yamaphoyisa yayibizwa ngomeleko, amaphoyisa kuthiwa oMqangabhodwe. ayengandile amaphoyisa abantu abamnyama kwakusande amhlophe, namaNdiya.
Iningi labantu ababehlala eMkhumbane babesuka beqhamuka ezindaweni ezahlukene zasemaphandleni. Kuleyo minyaka wawungavunyelwe ukuhlala eThekwini ungenalo incwadi ekuganyazayo eyayaziwa ngokuthi ipasi nesipesheli. Phela isipesheli kwakuyincwajana eyayitholwa emahhovisi eyayikugunyaza ukuthi uhlale eThekwini. Lencwajana yayikalelwe isikhathi esithile umuntu lowo osuke esebenza. Uma isikhathi sesidlulile wawubanjwa uboshwe uvalelwe ejele. Kwabanye abantu sasingekho isikhathi sokuphumula kubalekwa amaphoyisa. Phela iningi labo lalingenalo amapasi kanye nesipesheli.
Abesifazane babedayisa emgwaqeni imifino, inyama yangaphakathi ephekiwe kanye neluhlaza. Abanye babedayisa utshwala ngezikali kwakusuka eskhulu isidumo uma kuqhamuka amaphoyisa, kwakubalekwa kusale inyama phansi kubanjwe obanjwayo. Kuleyo minyaka ugesi wawungekho abantu babekhanyisa ngeziphefu ezifakwa upharafini kanye namakhandlela. Kumnyama ngisho nasezitaladini. Abantu basuswa kulendawo bahanjiswa emalokishini abanye bathuthela eMlazi abaningi baya eNtuzuma. Imijondolo yase idilizwa lendawo yalungiswa kabusha kulendawo sekukhona amalokishi amasha ahlukene iChesterville, Extentsion 1,2,3, Cator Manor, Cator Crest Nomsxha. Sekulungiswe imigwaqo kwafakwa amanzi, ugesi ezindlini ngisho nasezitaladini sekwakhiwe izikole zamabanga ahlukene namahholo aphambili kanye nenxanxathela yezitolo ukuze abantu bakwazi ukufeza izidingo zabo.
English Summary
Many years ago Cator Manor was known as Mkhumbane Many people who resided in the area were in Durban for work. During that time for people to be in the big city they needed a pass which gave them authority to be in the big city. Some people did not renew their documents and were always running away from the police. In Mkhumbane there was no electricity, running water and sanitation was very poor. It was hard for the municipality to access the area because it has many shacks and there were no roads separating them. Thugs used the geography to pick pocket those who were coming from work Crime was very high. Women were selling vegetables, illegal alcohol drinks and cooked meat on the side of the roads. But when the police van was approaching they ran away to avoid being arrested either for selling alcohol or for not having necessary documentation. People were moved to Umlazi and Ntuzuma and the area was developed for Indian Communities who continue to live there. Since then a lot of changes can be noticed like every house have running water, electricity, schools and shopping centres.
By: Thembi Mkhize