Ngiyazi ukuthi ngiyinyathela emsileni uma ngikhuluma ngokuthatha isithembu ngoba lesi ishloko esibucayi kakhulu, kodwa njengensizwa eyazalelwa yaphinda yakhulela kusona isthembu, lesi sihloko ngisithanda kakhulu.

Ngikholelwa ukuthi isithembu siyingxenye yesiko lethu thina ma-Africa okumele siyithathe siyiqhakambise nasempilweni yesimanje ngoba asikho esinye isizwe esilenza kangcono leli siko ngaphandle kwethu thina ndlemnyama.

Cishe wonke umuntu uyazi ngesithembu. Phela isithembu lesi ukuganwa/ukugana. Ngokwethu ukuganwa noma ukugana kungenye yezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu empilweni yomuntu. Ithatheka kalula indoda engaganiwe kanti nasemphakathini iyancisheka amathuba empilo engconywana. Bheka nje ngoba umthetho awuvumi ukuthi indoda engaganiwe isikelwe umhlaba. Kweminye imizi indoda engaganiwe ayilithethi idlozi, kanti kuyaziwa ukuthi indoda noma ingaba ndala kangakanani kodwa uma ingaganiwe idla esibayeni nezinsizwa. Yingakho-ke mina ngithi ukuganwa kuyisiko ngoba ukupheleliswa kwempilo yomuntu kulele kukho. Impela ngikusho kugcwala umlomo ngithi isithembu isiko lethu thina ma-Africa.

Kuleminyaka eyedlule besitshelwa mihla namalanga ngesithembu sika mhlonishwa uZuma, obengumengameli wezwe. Kuphinde kube khona uhlelo lukamabonakude oluyintandokazi oluveza umndeni wakwaMseleku ophila kuso isithembu. Ake ngixoxe ngokuhlukile kulokhu esikubona kumabonakude, nalokhu esikuzwa ezindabeni.

Nonkanyiso Conco, a 24-year-old woman from Ballito, is set to become former president Jacob Zuma’s seventh bride https://t.co/VpI9V5q39d pic.twitter.com/VjePfibrkF

— Times LIVE (@TimesLIVE) April 20, 2018

Kukhona insizwa yakwa-Sibiya eNquthu, eThelezini. Le nsizwa ineminyaka engu-27 nje kuphela kodwa inamakhosikazi amabili nengodosi eyodwa. Izisebenzela umsebenzi ongatheni efemini yensimbi eGoli. Yaganwa umkayo wokuqala umaThwala ineminyaka engu-21. UmaThwala lo ungumhlengikazi eNhlabamkhosi Clinic, eNtinini. Emva kokuganwa, lensizwa yakwa Sibiya ibe isiqonywa intokazi yakwaZondi. UmaZondi bamlobola ngokuhlanganyela benomaThwala. Wayigana lensizwa ineminyaka engu-25. Sikhuluma nje iyalobola kwaMchunu ilobola ingodosi yayo eyenza izifundo zobudokotela enyuvesi yakwaZulu Natal.

Umfoka-Sbiya lo washonelwa abazali esemncane kakhulu, wakhuliswa ugogo wakhe naye osanda kuzishonela. USbiya uthi ukushonelwa abazali esemncane ikona okwamenza wathatha isinqumo sokuganwa isithembu, ukuze aphembe umuzi wakubo ngokushesha.

Lesi s’bonelo siyaveza ukuthi isithembu siba impumelelo kunoma ngabe isiphi isimo sempilo, kanti futhi abantu banezizathu ezingafani zokungena esithenjini. Mhlawumbe ngokuzayo kuzomele kesihlale phansi nabesifazane abasesithenjini, sibabuze izinhloso nezizathu zabo zokungena kuso.

Ngeke sakuphika ukuthi isithembu sinobuhle kanye nobubi. Okuhle ngaso ukuthi abakuso bathola ithuba lokwakha umndeni omkhulu, futhi kuba lula ukubambisana ekubumbeni umndeni kanye nasekukhuliseni izingane uma zikhona. Phela isithembu siyaba impumelelo noma zingekho izingane. Bheka nje ngoba amakhosikazi asesithenjini ayakwazi ukwabelana imisebenzi yasekhaya. Ayakwazi futhi nokunikezelana ngamathuba empilo engcono.

Yize kunjalo, okubi ngesithembu ukuthi abantu bagcina sebethatha ngesinxele uma sebethola abebengakulindele sebengaphakathi kuso, bese kuqubuka izingxabano nezinkulumo ezingapheli.

Engifisa ukukugqamisa ukuthi isithembu siyingxenye yesikompilo lethu thina ma-Africa, kanti okhetha ukungena kuso kumele abe nezizathu kanye nezinhloso ezicacile, abathintekayo bavumelane ngokuphelele nazo.

— by Maqhawe Ngubane