BULAWAYO —
Abaphatheka kwezombusazwe lokulwela ilungelo likazulu koBulawayo bathi kumele uhulumende alungise impilo yabasebekhulile lasebekhokhobele ngoba okwamanje bephila kanzima beswela imali, ukudla kanye lokuncediswa ngenxa yokuswelakala kwenhlelo zikahulumende zokubanakekela.
UGogo Anna Mkhwebu ngomunye wezalukazi zakuleli ezingakwaziyo ukuthi kulelanga, noma elilodwa nje, lokuphumula iviki yinye ngayinye ngoba okwamsusa emzini wakhe ku number 447, B Section emzini we Old Pumula esiyaqala ukuthengisa amatamatisi emsikeni akumvumeli ukuthi ahlale phansi.
Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi loba eseleminyaka engamatshumi ayisitshiyagalombili lasitshiya galolunye yokuzalwa (89 years), okaMkhwebu nguye okhangelane lensane labazukulu babantwabakhe abalitshumi lambili abafuna ukudla okwaneleyo nsukuzonke, izigqoko kanti phakathi kwabo kulabayisikhombisa abafuna lokubhadalelwa esikolo.
Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi akatholi sekelo oluvela kubazali babantwana abaseGoli, uhulumende kanye lenhlanganiso ezizimele zodwa, uMakhwebu waziwa ngokuthi elakhe ibhizimusi, elisetshenzwa nguye labazukulu abane abangasafundiyo, livula ekuseni liphuma lize liyevala ngehola lesitshiyagalombili ntambama.
Odlula ngendlela obona ibhizimusi eliphumelelayo kodwa okaMkhwebu yena uthi ulala edanile nsukuzonke ukuthi umsebenzi welanga elide kangaka uletha inzuzo enganeli inswelo zabantwana alabo ngendlela yokuthi useze efundisa labo bantwana abona engathi bayathembisa ukuthi bangaphumelela esikolo kuphela.
Labo abacabangela ukuthi angeke baphumelele esikolo yibo asebencedisana logogo ukyathenga, ukuthengisa kanye lokubona ukuthi konke okufunwa yimuli enkulu esendlini kuyatholakala uma ike yabakhona imali.
UGogo Mkhwebu ngomunye wabasebekhulile lasebekhokhobele abahlala emizini yabanengi koBulawayo abazithola bebanjwa ngamandla yibunzima bempilo ngendlela eyenza ukuthi ukusa lokuhlwa kubonwe yibo nsukuzonke bezama ukuselela abazukulu labazukulu babantwababo.
Babonakala belinde amatafula amatamatisi, iziwiji, ukudla kwendulo, izithelo zeganga lalobayini okungayikhupha ipeni elesikhala ezitaladeni.
Besazama ukuzisiza ngaleyondlela, kuyakukhalise abanengi abahamba ngo Lobengula Street ukuthola kuyisiphithiphithi sekuqonga amatafula kukhumuka izicathulo izalukazi lamaxhegu bebalekela ontanga bamapholisa e Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) kanye lakamansipala asebenza ukubopha abathengisa okungekho emthethweni ezitaladeni.
Izakhamizi eziphatheke kunhlelo zokulwela ilungelo likazulu zithi impilo kaGogo Mkhwebu ingcono kakhulu kulabanye asebekhulile abadubeka bezivalelel ezindlini bacine befela khona ngenxa yosizi lwempilo yokucela.
Unkosikazi Siphiwe Dewa uthi ibuhlungu ngempela impilo kaGogo Mkhwebu kodwa yena ungcono kakhulu kulabanye abangasanelisi ukuziphandela. Uchaza ukuthi baphila njani asebekhokhobele akhelane labo namhlanje emzini we Nketa.
Uqhubekele phambili esithi inengi labasebekhokhobele abagcine izimulu ezingelinganiswa ngomama. Uthi ngenxa yendlala lokuswela, abadala abangasafanelanga ukusebenza batholakala bebhoda lezindlu bedinga ukwenza imisebenzi emincane engabatholisa imali yokuthi balale bebambe ithumbu okwamhlalokho.
Ngaphandle kodubo lokuswela imali kanye lokudla, asebekhokhobele abangasanelisi lutho emzini we Old Pumula bazithola sebehlala ezindlini ezingelamandla kagesi lamanzi. Amandla kagesi lamanzi kuvalwa njalonje kanti ukuvalwa kwamanzi ngenjongo yokuwalondoloza okwenziwa ngumansipala kulezinsuku kwenza impilo ibe nzima ngokuphindiweyo. Isakhamuzi se Old Pumula umnumzana Pharoah Jele uyalandisa.
Isakhamuzi se Nkulumane 12 njal eyisikhulumeli se MDC umnumzana Edwin Ndlovu yena uthi kwejwayelekile ukuthi abantu bacabange ukuthi asebekhulile abasemadolobheni baphila ngcono kulaba semaphandleni, khona athi sekungamanga uma kuthintwa udaba lwasebekhokhobele bakulezinsuku.
Umnumzana Ndlovu uthi asebekhokhobele badubeka kangaka nje kuyingoba uhulumende akaselazo inhlelo zogatsha lwe Social Welfare, lona olwaluholisa asebekhulile imali zokuziphilisa nyangazonke. Uthi ukufa kwenhlelo ze Social Welfare kwaba yikufa kabili kulabo ababevele bengasatholi lezimali ezindala eze pension kanti konke lokhu kwenzakala ngesikhathi abadala sebethwele umthwalo wabazukulu abatshiywa ngabantwababo, ikakhulu ababulawa ngumkhuhlane wengculazi.
Uthi ngokuswela ukunanzwa nguhulumende, kuba ngumthwalo onzima uma asebesehluleka emzimbeni kuzakuba yibo okumele bagijimisele izizukulwana emakilinika, bazitholele ukudla kanye lokuzibhadalela esikolo kungakengezelelwa umlandu wokubagqokisa. Umnumzana Jele uthi uzulu we Old Pumula laye uleminyaka engaziboni inhlelo zikahulumende eziqondene lokupha asebekhulile ukudla, impahla kanye lezempilakahle eziqondileyo.
Unkosikazi Dewa uthi asebekhokhobele abatholi ncedo oluvela kuhulumende loba inhlanganiso ezizimele zodwa, ngakho kuyasweleka ukuthi balungiselwe inhlelo zokubagcina kuhle njalo ngendlela etshengisa ukuthi ilizwe liyabananza njalo liyabaqakathekisa asebekhululile bonke hatshi labo abaphatheke kwezombusazwe kuphela.
Kodwa phakathi kwakho konke lokhu, asikho isiboniso sokuthi uhulumende kaMongameli Robert Mugabe uyabakhumbula, ukubaqakathekisa kanye lokubanza absebekhokhobele kuleli ngoba ubuye wedlula umhlaka 1 October, lona okulilanga okunanzwa asebekhulile umhlaba wonke minyaka yonke i International Day of Older Persons.
Lelilanga elinanzwe lonyaka ngaphansi kwesihloko esithi 'The future want: what old people are saying' 'Ikusasa esiyifunayo: okutshiwo ngasebekhulile' alinanzwanga e Zimbabwe njalo ledlule latshiya asebekhulile belokhu bengazi ukuthi kulelanga elibekelwe ukukhangelisisa impilo zabo kanye lokulola amaqhinga amatsha okubagcina ngcono.
Lelilanga labekwa yinhlanganiso ye United Nations ngo 1992 ngenjongo yokuzama ukukhumbuza amazwe onke omhlaba ukuthi abeke intuthuko, ukulondolozwa kanye lempilakahle yasebekhokhobele kunhlelo zentuthuko zawo wonke umhlaba.
Kundikimba yombiko wakhe kumkhosi walonyaka, usibalukhulu we United Nations umnumzana Ban Ki Moon uthi umhlaba kumele ulungiselele indlela ezingcono zokugcina inani lasebekhokhobele, lona athi lizakube selisedlula kabili inani labantwana labasakhulayo umhlaba wonke ngo 2050, khona athi kuzaletha ubunzima obutsha bokugcinwa kwabo emazweni lakuzimuli zabo.
UGogo Anna Mkhwebu ngomunye wezalukazi zakuleli ezingakwaziyo ukuthi kulelanga, noma elilodwa nje, lokuphumula iviki yinye ngayinye ngoba okwamsusa emzini wakhe ku number 447, B Section emzini we Old Pumula esiyaqala ukuthengisa amatamatisi emsikeni akumvumeli ukuthi ahlale phansi.
Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi loba eseleminyaka engamatshumi ayisitshiyagalombili lasitshiya galolunye yokuzalwa (89 years), okaMkhwebu nguye okhangelane lensane labazukulu babantwabakhe abalitshumi lambili abafuna ukudla okwaneleyo nsukuzonke, izigqoko kanti phakathi kwabo kulabayisikhombisa abafuna lokubhadalelwa esikolo.
Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi akatholi sekelo oluvela kubazali babantwana abaseGoli, uhulumende kanye lenhlanganiso ezizimele zodwa, uMakhwebu waziwa ngokuthi elakhe ibhizimusi, elisetshenzwa nguye labazukulu abane abangasafundiyo, livula ekuseni liphuma lize liyevala ngehola lesitshiyagalombili ntambama.
Odlula ngendlela obona ibhizimusi eliphumelelayo kodwa okaMkhwebu yena uthi ulala edanile nsukuzonke ukuthi umsebenzi welanga elide kangaka uletha inzuzo enganeli inswelo zabantwana alabo ngendlela yokuthi useze efundisa labo bantwana abona engathi bayathembisa ukuthi bangaphumelela esikolo kuphela.
Labo abacabangela ukuthi angeke baphumelele esikolo yibo asebencedisana logogo ukyathenga, ukuthengisa kanye lokubona ukuthi konke okufunwa yimuli enkulu esendlini kuyatholakala uma ike yabakhona imali.
UGogo Mkhwebu ngomunye wabasebekhulile lasebekhokhobele abahlala emizini yabanengi koBulawayo abazithola bebanjwa ngamandla yibunzima bempilo ngendlela eyenza ukuthi ukusa lokuhlwa kubonwe yibo nsukuzonke bezama ukuselela abazukulu labazukulu babantwababo.
Babonakala belinde amatafula amatamatisi, iziwiji, ukudla kwendulo, izithelo zeganga lalobayini okungayikhupha ipeni elesikhala ezitaladeni.
Besazama ukuzisiza ngaleyondlela, kuyakukhalise abanengi abahamba ngo Lobengula Street ukuthola kuyisiphithiphithi sekuqonga amatafula kukhumuka izicathulo izalukazi lamaxhegu bebalekela ontanga bamapholisa e Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) kanye lakamansipala asebenza ukubopha abathengisa okungekho emthethweni ezitaladeni.
Izakhamizi eziphatheke kunhlelo zokulwela ilungelo likazulu zithi impilo kaGogo Mkhwebu ingcono kakhulu kulabanye asebekhulile abadubeka bezivalelel ezindlini bacine befela khona ngenxa yosizi lwempilo yokucela.
Unkosikazi Siphiwe Dewa uthi ibuhlungu ngempela impilo kaGogo Mkhwebu kodwa yena ungcono kakhulu kulabanye abangasanelisi ukuziphandela. Uchaza ukuthi baphila njani asebekhokhobele akhelane labo namhlanje emzini we Nketa.
Uqhubekele phambili esithi inengi labasebekhokhobele abagcine izimulu ezingelinganiswa ngomama. Uthi ngenxa yendlala lokuswela, abadala abangasafanelanga ukusebenza batholakala bebhoda lezindlu bedinga ukwenza imisebenzi emincane engabatholisa imali yokuthi balale bebambe ithumbu okwamhlalokho.
Ngaphandle kodubo lokuswela imali kanye lokudla, asebekhokhobele abangasanelisi lutho emzini we Old Pumula bazithola sebehlala ezindlini ezingelamandla kagesi lamanzi. Amandla kagesi lamanzi kuvalwa njalonje kanti ukuvalwa kwamanzi ngenjongo yokuwalondoloza okwenziwa ngumansipala kulezinsuku kwenza impilo ibe nzima ngokuphindiweyo. Isakhamuzi se Old Pumula umnumzana Pharoah Jele uyalandisa.
Isakhamuzi se Nkulumane 12 njal eyisikhulumeli se MDC umnumzana Edwin Ndlovu yena uthi kwejwayelekile ukuthi abantu bacabange ukuthi asebekhulile abasemadolobheni baphila ngcono kulaba semaphandleni, khona athi sekungamanga uma kuthintwa udaba lwasebekhokhobele bakulezinsuku.
Umnumzana Ndlovu uthi asebekhokhobele badubeka kangaka nje kuyingoba uhulumende akaselazo inhlelo zogatsha lwe Social Welfare, lona olwaluholisa asebekhulile imali zokuziphilisa nyangazonke. Uthi ukufa kwenhlelo ze Social Welfare kwaba yikufa kabili kulabo ababevele bengasatholi lezimali ezindala eze pension kanti konke lokhu kwenzakala ngesikhathi abadala sebethwele umthwalo wabazukulu abatshiywa ngabantwababo, ikakhulu ababulawa ngumkhuhlane wengculazi.
Uthi ngokuswela ukunanzwa nguhulumende, kuba ngumthwalo onzima uma asebesehluleka emzimbeni kuzakuba yibo okumele bagijimisele izizukulwana emakilinika, bazitholele ukudla kanye lokuzibhadalela esikolo kungakengezelelwa umlandu wokubagqokisa. Umnumzana Jele uthi uzulu we Old Pumula laye uleminyaka engaziboni inhlelo zikahulumende eziqondene lokupha asebekhulile ukudla, impahla kanye lezempilakahle eziqondileyo.
Unkosikazi Dewa uthi asebekhokhobele abatholi ncedo oluvela kuhulumende loba inhlanganiso ezizimele zodwa, ngakho kuyasweleka ukuthi balungiselwe inhlelo zokubagcina kuhle njalo ngendlela etshengisa ukuthi ilizwe liyabananza njalo liyabaqakathekisa asebekhululile bonke hatshi labo abaphatheke kwezombusazwe kuphela.
Kodwa phakathi kwakho konke lokhu, asikho isiboniso sokuthi uhulumende kaMongameli Robert Mugabe uyabakhumbula, ukubaqakathekisa kanye lokubanza absebekhokhobele kuleli ngoba ubuye wedlula umhlaka 1 October, lona okulilanga okunanzwa asebekhulile umhlaba wonke minyaka yonke i International Day of Older Persons.
Lelilanga elinanzwe lonyaka ngaphansi kwesihloko esithi 'The future want: what old people are saying' 'Ikusasa esiyifunayo: okutshiwo ngasebekhulile' alinanzwanga e Zimbabwe njalo ledlule latshiya asebekhulile belokhu bengazi ukuthi kulelanga elibekelwe ukukhangelisisa impilo zabo kanye lokulola amaqhinga amatsha okubagcina ngcono.
Lelilanga labekwa yinhlanganiso ye United Nations ngo 1992 ngenjongo yokuzama ukukhumbuza amazwe onke omhlaba ukuthi abeke intuthuko, ukulondolozwa kanye lempilakahle yasebekhokhobele kunhlelo zentuthuko zawo wonke umhlaba.
Kundikimba yombiko wakhe kumkhosi walonyaka, usibalukhulu we United Nations umnumzana Ban Ki Moon uthi umhlaba kumele ulungiselele indlela ezingcono zokugcina inani lasebekhokhobele, lona athi lizakube selisedlula kabili inani labantwana labasakhulayo umhlaba wonke ngo 2050, khona athi kuzaletha ubunzima obutsha bokugcinwa kwabo emazweni lakuzimuli zabo.