Ngesikhathi elusa izimbuzi zikamkhulu wakhe esigodini saseLimpopo, iLissa-Gakgare, eminyakeni engaphezu kwewu-30 edlule uMnuz Mahlatse Manamela, wayeye azibone naye ngelinye ilanga enepulazi elithi yena futhi edayisa umkhiqizo wakhe ezweni lonke.
Ugogo nomkhulu bakaManamela babefuyile izimbuzi nezimvu ababeziphilisa ngazo kodwa yena wayenesifiso sokwenza okungaphezu kwalokhu. Isifiso sakhe kwakuwukuba umlimi onebhizinisi elikhulu.
“Kusukela ngiwumfana omncane ngangazi ukuthi ngifisa ukuba nepulazi ngoba uthando lwezolimo lwangingena ngineminyaka eyisihlanu. Ngangifuna ukuba nemfuyo yami futhi ngidayisele izindawo ezihlukene ezweni,” usho kanje ekhumbula.
FUNDA FUTHI: Ukuthi uMokgadi wawalaxaza kanjani amaqhoks wakhetha amabhuzu ukuze akhe umcebo
Ngo-2008 wanquma ukufuya izinkomo wabe esethenga izinkomo ayezifuye emhlabeni wendawo eLissa-Gakgare. Emva kweminyaka embalwa, umkhulu wakhe wamupha izimbuzi ngesikhathi eshada.
Uthando lokutshala amaveji lumngene ngo-2012 kanti waqala ngokutshala amazambane, iklabishi, ispinashi ne-mustard spinach.
Njalo ngoMsombuluko emva kwamasonto amabili, uManamela udayisa ispinashi, imustard spinach neklabishi eSpar naseBoxer eBochum, Limpopo.
Uthemba ukuthi iklabishi uzolidayisa naseGauteng ngoba utshale iklabishi eliningi. Utshale ukutshala ukotini ngoNovemba nyakenye kanti yiwona asegxile kuwo.
“Indlela engingene ngayo kukotini ukuthi ngibonile ukuthi ukotini uyamila ekhaya. Kodwa lona omilayo ekhaya yilona okuthiwa i wild cotton. Ngakho ngibe sengiya kwi-internet ngayocwaninga ukuthi ‘utshalwa kanjani ukotini’? Ngithole inombolo yocingo yeCotton SA. Ngibe sengithola inombolo yocingo ka(Mnuz) Tertius Schoeman ngamshayela ucingo, wangiphendula wabe esehlela ukuthi sihlangane emahhovisi aseCotton SA ePitoli
“Ngafika khona wase enginika lonke ulwazi oludingayo ukuqala utshale ukotini, uwutshala nini, uwuchelela kanjani…Wangitshela yonke into engithanda engidinga ukuyazi ngokutshala ukotini. Wabe esengixhumanisa nabase-Better Cotton wase ethi ‘Uma ukotini wakho usulungile, uwuyise khona’.”
UManamela waqala ukutshala ukotini ngoNovemba ngonyaka odlule kanti kwathi kusephakathi naleyo nyanga waphinda uSchoeman wamthinta, kulokhu wayesefuna ukuza epulazini.
“Saya sonke epulazini. Wafika, wahlola umhlabathi futhi wawuthanda. Kuthe uma kuqhubeka isikhathi, bengilokhu ngimtshela ukuthi kuqhubeka kanjani futhi bengimthumelela izithombe ngoWhatsApp bese engitshela ‘Faka lo muthi, faka lo manyolo’ ukuphucula ukotini wami.”
UManamela udayisa ukotini efemini kakotini eLoskop, eMpumalanga. Uthi kulula ukulima ukotini, uthi futhi kulula ngisho kuneklabishi ngoba iklabishi kufanele lifakwe umanyolo nezibulalimagciwane njalo ngesonto.
Nokho, nalo lolu hambo lwakhe lunezinselelo. Ipulazi lakhe eliseLimpopo liqhele kakhulu neLoskop Cotton eMpumalanga. Esigodini sangakubo ayashoda amanzi.
Izinselelo uzishaya indiva
Kuyamdumaza ukuthi ibhizinisi lakhe liyaphazamiseka ngenxa yokucinywa kukagesi.
“Ugesi ucinywa kakhulu eLimpopo. Uma kukhona abantu abathwala kanzima kakhulu ngenxa yokucinywa kukagesi, yithina ezindaweni zasemakhaya, liyaphela usuku singenawo ugesi futhi kuyasihlupha kakhulu.
“Nginepitsi engidonsa kulo amanzi ukuze ngichelele izitshalo zami. Njengoba ugesi ucinywa kuba nzima ukwenza njalo futhi eLimpopo kuyashisa kakhulu. Uma kudlula usuku ungazichelele izitshalo zakho, ngakusasa zisuke seziqala ukufa.”
UManamela uthi usethenge amathangi eJojo amane ukuze axazulule le nkinga. Noma yinini uma ethola ithuba uyaqinisekisa ukuthi amanzi akawafaki ngqo emhlabathini kodwa uwafaka ethangini okusiza ngokuthi uma ugesi uhamba, usuke enamanzi enele.
“Kungcono ezindaweni zasemadolobheni ugesi uhamba amahora amabili. Indlela okwenzeka ngayo ezindaweni zasemakhaya njengaseLimpopo, ayiqondakali, ugesi uvele uhambe nje. Uke uhambe ngo-5 ntambama uze ubuye ngakusasa ngo-9 ekuseni, ngakho lawo mathangi ayasiza.”
Yize zikhona lezi zinselelo, ipulazi lakhe likhulile laba amahekthare amane kusukela eqale ukulima ngo-2008. Ayimumangalisi indlela asekhule ngayo, kakade ukulima yinto esegazini emndenini wakhe.
“Yinto yezizukulwane. Into eyaqalwa umkhulu wami owadlulisela kubaba wami. Kuthe uma ubaba eseshonile, kwase kuba yimina othatha izintambo.”
FUNDA FUTHI: Leli qhawe lezolimo lithuthukisa abalimi abasafufusa abawu-120
Thola Izindaba zoShintsho: Izindaba ezigqugquzelanayo ngabantu abondla uMzansi.
