Kuhlandla lesine lokutshabalala kwamadamu namuhla sisezansi yeMandebeleni edamu leGungwe, emangweni weGwanda South.
Lelidamu selileminyaka emithathu ladilika latshiya izakhamizi lezifuyo zibhekane lodubo lwamanzi. Izakhamizi zithi zifelwe yizifuyo ezinengi lonyaka ngenxa yendlala lokusilela kwamanzi kulumango.
IGungwe ngelinye lamadamu adilike ngomnyaka ka2017 kulandela ukuchitheka kwezulu lesiphepho, uCyclone Dineo, kodwa lalamhlanje lilokhu lingakalungiswa.
Idamu leli belisiza njalo izakhamizi lezifuyo zezigaba ezifana lePelele, eMalitlou, eMakokwe, eSimbuka kanye leNtswangu.
Izakhamizi zeGungwe zithi zingacina zithutha ngenxa yodubo lwamanzi.
Esinye salezizakhamizi uMnu Atumelang Ncube Jili uthi ukungalungiswa kwalelidamu sekudale indlala ngoba inengi beliphila ngokulima imbhida.
“Kasisalimi lembida ngoba izikotsho zethu kazitshonanga kakhulu, amanzi ziwathola edamu ngakho sesiswela isitshebo,” kutsho uMnu Jili.
“Ukunathisa inkomo sikotshoza siyadinwa ngoba ukunathisa inkomo ngumsebenzi omkhulu, besicela uhulumende ukuthi asincedise idamu leli lilungiswe ngoba abantu sebehlupheka ngodubo lwamazi.”
Amazwi kaJili asekelwe nguMnu Tsepang Nare, esinye njalo isakhamuzi seGungwe, yena othi ukungalungiswa kwedamu leli kuzadala ukuthi izakhamizi zakulindawo ziphephele kwezinye indawo ezilamanzi.
“Kulezingadi, nxa ngikhuluma ngezingadi ziyafika kubo 6-7 ingadi lezi zonke imigodi yakhona ayisasebenzi, okutsho ukuthi abantu bonke laba sebelamba ngenxa yedamu leli njalo idamu leli yilo elinatha izifuyo,” uNare uchasisele umsakazo weStudio 7.
“Mina nxa ngikhangele idamu leli ngikhangele ukuthi liyilo impilo yesigaba seBolamba, okokuthi nxa ngikhangele kungelamanzi kutsho ukuthi iBolamba vele ayikho.”
UAlderman Johnson Atulang Dube oyisakhamuzi seMalitlou njalo obengukhansila weGungwe ngesikhathi lelidamu lidubuka, uthi uzamile ukuthi lilungiswe ngesikhathi esembusweni kodwa kwehlula.
“Uhulumende akulanto aseyenzile ngedamu leli. Kudala samtshela. Kathesi sesifuna ukumtshela hulumende ukuthi abantu bazakufa, izifuyo lazo vele seziqalisile ukufa,” kutsho uMnu Dube.
Ukhansila weGungwe ophetheyo okwamanje uMnu Poketitso Linyane uthi laye selahlekelwe lithemba lokuthi lelidamu lizafa lalungiswa ngoba indleko zokulilungisa zikhuphuka ngokusa kwamalanga.
“Akutshengiseli ukuthi lingalunga masinyazana ngoba i-cost eyayifakiwe yayiyiUS$195,000. Okwakathesi ngesimo esikhona lokugebheka eseligebheke ngakho embundwini angiboni kuseneliseka ukuthi lingalunga masinyane.”
Ngaphandle kweGungwe, amanye amadamu akhukhulwe lizulu likaCyclone Dineo emangweni weGwanda ngo2017 agoqela, eleMbizo leleMapate. Wonke lawamadamu akakalungiswa.
Kodwa osaphethe isihlalo sikasikomitshi weGwanda uMnu Judge Dube uthi akhona amanyathelo asebewathethe ukuze izakhamizi zithole amanzi.
“Into ekhona yikuthi amadamu lawana ngobunengi alokhu engakalungiswa ngendlela esasikhangelele ukuthi alungiswe ngayo, kodwa kwezinye indawo ikhona imizamo eyenziwayo ukuthi abantu abakhonaphana bathole amanzi,” kuchasise uDube.
Izulu linile ngeviki edlulileyo njalo amanzi abemele angene edamu leGungwe adlulele eTuli.
Izansi yeMandebeleni yiso isigaba esome ukwedlula zonke izigaba zeZimbabwe ngoba sithola amanzi amalutshwana ngomnyaka.
Kulokuvumelana ekuthini kumele kuqakathekiswe inhlelo zamanzi kulumango, kuvuselelwe amadamu njalo kugejwe amanye amatsha azabamba amanzi okwesikhathi eside.
Umphathintambo wezemali uMnu Mthuli Ncube uhlele izigidi ezingamakhulu amabili lanhlanu zamadola, $205million, kuluhlu lwendleko kahulumende olweBudget yomnyaka ozayo, ezasetshenziswa kunhlelo zokulungisa amadamu elizweni lonke jikelele.
Kodwa umbuzo omkhulu obuzwa ngabantu beGwanda South ngothi kambe limali izafinyelela na eGungwe ukuze lelidamu lalo lilungiswe.
Kusasa sizaphetha udaba lwesimo samadamu lolu ngokukhangela amanye njalo amadamu emangweni weGwanda lakwezinye indawo zeMatabaleland South.
