Kuhlandla lesibili lokutshabalala kwamadamu namuhla sisenyakatho yeMandebeleni endaweni ezifana leNkayi, iTsholotsho, leLupane.
Siqala ngedamu leMakwanda eliseGuswini, eNkayi: lelidamu libikwa selileminyaka elitshumi lingabambi kuhle amanzi ngoba selagqibeleka.
Izakhamizi zithi zaziphila kulelidamu zilima ngokuthelezela njalo izifuyo lazo ziwathola kuhle amanzi ngazo zonke izikhathi.
Khepha ukutshabalala kwalo sokuzilethele ubunzima obukhulu.
“Silohlupho kakhulu ngaleliyanaidamu. Selagqibeleka alisawabambi amanzi, umthamo wamanzi ususiba mncane, okwenza ukuthi izifuyo zibanjelwe edakeni,” kutsho isakhamuzi.
ENkayi njalo kuledamu leTokwe, kuzokuba ledamu elikhulu elahlelwa kuphela emaphepheni ilizwe lisabuswa ngabelungu elaziwa ngokuthi Iziminya Dam.
Ngobukhulu balo, idamu leli lalikhangelelwe ukusiza izigaba ezitshiyeneyo ngitsho lezenkabazwe. Kodwa owake wamela iNkayi ephalamende uMnu Abednico Bhebhe uthi lanamuhla lokhe belilindile.
“Lidamu elikhulu ebelingasoze lincede abantu beNkayi kuphela ngoba ngobude belingena ku9km,” kutsho uBhebhe echasisela umsakazo weStudio 7.
Sisuke ke eNkayi siye eSilwane, eLupane. “Idamu lakithi libizwa ngokuthi Damu Gangeni. Selilesikhathi eside lagqibeleka manje sesiswela amanzi enkomo, kanti ke kudala lalingacitshi,” kutsho isakhamuzi uMnu Sibusiso Ndlovu.
Amadamu amanengi eNyakatho lasezansi yeMandebeleni kanye laseNkabazwe mancane kodwa adlala indima enkulu empilweni kazulu leyemvelo.
Amanye awo akhiwa phakathi kuka1994 lo2001 phansi kohlelo olwalusazizwa ngokuthi yiGive a Dam Campaign olwasungulwa zinhlanganiso ezizimeleyo zincedisana leUNDP lenhlanganiso kahulumende wakweleBhilithani iClimate Resilient Infrastructure Development Facility kanye lohulumende weZimbabwe.
Lwaphumelela kakhulu loluhlelo kwakhiwa amadamu angamatshumi amane lambili, 42, enyakatho lasezansi yeMandebeleni. Kodwa amanye awo asegqibelekile ngenxa yokunganakekelwa kuhle.
Lanxa kunjalo, amanengi aseleminyaka leminyaka akhiwa.
ETsholotsho khona kulamadamu afana leGariya, iMswigana, iGombalume, iSomlotha ledamu Cijima eliphansi kwenduna uTategulu.
Owake waba ngumeli weTsholotsho edale lephalamende uMnu Belive Gaule uthi ukugqibeleka kwawo kutshiye izakhamizi kanye lezifuyo zisebunzimeni obukhulu.
“Abantu bebethola amanzi okuthelezela ezingadini ikakhulu eCijima ngale njalo abantu bethiya izinhlanzi lokudla okunengi abantu bebekuthola emanzini wona lawana avela eZimnyama,” kutsho uMnu Gaule.
Enyakatho yeMandebeleni njalo kuledam leSiwale. Isakhamuzi uMnu Babili Moyo uthi uhulumende kumele angenele lilungiswe.
“ISiwale leyi lidamu elalisinceda kakhulu izakhamizi zaseMzola 52, eMzola 9 leMzola 8 leMzola 53 okwakusidla khona izifuyo. Sicela usilo kulabo abangenelisa ukulivuselela,” uMoyo utshele iStudio 7.
Sigqibe uhambo lwethu lwanamhlanje ngokubhekisa amabombo ezansi yeMandebeleni, siye eKezi.
“Edibheni lakoNyongolo kuledamu eladabuka kudala, sicela ukuthi lilungiswe lelana idamu,” kutsho isakhamuzi.
Abanengi bathi udaba lokusilela kwamanzi lwenze umumo wendlala waba mubi kakhulu lonyaka.
Bathi ngaphandle kokufelwa yizifuyo, inkulungwane zabantu ebeziphila ngenhlelo zokulima ngokuthelezela emadamu lazo zisele zingasela ndlela zokuzinakekela.
Ngokunjalo, uzulu uthi amadamu kumele avuselelwe njalo kugejwe amatsha, kuqiniswe inhlelo zokulima ukuze kwenqatshelwe indlala efana lale eyalonyaka esibulale inkomo eziphezu kwenkulungwane ezilitshumi, 10,000 yahlasela labantu abaphose bafike kuzigidi eziyisitshiyagalombili, 7.7 million.
Lithiye njalo indlebe kuhlandla lesithathu lapho esizakwethekelela khona okwenzakala kwezinye njalo indawo kusasa.
