Ngu ZONGEZILE MATSHOBA, umphathi we-Education and Public Programmes e-Amazwi South African Museum of Literature
Isithongo sokuwa kwakhona komnye umbhali wesiXhosa esisulungekileyo ngowama-30 kuNovemba 2022 nobesaze ngobuso ezweni, uCebo Solombela (1988 – 2022) kusishiya sothukile. Ngokwesibhengezo esikhutshwe ngabakwa-Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) kumakhasi onxibelelwano, okaSolombela uya kubekwa kwikhaya lakhe lokugqibela ngowe-17 Disemba 2022 eZazulwana, eGcuwa. IZazulwana yaziwa kakhulu ngencwadi yedrama ka-W.K. Thamsanqa edume kunene ethi, Buzani Kubawo. Le ncwadi nefundwa kwibanga leshumi ikhe yadlalwa eqongeni, futhi yenziwa kwanomdlalo kanomathotholo.
Lo kaSolombela nokhulele eMdantsane ebexhaphakile eRhini, equqa ebuyelela ingakumbi ngethuba leminyhadala yokubalisela abantwana amabali, i-Puku. Wayencedisa kakhulu ekukhokheleni iinkqubo zalomnyhadala nowawukhokelwa ngumama uElinor Sisuslu. Udyushile eqongeni encanca amava kumagqala anjengooGcina Mhlophe nooSindiwe Magona.
Uthando lwakhe loluncwadi, ingakumbi olwabantwana lwambuyisela eRhini kwakhona ngowama-2016. Ngeloxesha i-Amazwi South African Museum of Literature yayisingathe iqela i-Book Dash nelivelisa iincwadi zabantwana abancinci ngeeyure ezilishumi elinambini kwilanga elinye qwaba. Apho uSolombela wabhala eyakhe ethi ‘Umbovane Owonqenayo’ (2016). Loo ncwadi, nesele iguqulelwe nakwezinye iilwimi, iyafumaneka simahla kwisayithi yabakwa-Book Dash.
OkaSolombela ukhe waxelenga kwiqumrhu i-Nelson Mandela Institute for Education and Rural Development neyinxalenye yeSebe eliseMonti leDyunivesithi yase-Fort Hare. Umsebenzi wakhe apho wawuquka ukuphuhlisa ulwimi nokukhuthaza ukufunda kumasipala i-OR Tambo ingakumbi eQunu, eBizana naseMqanduli. Nanjengamhleli kwakunye nomcwangcisi wencwadi, uSolombela ukwancedisile apho kwaNokholeji kwincwadi ethi ‘Uhambo lukaQhama’ (2018).
Lo mbhali nombalisi wamabali waziwa kakhulu ngombongo wakhe ochubekileyo othi, ‘Mandiqinis’umqolo Ndiqonde Ngqo’. Lo mbongo unesiXhosa esingangxengwanga ukhe wapapashwa nakukhuphiswano i-Avbob Poetry Project.
Mandiqinise Umqolo
Mandiqinise umqolo ndiqonde ngqo,
kuba ingqiqo ndiyigqibile
Ndiqiqile, ndilaqaza, ndiqhubeka, ndisiza ngqo
Ndabashiya bequmbile, basuka baququzela
bengqunga, begquba
Mandiqinise umqolo niqonde ngqo
Isiqhelo siyoyisil’ingqondo.
Kum badibene nomqobo, bayabhuqeka
Ndizakuba qhuqha imiqolo ze ndibondle
ngamasi oqobo, ndibaqhawul’uqhoqho
Ndibaxhesha ngezixando, ndibe ndibaxakathise
imifanekiso ntekelelo, babile bathi xhopho
Ndibe ndixhelelw’’eXhukwane, ndixhosa
isiXhosa esingangxengwanga
Batsho bangxengxeze
Kaloku ungenile umXhosa, ligama
Unixhelel’ixhwane khon’ukuze nixazulul’ingxaki
Ezixananazileyo kulomzi kaXhosa
Xhosani ke ningaxhali kuba ndilixhwele kulamagama
Xhwithani, nixhwithelana, nixazulula
Iingxaki ezixananazileyo apha kaXhosa
Kaloku ndininikile umhlahla-ndlela
Ze ningaxhwitha-xhwithani
Nigragrama nigragramelana
Nijongene ngeikhondo zamehlo
Khumbula
Luxhwitha-xhwithwano
Wonk’ubani ufuna isikhundla
IiNkosi, iiKumkani nditsho nezithwalandwe
Zixhwithana, zixholana, zixhelana
Zikrwempana, zikrwitshana, zikrazulelana
Zinyolana, zinyoba, zidyobhana, zityholana
Zigragrama, zigragramelana
Zijongene ngezikhondo zamehlo
Kaloku apho encotsheni, kulapho
Lifumaneka khona inqatha
Kufumaneka oohlohl’esakhe, kulapho
Wonk’ubani atsalela kwelakhe icala
Kusegcibhala, eKanana, elizweni ledinga
Wonke umntu utya ayithandayo
Ngeloxesha apha ezantsi
Iimpula zikalujaca, zabela, zisohlulelana ngesihlunu
Zileqana, ziqengqana, zibhuqana, zibhukuqana
Phezu koluthuthu lwendlala
Ziqamele ngengqiniba kuphel’ingqiqo ukuqonda
Kungqongophele nenqatha etafileni
Zibuqeka zibhukuqeka phezu kwaloqaqaqa
Kwaqhawuk’uqhoqhoqho
Ngeloxesh’abagqada-mbekweni,
Bayaquq’ebhekileni, ziyazal’ezabo iipokotho
Phofu imiqol’ivelile
Ngelabo bathi basigqibile, basiqengqel’ugodo
Kodwa sibakrobele
Babhinqele phezulu
Bayaququzela basithembisa ngobo obungcono
Kodwa babhibhidl’amazinyo
Kaloku izinyo eliqaqambayo liviwa ngumninilo
Ndithetha indlala nentswelo misebenzi
Mandiqinis’umqolo ndiqonde ngqo
I-Amazwi ithi ngxe kusapho, izalamane zakwaSolombela, kwakunye nezihlobo naye wonke omnye umntu othe waneyweba yokuhlangana asebenzisane nelitsha-ntliziyo lolwimi lwesimXhosa. Yanga umphefumlo wakhe ungaphumla ngoxolo.
