Bongani Gxilishe: 30 September 1965 – 16 July 2021.

Zukhanye, nkosikazi yabaThembu, abantwana baka Bongani, Sechaba no Zoxolo, mzi wamaDlomo, iinkosi ezilapha, usapho lakwa Gxilishe, nelakwa Mdodana, abathembu ngokubanzi, amazotsho akhoyo apha, nama Bhele, abahlali balapha kuledolophu, abahlali bephondo, izihlobo zika Bongani, ogxa bakhe ngokwe torho, imibutho yomzabalazo, nawo wonke, umntu olapha, ndiyazibulisela ngegama lenkosi yethu uYesu Krestu. Mzi ka Phalo, masivumelaneni ngazwi linye, ukuba,

Silahlekelwe!

Senzakele!

Kubuhlungu!

Iintliziyo zethu zingamahlwili!

Inyembezi zinqumleza umbombo!

Sixheleke emiphefumlweni!

Sishiywe yindoda, emadodeni, sishiywe yinkokheli enobulumko, enobuntu.

Eli luduma elingophiyo, inxeba elinzulu, inxeba lentshuntsha, singxwelerhekile, siphefumla kwa ngelonxeba.

Yintoni na le isenzakalise kangaka ngokuhamba kwalendedeba yakwa Gxilishe?

• Inyani emsulwa ithi sisisizwe ezi bhadulayo, silahlekile, sifuna umkhomba ndlela, lo yena kanye wayeshiyelwe lo mkhomba ndlela ngo Govan Mbeki, Raymond Mhlaba, Ivy Gcina namanye amaqhawe, usishiyile, kazi sokhokhelwa ngubani xa kunje?

• Sisisizwe esisebumyameni, kumnyama tshu, isibane ebesikhanyisa, sikhanyisela abanzinzi, sicimile, indlela sizakuyibona njani ehamba nje uMadiba?

• Singabantu abanxaniweyo, sizifumana sikwinkqantosi, lomthombo besesithembele kuwo utshile, kazi sokuwafumana phi amanzi aphilisayo?

• Bawo uMantini, singabantu abalambileyo, indlala iyagquba, ikati ilele eziko, nalombele, besithembele kuwo uthathiwe, sodla ni na, nenzala yethu. ?

• Zange sayibona enje imbalela, ilanga ligqats’ubhobhoyi, lomthi, ebesiphumla phantsi kwawo, umthi oneziqhamo, osipha nomthunzi, kunamhlanjenje lomthi, ugawulwe, sosithela phi na ngoku?

Mzi wakwantu, sinxunguphele nje, sidakumbile nje, sibindekile nje kungokuba sicinyelwe isibane sokhanyiso; sitshelwe ngumthombo wamanzi, sigawulelwe umthi ebesiphumlela kuwo, yaye kwaxuthwa nombele ebesincanca kuwo, sohlukana nenkokheli ibisobonisa indlela.

Umbhali weculo lama Wesile, uthi xa echaza imeko enje

“ Bona izwe lakowethu;
Uxolele izono zalo;
Ungayithobi ingqumbo yakho;
Hleze lufe usapho lwakho;”

U nyawontle, u Bawo u Mantini, uyakusibopha ngemasikwenze xa kunje, ukuze singalahli ithemba nangalomzuzu unzima unje. Eyam indima kukuchazela yena, njengogqirha wezulu, ukuba kubuhlungu ndawoni na. Kodwa ke somelezwa ngomyalezo othi, “ Ezintsizini zethu, iliso liya bona, kuba inceba zakhe zimi ngonaphakade.”

Ndingqinele bawo u Litha Jolobe xa ndisithi amaxhosa athi, inkomo yenqoma, yintsengwebheka. UBongani Gxilishe ebe yilonkomo yenqoma. Sisengile, sanya izapholo, sahlutha, safunda kuye, savuna lukhulu kuye, sichamla kumava nolwazi lakhe; sifumene inxaso yakhe ngamaxesha anzima, sibubonile ubugorha bakhe ngexesha sisilwa ingcinezelo. Kube mnandi sade salibala nokubheka bheka, kwade kwafika usuku ebesingalilindelanga, ukufika komniniyo esikhumbuza ukuba lenkomo besiyi bolekiwe.

Ufikile umniniyo wayithatha lenkomo eyisa kwikhaya layo lokugqibela.

Thina besingazi ixesha nomzuzu, kodwa ngoku xa sibuyela emva sizikisa ukucinga, siyabona ukuba uMthembu ebepakishile, izinto zakhe ezilungisile, ngoba elakhe ikhaya lisezulwini.

Ngelixa uthixo ebesiboleke yena, wenze izinto ezingumangaliso uMthembu, ngexesha lakhe lokuphila emhlabeni, icekwa lilele nathi.

Ndikhawulezile, ixesha lixhatshwe yinja nje, mandikhankanye ezinye izinto azenzileyo, ezikhankanyekayo ngo Mthembu;

• Umthandile, wamhlonipha, wamnakekelela, emtefisa, wamonga nasebudaleni uMama wakhe uMambhele, unyaniseke mjengonyana kwada kwasekugcineni;

• Ubathandile, wabahlonipha, wabaxhasa oodade wabo, wakhulisa, ethanda nabatshana bakhe kakhulu;

• Uyilelwe inkululeko yalapha eMzantsi Africa sihamba naye lonke eliphondo le Mpumakoloni, sileqwa ngamapolisa, singalali emakhaya, siphila ubomi bentshontsho;

• Uyithandile imfundo ubomi bakhe bonke, efunda ko Govan Mbeki, Harry Kani, nakwi universities ezininzi ebalasele, egqwesa kwizifundo zakhe;

• Usithandile, usicebisile, usixhasile singabahlobo bakhe,kodwa isigezo nentsini yakhe ibitsho indoda izive inezivubeko;

• Uyakhile imibutho yabafundi, yabasebenzi,yolutsha, yo mama, nombutho wesizwe apha eEastern Cape;

• Uphandlwe yintombi yakwa Mdodana, iZotshokazi, uSis Tamie. Ababantu, yayingabamelwane, bezizihlobo zam, bobabini. Bavumelana ukuba mna nezihlobo zam, masifihlelwe, kuba abanye apha kwizihlobo zethu abanaso isifuba. Kuthe ethubeni, wandibela bucala u Sis Tamie, njengomhlobo wakhe amthembileyo. Uthi ke kum, “ Linky tshomi yam, nditshomene no Gxilishe, lo usisihlobo sakho, akhumshe ke athi, “ we are spending a lot of time together”. Akaligqibanga, ndathi “ Hayi kaloku sihlobo sam, uyabona xa kuthethwa ngezinja, lo ungu Bongani umele ukuba yinja enemisila emithathu.”. “ Uthini, Uyakufuna,”? Ndatsho ndothukile. Athi “ Hayi Tshomi akhonto,ndiyazazi kaloku izinto zakhe.” Ngeloxesha ke Bawo u Mantini, sasifana no Saul ebhayibhileni, sikhule singaboni, sithanda ukudlala nosisi. Mna ke ndabethwa, ngumbane kumathafa ase Damasko, ndazimanya ngeqhina lomtshato nentombi yakwa Bhaca, ndamshiya umthembu nabanye ooSaule. Kanti ishlobo sam sekudala beqhuba no Mthembu, kwaye uthando lwabo luvutha. Sade saxelelwa ke, sava uMthembu, sengu “ Baby” okanye “ Umntanam”. Bazimanya ngeqhina lomtshato, wajika uMthembu wangulo Paulos ubhubhe enguye. Umthandile uZusakhe umyeni wakhe, wamonwabisa, ndibabukele. Bahlele kwizifungo zabo zomtshato ezithi, “ Side sahlulwe kukufa”. UMthembu umthandile, wamhlonela unkosikazi wakhe, emfekethisa, emonwabisa, besakha, umzi oshushu nonobubele.

• Umthembu ukhulisile, inzwana yomfana uSechaba, uKwekwe, ndiyabona uzakuhlupha apha kosisi, unalamtsalane ka yise; ukhulise nenzwakazi, intandane kayise, uZoxolo. Ebengeva ke uMthembu nge Nkosazana yakhe.

• U Bongani ebebaxabisile, ebathanda abantu bakowabo eCala, ebahlonele, eyindoda egodukayo,ezenza zonke imfanelo zase bukhosini baba Thembu. Ebeyindoda ethandwayo, eyaziwa, ithandwa, kwaye ihlonelwe kwilizwe lonke, naphesheya, kodwa ingcambu zakhe zazinzulu, kumhlaba wase Cala.

• UMthembu lo ebengu Mkhwenyana othandwayo ngama Zotsho, u Tata uMdodana emthembile ngezinto zekhaya.

• UMthembu ubengumntu onyanisekileyo, othembakeleyo, olulamileyo, nohloniphayo, ebemazi umntu, engazigwagwisi, ebengaziphakamisanga, engehoyanga zihlalo namawonga.

• Zange athi akunyuka abe kwizikhundla eziphezulu, ajongele abantu phantsi, ebefikelelela, komdala, nakomncinci; omnyama nomhlophe;

• UBongani ebengumntu ozinikeleyo emsebenzini wakhe, ehleli nje ecinga ngabantu nenkonzo eziya ebantwini, ezimisele kuyo yonke into ewayeyenza, esisibonelo nomzekelo wesicaka sabantu.

• Ebangayithandi into embi, uchuku, urhwaphilizo, ingxabano, amayelenqe, ubuxoki, ubuxelegu, nobugwala;

• Umthembu usebenze kakhulu nemibutho yomama iminyaka eminizi, elwela amalungelo oo mama, eluntwini, nase msebenzini.

• Eliphondo le Mpumakoloni likhulu, limbaxa, linendawo ezohlukileyo, iinkokheli ezinizi zikhokela nje apho zisuka khona, zisebenzela ekhaya, kodwa unyana ka MamBhele, ebelithyutyha lonke eliphondo, enceda abantu;

• UBongani ebemnceda umntu, enceda abantu abaninzi ngezemfundo, ngokutya, ngempahla, ngemisebenzi, imiyalezo yabantu isixelela ngobukhulu bentliziyo yakhe;

• Umthembu ebelilungu eligcweleyo le cawe yase Wesile, umkhonzile uthixo kwada kwasekugqibeleni. Ungenele udodana ngomnyaka ka 2019, lebhatyi siyishiya kunyanawakhe, alandele ekhondweni;

• Ebezihamba izinto zabantu, ebaxhasa abantu ngexesha lika xakeka, ezidina ngemingcwabo, amasiko, namatheko abantu;

• UBongani ebelincoko, iqhula, isiqhezu, kwaye eliciko ngokuthetha, nangokubhala, nangolwimi lwakwantu.

• Uzithandile ke lomfo, elihomba, eyindoda engcathu engatyi yonke into, eyixabisile impilo yakhe.

MaAfrika, bantu bomgquba, ayemka amagorha, siyashiywa ngamakroti enkululeko, siyabaswela abantu abanomqolo, abanenyani, abasebenzela abantu, hayi iziqu zabo. Sekushiyeke abaprofeti bobuxoki, ohlohlesakhe, amasela, namaxoki. Xa kunje, sibhekabheka, siphunguphuza, singazi ukuba sizakuthini; xa kunje, neenkokheli zizibuza ukuba zenze njani ukukhokhela, amazwi akhomba indlela afumaneka kwincadi, yeMizekeliso ka Solomon.

Xa sicaphula Imizekeliso 6: 6-9 sinikwa ingcebiso, njengesizwe, njengabantu bephondo, abantu baseGqeberha, nabobonke abashiywe ngu Bongani;

“ Yiya embovaneni, vilandini;
Khangela iindlela zayo, ulumke:
Yona ithi, ingenamphathi, Namongameli, namlawuli, Isuke, isilungise isonka sayo ehlotyeni.

Ikubuthe ukudla kwayo ngexa lokuvuna.
Kunini na ulele, vilandini?
Ùya kuvuka nini na ebuthongweni bakho?”

Nanko umbuzo obinzayo, nango amazwi akhomba indlela, nalo icekwa esishiywe nalo. Besihleli nayo le mbovane yaba Thembu, unyana ka Mambhele asamhoya, esebenza. Simncoma ngoku sefile, simbonga sewalishiya ibhayi, walishiya iphondo wozenzela igama emazweni. Ithi lencwadi imlomo bomvu, nasi isibonele, nanku umzekelo, nantsi inkokheli.

Onendlebe makeve!!! Yiya embovaneni vilandini, jonga umzekelo ka Bongani xa ukhetha iinkokheli, xa ninyula iinkokheli, xa niqesha abantu!!! Ninendlebe nje ninetyala!!!

Xa sijonga imeko yelizwe lethu, sijonge abo basiphetheyo, nabo bafuna ukusiphatha, sibona amasikizi, siva amahlazo, sinyamezela amanyundululu. Izibhalo ziyasilumkisa kwi nkokheki emasizilumkele kwincwadi ye Mizekeliso; 6: 16-19.

“ Izinto ezintandathu uzithiyile uYehova,
Ezisixhenxe zingamasikizi emphefumlweni wakhe:

Ngamehlo aqwayingayo;

lulwimi oluxokayo;

Zizandla eziphalaza igazi elimsulwa;

Yintliziyo eyila iingcinga zobutshinga;

Ziinyawo ezikhawulezayo ukugidimela ebubini;

Lingqina elixokayo, elifutha amanga;

Nongenisa ingxabano phakathi kwabangabazalwana.”

Mhla mandulo inkokheli yayibonwa ngempawo ezigqamileyo, ifakwe phantsi kophiko labantu abanamava, bayipheke, bayifundise, bayivavanye, bayikhulise ide ibe kwinqanaba eliphezulu. Nasenkonzweni awubi ngumshumayeli ungaqeqeshwanga, umama akayinxibi ibhatyi engafundiswanga ngendlela zomanyano, awaqeshwe avavanywe; umfundisi aka bekwa engafundanga eSeminary, utishala, akami phambi kwabafundi, engayanga ekholejini. Nasekuhlaleni, kuchongwa umama ozibaluleyo athathe umtshakazi amse emzini wakhe, kucelwe oomama abahlonitshweyo bayale umtshakazi; xa amakhwenkwe ephuma esuthwini, kucelwa indoda esisibonela, ukuba iqabe ikwrala, kuchongwe amadoda athenjiweyo ayale anike amava. Yonke lento ithi iinkokheli beziqeqeshwa, ziphekwe, zixovwe, zivavanywe, ukuze zibe ziwulungele umsebenzi wokukhokela abantu.

Lo ke unyana ka Mambhele ebevuthiwe, eqeqeshiwe, ethenjiwe, eziphatha ngendlela esisibonelo. Nazo ke inkokheki ezikwazi ukukhokhela, zihloniphe, zikhonze abantu, ziyenza lento zingajongaga nzuzo, zingaleqi mawonga, zingalweli zihlalo, zixabise umsebenzi eziwunikiweyo. Siyazingca ngalo mfo, sinebhongo neqhayiya ngaye, ebeyinkokheli yemveli waza waqeqeshwa, wafunda, walulama, wade wafika kwinqanaba eliphezulu.

Xa sijonge ilizwe lethu kulemihla, ingathi ngoku sikhetha abona bangaqeqeshwanga, abangenasidima, abangofunzweweni, nabona bangxamele izihlalo, nabanyolukele imali, befuna ukukhonzwa. Wakhala unyana ka Pityana wathi, “ Zemk’inkomo, magwalandini!” Ilizwe lethu lisengxakini, lifuna iinkokheli ezifana noo Bongani Gxilishe, kazi bazakuvelaphi na iyozalankomo ni na?

Masimkhulule uMthembu, uDlomo, uSopitsho, u Zondwa, uNgqolomsila, ugqatso lwakhe ulufezile. Unyaniseke kwade kwasekugqibeleni.

Hamba Kakuhle qhawe la maqhawe, nkokheli yenkokheli, usixolisele kwinkokheli zomzabalazo ezasandulelayo, ubaxelelele ngengxuba kaxaka ezweni lakowethu.

Masimkhaphe uMthembu ngamazwi yengoma ka Tiyo Soga:

“Amadolo kweli lizwe,

 Ma kagobe phambi kwakho;

 Zide zithi zonk’ iilwimi,

 Ziluxel’ udumo lwakho.

Law’la, law’la, Nkosi, Yesu!

 Koza ngawe ukonwaba;

 Ngeziphithi-phithi zethu,
 Yonakele imihlaba.

 Bona izwe lakowethu,
 uxolel’ izoono zalo;
 Ungathob’ ingqumbo yakho,
 Luze luf’ usapho lwalo.

 Yaala, Nkosi, singadeli
 Iimfundiso zezwi lakho;
 Uze usivuselele,
 Sive inyaniso yakho. “