UNkosikazi Nontsikelelo Albertina "Ma" Sisulu (21 Oktobha 1918 - 2 Juni 2011) wayengomnye wabantu abafaka isandla ekulweni ingcinezelo, nokwangumhlolokazi wegqala lomzabalazo uMnumzana uWalter Sisulu. Umzabalazo weli loMzantsi Afrika udale iinkokheli ezibonakalise ukukhalipha nokuzimisela okubalaseleyo ekujonganeni nenkohlakalo yentshutshiso.

Ukuphuma kwelanga tshintsha

UNontsikelelo Albetina Sisulu (21 kweyeDwarha 1918- 2 kweyeSilimela 2011) wayengummi waseMzantsi Afrika ekwalitshantliziyo elichasene nengcinezelo, wayengunkosikazi welinye itshantliziyo lomzabalazo uWalter Sisulu (1912-2003). Ngothando olukhulu wayesaziwa ngoMa Sisula ubomi bakhe bonke luluntu lwaseMzantsi Afrika. Ngo-2004 wavotelwa njengomntu wamashumi amahlanu kuluhlu lwabantu abaphambili ku-SABC 3 Great South Africans. Wasutywa kukufa ngo-2011 kwinyanga yeSilimela ngomhla we-2, kwikhaya lakhe eLeiden, eGoli, eMzantsi Afrika eneminyaka engama-92.v

Wazalwa enguNontsikelelo Thethiwe kumandla waseTsomo phesheya kweNciba. Wayengumntwana wesibini kubantwana bakaBonilizwe noMonikazi Thethiwe. Umama kaSisulu wasinda kumkhuhlane wawubizwa njenge-Spanish Flu, kodwa wayesoloko egula ebuthathaka ngenxa yawo. Njengomafungwashe wekhaya, kwanyanzeleka ukuba uSisulu adlale indima kamama wakhe kubantwana bakokwabo. Kwanyanzeleka ukuba akhe athi xha esikolweni amatyeli aluthotho, into eyabangela ukokokuba abemdala ngeminyaka emibini kwabanye abafundi bebanga lakhe kwisikolo samabanga aphantsi. Wazithathela igama elinguAlbertina xa wayeqala ukufunda ePresbetyrian Mission School, eXolobe.

Imfundo tshintsha

Izakhono zakhe zobunkokheli, nenimba wayenayo zazibethelela intlonipho awayizuza ngexesha lomzabalazo xa wayebizwa ngomama wesizwe. USisulu wabalasela esikolweni kwimidlalo kwakunye nemidlalo yenkcubeko, wabonisa iimpawu zobunkokheli eselula xa wayechongwa njenge ntloko yabafundi ekwibanga lesi-7. Ukubamdala kwakhe kwabanye abafundi bebanga lakhe kwakungabonakalisi kumtheza mandla ngexesha wayegqibezela iziundo zakhe kwisikolo samabanga aphantsi, ekuhambeni kwexesha wangenelela ukhuphiswano lokuphumelela iminyaka emine yokufunda kwisikolo samabanga aphakamileyo. Iminyaka yakhe yamdlelindlala kuba wakhiqwa nangona wayephumelele indawo yokuqala. Ngenxa yale mpathombi, ootitshala bakaSisulu babanomsindo kakhulu, ngoba olu khuphiswano zange lubeke migaqo yeminyaka kubangeneleli. Babhalela iphepha-ndaba lasekuhlaleni elibizwa nge-Imvo Zabantsundu ngale mpatho igwenxa kaSisulu, besithi lo kaSisulu makalifumane eliwonga ngoba nguye ophumelele indawo yokuqala. Eli nqaku latsala amehlo abefundisi baseRoma abayebanxibelelana nomfundisi uBernard Huss kwiCollege yaseMariazell. Usapho lwakwaMnyila lwavuya, lwabhiyozela impumelelo kaSisulu, nabantu belali yonke, uSisulu ukhumbula ukuba lowo wayebukele wayenokugqiba kwelithi loo msitho yayingumtshato.

Ngo-1936 uSisulu wasingisa eMariazell College eMatatiyela, eMpuma Koloni kwaye nangona wayenovalo wayekwanayo nemincili yokuba yena, intombi yaseXolobe ingummeli wabafundi eMariazell. Inkqubo yesikolo yayiluqilima kwaye ingaguquguquki, abafundi babevuswa ngentsimbi yesi-4 (ngonyezi) ukuba bayokuhlamba bandule ngokuya ukuyakucoca iindawo zabo zokuhlala, emveni koko babesiya kwindawo yokuthandaza besiya kumthandazo wakusasa. Nangona isibonelelo sokufunda sikaSisulu sasihlawulela ukuhlala kwakhe esikolweni ngexesha lokufunda kwakunye nangexesha lee holide, kwakunyanzelekile ukuba ayibuyekeze loo nto ngokuthi ahlwayele kwiindawo zolimo, aphinde kananjalo asebenze kwigumbi lokuhlamba iimpahla. USisulu wayegoduka ngeeholide zenyanga yoMnga(Disemba) kuphela kodwa loo nto wayeyibona njengento enganamsebenzi xa eyithelekisa kwakunye nethuba lokuba afunde kwisikolo samabanga aphakamileyo.

Xa isikolo samabanga aphakamileyo sisiya emaphethelweni ngomnyaka we-1939 uSisulu kwakumele athabathe isigqibo sokuba uzakwenza ntoni emva kwaso. Wathabatha isigqibo sokuba angazimanyi ngeqhina lomtshato koko abengumsebenzi oqeqeshiweyo ukwenzela abenokukwazi ukuxhasa usapho lwakhe emv` ekhay` eXholobe. Ngexesha wayeseMariazelle ngalo uSisulu, waye waguqukela kwinkolo yobuKatoliki, njengoko wayegqibe kwelokuba angatshati, waye wathabatha isigqibo sokuba ngunongendi ngenxeni yokuthabatheka kwakhe yindlela oonongendi ababehlohla ngayo kwesi sikolo babezinikele ngayo kumsebenzi wabo. Noxa kwakunjalo, uTat` uHuss waye wamcebisa ngokuchaseneyo neso sigqibo, ngesizathu sokuba abo babehlohla bengonongendi babengahlawulwa ngomsebenzi wabo yaye xa sele beqalile babengakwazi ukusishiya eso sikhundla saseMishini, lilonke uSisulu wayengazukwazi ukuxhasa usapho lwakhe njengoko wayenqwena. Koko uTat` uHussy waye wamcebisa ukuba asel` iso indaba yokubanguMongikazi, ngesizathu sokuba abo babephantsi koqeqesho lobongikazi babehlawulwa ukuze bafunde. Etsalwe umdla kukubona isisombululo esiphathekayo sinekezwa siskolo sobongikazi uSisulu wayithabatha loongcebiso waze wafaka izicelo zokufunda kwizikolo zobumongikazi eziluthotho. Waye wamkelwa njengomongikazi ophantsi koqeqesho eRhawutini kwisibhedlele esingenabudlelwana kwakunye neYurophu. Emveni kokudla inyibidyala nosapho lwakhe eXolobe wasinga eRhawutini kweyoMqungu ngomnyaka we-1940.

Emveni kokubayinkedama ngexesha esanda kudlula kwixabiso lokufikisa, kwanyanzeleka ukuba adlale indima yokubangumzali, koodade wabo naku banakwabo abancinci. Xa waye wathatha isigqibo sokubeka phantsi iinjongo zakhe zokuxelenga njengomfundisi-ntsapho, wayishiya iTranskei esiya kuxelenga njengomongikazi kwisibhedlele saseGoli, iNon-European Hospital ngonyaka we-1940, kuba oomongikazi babesamkela umrholo ngeloxesha.

Wathweswa isidanga eMariazell College ngonyaka we-1939, waye wakhetha ikhondo lobumongikazi. USisulu waqala ukusebenza eGoli njengombelekisi ngonyaka we- 1946, emane enyuka esihla endwendwela izigulana kwiilokishi. “Uyayazi kuthetha ukuthini ukuba ngumbelekisi? Kufuneka uthwale ityesi egcwele amakhoba/iibhotile, izithambisi ozakuzisebenzisa, izitya kunye nezamkeli, kwaye sasidlangokuzithwala ezo tyesi entloko,” utsho uSisulu.

Ubomi bakhe tshintsha

USisulu wadibana noWalter Sisulu ngonyaka ka-1941, esebenza kwisibhedlele saseGoli, ngeloxesha uWalter Sisulu wayengumpolitiki oselula. Abakwa Sisulu- igqwetha nomongikazi- bazimanya ngeqhina lomtshato ngonyaka we-1944, kumsitho apho uNelson Mandela wayengumkhaphi khona. Apho kwakukho noAnton Lembede, noEvelyn Mase. Eso sibini sasinabantwana abahlanu, uMax Vuyisile, uMlungisi, uZwelakhe uLindiwe kunye noNkululeko, abanye abane ababesuka kwikhaya lembhedlenge, omnye wabo uBeryl Sisulu, wasebenza ngengommeli-sizwe ukusuka eMzantsi Afrika ukuya eNorway.

Babetshate iminyaka eyi-59, wade wasutywa kukufa utata uSisulu, ezandleni zomfazi wake ngeyeDwarha ngonyaka ka-2003 eneminyaka eyi-90. USisulu wathi ngomtshato wakhe: “Ndaxelelwa ukuba nditshata nompolitiki kwaye akhukho manyano, okanye enye into enjalo.” Kodwa emgcwabeni wakhe umzukulwana wabo wafunda intyatyambo ezazibhalwe nguSisulu. “Walter ndenza ntoni ngaphandle kwakho? Ndandivukela wena ekuseni, ndiphilela wena. Wathathwa ngabantu abakhohlakeleyo okokuqala, kodwa ndandisazi ukuba uzakubuyela kum. Ukufa okungena lusini kukuthathile kwashiya indawo yakho entliziyweni yam.”

Umyeni wakhe, uWalter Sisulu wafunyanwa enetyala lokubhukuqa umbuso, kodwa akazange asifumane isigwebo sentambo. Wahlala iminyaka eyi-25 eluvalelweni eRobben Island ekunye noNelson Mandela owamfaka kwiqela le-ANC. Ngeli xesha umyeni wakhe eseRobben Island, uSisulu wayekhulisa abantwana babo aba-5 eyedwa. Wahlala inyanga ezithile entologweni, kwaze kwancitshiswa indawo ebenokuhamba kuzo.

USisulu wawa evuka ezamela ukuba abantwana bakhe bafumane imfundo kwizikolo ezisemgangatheni eSwaziland ezama ukubasusa kwimfundo eyayisilela iBantu Education System. Uninzi lwabantwana bakwaSisulu babazinkokheli zoMzantsi Afrika ekhululekileyo. UMax Sisulu usisithethi kwinkundla yesizwe, uMlungisi Sisulu ngumongameli we-Walter Sisulu pedietric Cardiac Foundation nosihlalo we-Arup Africa. Intombi abayamkela njengeyabo uBeryl Sisulu ngummeli-siwe woMzantsi Afrika eNorway, uLindiwe Sisulu ukusuka ngonyaka wama-2009 ukuya kowama-2012 wayengu mgqongqoshe kwezokhuselo, uZwelakhe Sisulu (owasweleka ngonyaka wama-2012 kwinyanga yeDwarha ngomhla wesine). Waye ngusomashishini ophume izandla.

Umolokazana uElinor Sisulu, otshate noMax, ngumbhali netshantliziyo lamalungelo abantu elaziwayo. Ngonyaka wama-2000, usapho lwazisa uluntu ukuba unyana wabo uGerald Lockman, wasweleka ngenxa yesifo ugawulayo. Ubomi bakhe bubaliswe kwimbali ngumolokazana uElinor Sisulu, Walter noAlbertina Sisulu: Ngexesha lethu.

U- Albertina Sisulu ube phambili kumzabalazo phantse isiqingatha sonke senkulungwane esilwa inkohlakalo nentshutshiso yenqala, eyeyibangelwa lulawulo ngokobuhlanga. Akabanga ngumzekelo ophilayo nje kumoya wentshukumo yenkululeko, kodwa kwindima ebalulekileyo edlalwa ngabafazi kuwo.

U- Albertina wabangomye woomama ababekhokele amawaka amanina awayesingisele kwiZakhiwo Zomanyano ePitoli, ngexesha le-Women’s March eyindumasi. UAlbertina wazalelwa Phesha-KweNciba ngomnyaka wama-1918. Kwimpilo kamama wakhe eyayingentle, uAlbertina owayeneminyaka elishumi elinanye wayalelwa nguyise owayesele elele kwikhuko lakhe lokufa ukuba aze ajonge abanakwabo kunye noodade bakhe.

U- Albertina wayenezicwangciso zokuba nguNongendi, kodwa endaweni yoko waphela egqiba ekubeni abe ngumongikazi ukuze ukubhatala izifundo zabantakwabo. Ngomnyaka wama- 1944 waye wazimanya ngeqhina lomtshato kunye noMnumzana uWalter Sisulu. Umyeni wakhe wamkhuthaza ekubeni azibandakanye nezopolitiko nasekuncedeni uluntu. Njengomongikazi wayila ucwangciso-ntsapho kummandla wase-Orlando.

Uthe ngomnyaka wama -1955 wazibandakanya nombutho we – A.N.C Women’s League. Ngomnyaka wama – 1956 u-Albetina ekunye noLilian Ngoyi, u-Helen Joseph kunye no-Amila Cachalia, bakhokela amawaka amanina ukusingisela kwiZakhiwo Zomanyano ePitoli ngexesha le Women’s March eyindumasi, eyayichasene noluntu oluntsundu ekunyanzelisweni ukuba luphathe amapasi.

Wayengomnye wabaseki bombutho i- United Democratic Movement, I - U.D.M ngamafutshane. Mhla umyeni wakhe wonyulwa njengonobhala jikelele wokuqala weqela le -African National Congress, i - A.N.C ngamafutshane, u – Albertina waba ngumondli – ntsapho.Wayekwalilo neqhagamshela leenkokheli ze – A.N.C kunye nezo zaziselubhacweni. Amapolisa okhuselo ayembandezela rhoqo, kwaye ethintelwa, agwetyelwe ukuhlala ngendlu okanye avalelwe entolongweni, maxesha wambi avalelwe yedwa.

Abakwa Sisulu balizwa ngabantwana abahlanu; u-Max, uLungi, uZwelakhe, uLindiwe kunye noNkululeko, nabantwana abathathu ababamnkela njengababo. Aba ke ngabantwana bodadeka – Walter; u- Gerald, u- Beryl kunye no- Samuel, udade ka- Walter wakhula evana kakhulu no – Walter ngexa wayeseluvalelweni e – Robben Island.

Bonke abantwana babo bakhulele endlwini yabo eyayiseSoweto. Baye bafudukela endlwini entsha eyayise- Linden, eRhawutini kwiminyaka emine nje phambi kokusweleka kuka tata u- Walter, U- Albertina wayigqithisela kubantwana babo imbophelelo yakhe kumzabalazo. Unyana wabo omkhulu u- Max wabanjwa eneminyaka eli- 17, waya elubhacweni emva kokubanjwa kukayise e- Rivonia ngomnyaka wama- 1963.

Umntakwabo uZwelakhe wabandakanyeka kupapasho lwe- New Nation eyayisele inyinwe izihlandlo eziliqela. Naye wakhe wabanjwa iminyaka emibini ngaphandle kwengxoxo yetyala lakhe. Sele iyiminyaka engamashumi amahlanu u- Albertina wazibophelela kwi- Albertina Sisulu Foundation egxile kwimiceli-mngeni abantwana nabantu abadala abajongene nayo. Waye wahlonitshwa ngokuzinikela kwakhe kumzabalazo owawuchasene nocalu-calulo kunye nomsebenzi wentlalo-ntle phakathi koomama kunye nabantwana, mhla i- World Peace Council yase- Basel, e- Switzerland yamonyula njengo mongameli wayo.

Ngomnyaka wama- 2002 umolokazana wakhe u- Ellinor Sisulu washicilela ibali ngobomi babazali bomyeni wakhe, eyathiywa ngesihloko esithi, “Walter & Albertina Sisulu – In Our Lifetime” apho achaza khona ibali lesi sibini sibalaseleyo. Umama uSisulu wasweleka ngequbuliso ekhayeni lakhe elise – Linden, eRhawutini eneminyaka engama- 92 ngomhla we – 2 KweyeSilimela ngomyaka wama- 2011.

  Albertina Sisulu