Ukungawutholi umsebenzi kugqugquzele uNksz Bongiwe Mchunu oneminyaka ewu-29 waseShowe, KwaZulu-Natali, ukuthi aqale enze into ayithanda selokhu kwathi nhlo – ukulima.
Nakuba afunda i-agricultural science esikoleni samabanga aphezulu, uNksz Mchunu uneziqu zobunjiniyela bukagesi zaseCoastal KZN TVET College eThekwini. Wayehlele ukusebenza emkhakheni wobunjiniyela iminyaka embalwa ngaphambi kokuthi angene kwezolimo.
“Angibanga nenhlanhla yokuthola umsebenzi, ngakho ukungasebenzi kungenze ngaqala ngalokhu okuncane enginakho. Ngilima i-butternut, ubhontshisi namakhowe emhlabeni ongamahekthare ayisihlanu eShowe,” kusho yena.
UNksz Mchunu uthi nakuba enomhlaba ongamahekthare awu-15, akawusebenzisi wonke okwamanje ngenxa yokuswela imishini nemali.
Uqale ukulima amahekthare ayisihlanu ngonyaka odlule emva kokubona isidingo sokudayisela umphakathi wangakubo amaveji. Nokho uke wantshontshelwa epulazini lakhe kwebiwa uthango oluwu-1 000 metres, okwaholela ekufohleni kwezinkomo zadla izitshalo zakhe.
“Kwaba buhlungu, ikakhulukazi ngoba ngangisanda kuziqalela. Ukusebenzisa imali ukulungisa uthango kunokuthenga imbewu kungihlehlisele emuva kodwa bengingeke ngikwazi ukuphonsa ithawula,” kusho yena.
Uvuke wazithatha
Wengeze ngokuthi enye inselelo abhekane nayo wukushoda kwezinsizakusebenza esigodini sakubo nasezindaweni abakhelene nazo. Kuyabiza ukuqasha ugandaganda ngoR8 000 ngosuku uzowusebenzisa amahora ambalwa uthutha ngawo futhi usebenza epulazini.
“Njengoba ngiwumlimi osafufusa anginawo amandla okuzithengela ugandaganda. Ngisathembele kugandaganda kahulumeni noma ekuwuqasheni.”
Yize zikhona lezi zinselelo, ukwazile ukuthola ikhasimende elikhulu – iDurban fresh produce market. “Ngingathi yiyona nto enkulu esengiyizuzile, njengoba sazi sonke ukuthi lena yiyona nselelo enkulu esibhekene nayo singabalimi abasafufusa.
“Eminyakeni emithathu ezayo sizogxila ekwandiseni umkhiqizo wethu ukuze sidayisele ezinye izifundazwe namazwe angomakhelwane. Sinezifiso ezinkulu kanti asisabi lutho ngoba sikholwa wukuthi sizonqoba,” kusho yena ngeqholo.
Amandla ezinkundla zokuxhumana
Amandla ezinkundla zokuxhumana amtholele amanye amakhasimende kanti uNksz Mchunu ukholwa wukuthi angasiza abalimi abaningi abancane ukuthi bafinyelele ezindaweni ezikude okungafinyeleleki kuzona mathupha.
“Okungisize kakhulu wukukhangisa ibhizinisi lami ezinkundleni zokuxhumana njengoba sengithole amanye amakhasimende amasha emphakathini.”
UNksz Mchunu uthi njengoba engumlimi wesifazane omncane endaweni yasemakhaya, izinsizakusebenza ngenye yezinto ezimqoka kanti unxusa uhulumeni ukuthi ulekelele ngazo ngoba zibalulekile ukuze umsebenzi uhambe kahle.
Uhulumeni nemboni ezimele baneqhaza elibalulekile ukuqinisekisa ukuthi abalimi abasafufusa bagcina sebengabalimi abakhulu ukuze kube nokudla okwanele ezweni,” kwengeza yena.
Zilungiselele ukubhekana nezinselelo
“Kwabafisa ukuqala ukulima ngingabeluleka ngokuthi asikho isikhathi esifanele sokuqala, qala ngonakho.
“Ukuxhaswa ngemali kuzokusiza uma usuqalile kanti okubalulekile wukuthi ungadikibaliswa yizinselelo ozohlangabezana nazo, bonke abalimi bayabhekana nazo,” kweluleka yena.
UNksz Mchunu uthi ukulima yibhizinisi elidinga ulwazi, ukucobelelana nabanye nokucathuliswa. Ukhuthaza abalimi abancane ukuthi babuze indlela kwabaphambili.
“Into ebalulekile nengakwenza uhluke kwabanye abalimi wukuqinisekisa ukuthi umkhiqizo wakho unohlonze, hhayi ukunaka kakhulu umthamo womkhiqizo,” kusho yena.
FUNDA FUTHI: UMarvellous Mzinzi wenza ezibukwayo ekubeni wumlimi nosokhemisi
