Umdlalikazi engimthanda ukwedlula bonke empilweni! Nangu u-MaVundla, ingcitshi-nkulu ephilayo kwezamasiko leSintu, uGogo Bella Ellen Mlangeni (Tsholotsho, 1952) owayengumkhaleli lokuba ngumaqala we-Thandanani Women’s Ensemble. Ephuma elokitshini leNkosi u-Matshobana ko-Bulawayo, usiphakulela okusesizweni sakhe.
Ugwalo lwami Thole likaMthwakazi luyeza 27 Lwezi 2025.
<Imizuzu eyisikhombisa (7) ukubala> <Read it in English>
Iskolo sesigaba sakuqala: Nhlabathi Primary School, Tsholotsho.
Iskolo sesigaba sesibili: Magama Mission School, Tsholotsho.
“Inxeba lokulahlekelwa ngumntwana kalipheli”.
Omama baka…
I-Thandanani sayiqala ngo-1982 kumangalisa ukuthi omama baqale into enjalo. Kwakunzima kodwa saqina ngoba sasibone ukuthi amasiko ayeselahleka edolobheni. Imigido lengoma zesitshikitsha sazisusa phansi; sigida, sihlabela, njalo sifundisa amasiko. Kwaphinda kwaba yikuzisebenza njengoba sasingomama ababegcine imizi. U-munisipala wasincedisa kwaba saqoqo labomana, sithungathunga izinto ezincane (Okunjengamadoyili ayedlise ubhedu ngalezo zikhathi bese-Vulindela, Mpopoma, uGogo Patricia Tshabalala engakaqali indawo yentandane ngo-1996 – SJ), njalo seluke amajesi besesithengisa. Sasincintisana labanye omama kukuhle nje, ezinye izinto zisiyafakwa ko-Haddon & Sly (Istolo-khulu sodumo, 1894-1999 – SJ).
Sakhula sibona ngogogo imigido enjenge-hosana (Nyathi, 2014). Yayingafundiswa. Kwazokuthi sacina sesibizwa ukuzofundisa abantwana ezikolo (Ngemuva kweminyaka yama-2000s, kwakugidwa ihosana kweminye imizi edolobheni lakoBulawayo – SJ).
I-lokitshi leMatshobana lika…
Abantwana baqala ukungalaleli njalo bengasakhuzeki njengakudala ukuthi ungumuntu omdala wawukhuza loba nguphi umntwana. Babehle bekutshele ukuthi ngeke ubakhuze, “Nanza okwakho!”. Abafana basebaqala oTerror Boys (Amaqembu abafana elobugebengu aduma okwamagama eminyakeni yama-1990s – SJ), betshona behlezi emigelweni bengasafundi. Ngo-1991 into zaguquka kakhulu sekufike ukuphekwa komdlalo we-filimu yase-Melika, Party of One (Warner Brothers, 1991), lapho sayihlela i-Thandanani ngokusemthethweni.
Abantwana abanengi baqhatshwa kanye lathi (U-Nomathamsanqa ‘Nkwali’ Mkhwananzi ngomunye usaziwayo owaphuma kule-filimu – SJ). Yilapho abanye abantwana ababona khona ukuthi amaqembu angenza okungcono ngempilo lezandla zabo.
I-Stampa Sakuqala Sepasa ka…
E-Botswana.
Umtwana ka…
Ubaba angizange ngimbone. Wadlula emhlabeni umama elenyanga eziyisithupha (6) ezithwele. Engathi kuye ‘gogo’ wayengubabakazi kamama, owangondlayo ngilamazinyo amabili. Umama wayagana ngabalabanawabami, yikho ngakhulela kuye ugogo eNsezi, Tsholotsho (Hatshi eNsezi, Umzingwane – SJ). Ngafunda eNhlabathi, kuyisikolo sama-Roma sicina ngo-Standard 3. Ngazangena eMagama u-Standard 4, kodwa angisayanga ku-Standard 5 ngoba kwakutholakala nzima ukuze ngifunde kogogo.
Umtshado ka…
Ugogo wangondla lomzawakhe kamama owangiletha edolobheni lakoBulawayo ngahlala laye elokitshini le-Barbour Fields ngazovusa ingqondo ngizama impilo. Yilapho engahlangana lomkami u-Christopher Mlangeni (Izithakazelo zakoMlangeni – SJ) ngo-1973 kuze kube lakhathesi. Sitshade ngo-1974 okweSintu, sazokuya emthethwandaba ngo-1977.
Umzali ka…
Kwababuhlungu ukulahlelwa ngumntwana. Lakathesi inxeba lakhona kalihlangani. Kuyakuthande ugulise, manje asizange sigulise, njalo kuyilo lodwa ijaha esasilalo. Kwabalomonakalo e-Thekwini, e-Mzansi, njengoba sisazi into ze-Goli. Umbiko wafika nje vele sokonakele, kwabayikho lokho. Inxeba lakhona liphela nzima, ngingathi vele kalipheli. Kwesinye isikhathi uyakhumbula ukuthi, “Aluba ukhona”.
Saba labantwana abathathu. Owakuqala ngoka-1975, owesibili ngoka-1977, ngamantombazana ke lawo, kwathi isicino owayengoka-1980.
Ugogo ka…
Silabazukulu abayisitshiyagalo mbili (8). Intombi yakuqala ilabafana abane, eyesibili ilamantombazane amabili, kuthi indodana yasitshiyela abafana ababili. Izibulo lentombazane enkulu sazikhulisela lokhulu njengalokho lami ngakhuliswa ngugogo. Asikabi lezizukulwane ngoba abazukulu basafunda. Abantwana labazukulu abazange bangene kwezemidlalo ngoba babona ubunzima engadlula kubo kudala kodwa sebehawukela. Bayajabula ngogogo wabo. Oyedwa nguye odlala ibhola nje.
“Lingayekela abafazi sibili kuthwa bayagida!”, “Kadebeseq’ e-White City!”
Umkakhe Osebenzayo ka…
Kwakunzima sibili ekuqaleni ukuba ngumfazi osemehlweni abantu. Kwakunzima hayi kancane! Sihambe ilizwe lonke – siyele, lale, siyetshadisa ngale langale, hawu kwesinye isikhathi ulale amalanga ungekho edlini. Ngikhumbula ngelinye ilanga ukhulu wangipha umsebenzi woku-ayina amahembe akhe awe-viscose, emanengi, ukuze ngiwatshiye elungile.
SJ: Ukhulu wayetshena nge-viscose…
(Ehleka) Ubesebenza koLoliwe khonapho (Amatshe ayesancwebeka ezisebenzini zakoLoliwe – SJ). Uthe edlula lapho esasithathwa yimota wababona omama sebethe gwaqa, kodwa inina lakhe kalikho! Wathi uyafika lapha wathola ngimatasatasa ngathi, “Amahembe wonalawa yiwo angidlele isikhathi kangaka!”. Wasesizwa ubuhlungu, seyangekile, wahle wangincedisa wabambabamba lapha lalapha, engipha amanzi okunatha… (Ehleka).
Labantu phandle babeyihlohlomisa: “Lingayekela abafazi sibili kuthwa bayagida!”, “Kuthwa babonakele begida e-Ntabazinduna khonale ko-Khayisa!”, “Babonakele ko-Nkomo e-St. Joseph!”, “Kadebeseq’ e-White City!”, “Kukhona okubi abafazi asebefuna ukukwenza okungaqondanga!”. Hee…! Manje nxa usiya emsebenzini kufanele utshengisele ngezenzo ukuthi uyasebenza, ungahlanganisi ukukholisa lomsebenzi. Ungakuhlanganisa kuyahlupha.
Wacina sebona laye ukhulu ukuthi lokhu kusegazini, sacina sesisekelana. Ekuqaleni nxa bebuza, “Unga umama?”, wayethi, “Ah, uyentweni zakhe lezo”. Kwaya esesitsho ukuthi, “Uyemsebenzini”. Lakathesi ngiyahamba emsebenzini, kusasa nje ngilomcimbi. Useku-pentsheni yakhe ukhulu kusukisela ngo-2012.
I-Diaspora ka…
Sasizwa ngabantu abaphetsheya sokufike i-ESAP (Economic Structural Adjustment Programme, eka-1991-1996 – SJ). Sonke siyazi ukuthi inzuzo ibuya nzima kwezemidlalo. Sasesibanengi ngemva kwefilimu ye-Melika sesenelisa ukukhipha amaqembu amabili – abanye baye le, abanye beye le. Kodwa abantu baphuma baphuma sazesasala sibane (4) ngoba kungela mali. Siyalibonga eliphetsheya ngoba sasidonsa nzima. Sisalibele babefona besiphe imisebenzi.
Umcimbi Wodumo ka…
SJ: Ogogo be-Thandanani ngibakhumbula ngomcimbi ka-Mdala Wethu, i-gala yakuqala ngo-2001 eNkundleni ye-Barbour Fields…
Ngikhumbula lapho esanqoba umncintiswano we-Chibuku ngo-2007 (I-Thandani yayithole isicoco sesithathu ngo-2006 – SJ). Kwasetshenzwa. Kodwa vele sasingakhethi ngoba isiqokoqela sawonke umuntu sasisithi: “Lapha madoda uyagula loba kawuguli kumele uyegulela ngekhaya!”. Kwasetshenzwa indawo ezinengi.
Umgido ka…
Ngingumdlalikazi wama-filimu amanengi ake aphuma kumabona-kude konke leziqephu zokuthengisa zezinkampani kodwa ukugida yikho engikuthanda kakhulu. Kuyikuvuselela amasiko ethu, kuyiSintu sami. Yikho ngingahlala ngifundise ulutsha ngibakhuthaze ukuthi ngifisa ukubona omunye egida njengami. Ukudlala kumabona kude ngeke kukwehluhle ngoba nxa ugida vele ungumdlali.
Ukusebenza Yedwa kuka…
Kufana lokuba semendweni – iminyaka engamatshumi amathathu lane (34), ubesubona uhlukumezeka. Kwezemidlalo sonke siqala singela mali, kodwa nxa isisiba khona lokwaziwa, abanye abantu abasafuni bebonangani wena uyaziwa ngenxayabo, njalo akulanto ongayenza ngaphandle kwabo. Okwababuhlungu sibili yikuthi mina ngiyi-founder ye-Thandanani ngilabanye omama. Angithi uyabona u-Florence Sithole (U-MaTshabalala owathatha indawo yokuba ngus’phathamandla we-Thandanani ngo-2016 – SJ) sasingelaye, akaso-founder member.
Kwakuyimi, u-Yengiwe Ngwenya (1954-2020) [Owahlanyisa isizwe ngokuba ngumlingiswa u-MaMbatha ku-filimu Isithembo eka-1999; ihlukene le-filimu Isithembu eka-2020, zonke zaziku-ZBC. Mfundi weSintu, yiliphi igama eliqondileyo: isithembo kumbe isithembu? – SJ], umuyi u-Anna Ngwenya, umuyi u-Martha Gumpo, labanye nje abayekela kudala. U-Yengiwe laye sowasitshiya kodwa ngathi ngiphuma wasala. Yimi i-founder member esaphilayo. Ubaba u-Cont Mhlanga (1958-2022) wazama ukusihlalisa phansi ukuthi ngiphume lebizo, kodwa ngabona ukuthi kwesinye isikhathi ibizo lakhona uyalifela (Bala indatshana elohlonzi ngoGogo Phathisa Nyoni eyabhalwa ngu-Mhlanga, 2014, lapho etsho ukuthi i-Thandanani yiyo eyamenza wavusa i-Amakhosi – SJ). U-Nkulunkulu uyakwenza, akuphe, njalo ubelakho okunye. Lakathesi ngijabulile empilweni.
Ukholo luka…
Kwelethu ibandla i-Roma, bayakwazi ukuthi Isitshikitsha leMigido yiSintu sethu. Vele bakuthola kukhona kithi. Futhi bayajabula ukuthi balabo abantu abanjalo. U-MaTshabalala, u-Florence Sithole sisonta sonke – kwelethu ibandla isipho ngesomuntu. Lanxa ngisemsakazweni kuhlelo Ama-dramatics, ngiyathi ujaha (Umaziqhunsa, u-Kudakwashe Takundwa – SJ) aphosele ingoma zama-Khatolika, bejabule.
SJ: Hawu, u-MaTshabalala lisonta lonke?
Ye, uxolo lukhona njengabazalwane kodwa kwadlula nzima. Vele ngiyake ngisebenze laye singabantu sizimele sodwa, njengama-drama Umhlolo waseZhwane (2024) eka-Raisedon Baya.
SJ: Loba siphetsheya sajabula silibona ndawonye lithola isicoco se-Thandanani kuma-awadi awe-Bulawayo Arts Awards ngo-2023…
Uxolo uyalufaka nxa ungumuntu ukwenzela ukuthi izinto zakho zingabanjelelwa yilokho okuyabe kukhathaza. Kuyabandezela. Okunzima engingakaze ngikwenze yikuthi nxa kulemisebenzi ngithi, “Thandanani asambeni siyesebenza”. Ukukhuluma iqiniso phambili kuka-Nkulunkulu lokho kuyangehlula. Balokungidinga abazuluku bethi, “Gogo siyatshadisa, silokhe sikuthanda, woza labangane bakho”. Kodwa ngingabafica begida ingoma engiyithandayo, ngiyangena sitshayetshaye kube kuhle kube njeya (U-Bajila, 2018, ese-Midlands State University ubhala ngengoma ze-Thandanani ezinye ezabhalwa nguGogo; ungazilalela lapha, lalapho uGogo echazela abe-Radio Continental Drift, 2013. Uyahle uzwe ukuthi ogogo kuzoxatshanwa ngendlela ababengenana ngayo emlonyeni nxa bekhuluma lentatheli – SJ).
Iqhawekazi elingu…
Laloba ukuphuma kwami e-Thandanani kungamnandanga, ngaba lesicoco esikhulu selizwe, i-National Arts Merit Awards, Living Legend (NAMA 40 Legends elo-Barbara Nkala-Makhalisa, u-Lovemore Majaivana, u-Cont Mhlanga, u-Phathisa Nyathi, u-Felix Moyo, u-Adam Madebe, u-Rashid Jogee, u-Albert Nyathi, u-Nkululeko Innocent Dube, u-Matesu Dube, labanye – SJ). Uyaqhubeka usebenza ngoba umuntu uyabe esekutshengisela ukuthi ufuna into ibe ngeyakhe, singeyakhe, kazange wayiqala, futhi kayizwelanga buhlungu. I-Thandanani kwasetshenzwa, imali zihamba, iminyaka, ama-BP… Kodwa siyabonga sokwavuthwa.
Lakhathesi izicoco ziyohlala phezulu kwebhokisi. Abantwana bazathi, “Ugogo simbona la”. Noma ngaswela ukuthi ngifundiswe lezifiso zami ngikhula emakhaya, kodwa ngadobhelela, akusafani. Khathesi esikolo engifundisa khona sengileminyaka eyisitshiyagalo-mbili (8). Ngiyancedisa abantwana u-Limi le-Migido esikolo esizimele sodwa e-Newton Primary, e-Phelandaba, konke lezikolo zika-Hulumende.
U-Gogo Ellen Mlangeni uyafundisa Isitshikitsha eskolo se-Newton ngo-Lwesibili lango-Lwesine. Uphosela uluju lwabazukulu emisakazweni, kuhlelo “Ama-dramatics” ngama-Sonto, 19:00-21:00 eku-Skyz Metro FM, lakuhlelo “Inhlupho Zalamuhla” ku-Radio Zimbabwe ngabo-Lwesine, 21:00. Abafisa ukusebenza logogo bangamthola nge-WhatsApp: +263 77 611 8809.
Ungambukela muva lapho ake wabangumlingiswa u-NaJeremiah kumdlalo olezinkathi ezimbili, “Madlela Comes Home” (Itolikiwe ngamabala esiLungu – SJ).
Ilanga lengxoxo le: 24 Ntulikazi 2025.
Ukuthandile okuphethwe kulelikhasi? Ngicela ungithengele i-koffie ngoba ngikupheka mahala lokhu – ngiyabonga!
Qamba lelikhasi: Jermain, S. (2025, July 29). Ilizwe lika. . . Gogo Ellen Mlangeni. Sonny Jermain Online. https://sonnyjermain.com/ilizwe-lika-gogo-ellen-mlangeni/
Emabaleni akho: Phakathi kwenkulumo – (Jermain, 2025); kumbe, Ukulandisa – Jermain (2025).
