What is the meaning of Umgababa?
The Umgababa River (originally “Umkababa”, which means “my father’s wife”)
Umgababa yidolobha elincane elisogwini elitholakala kuMasipala weTheku esifundazweni saKwaZulu-Natali eNingizimu Afrika. Nakuba uMgababa ngokwawo ungenawo umlando oqoshiwe obanzi, usendaweni enesizinda somlando ocebile.
Isifunda lapho kukhona khona uMgababa sekungamakhulu eminyaka kwakhiwa izizwe ezahlukene zase-Afrika. Abantu bomdabu, njengamaZulu, babehlala kule ndawo kudala ngaphambi kokuba kufike amakoloni aseYurophu. Isizwe samaZulu sase sisungule umbuso waso ekuqaleni kwekhulu le-19 ngaphansi kobuholi benkosi uShaka Zulu. Nokho, umlando othize weMgababa njengedolobha uqala kamuva kakhulu.
Ngesikhathi sobukoloni, izifiki zaseYurophu zafika kule ndawo futhi zakha izimila zomoba esifundeni esisogwini lwaKwaZulu-Natali. Idolobha laseMgababa liqhamuke ngenxa yokukhula kwala masimu nokudingeka kwabasebenzi. Iningi labasebenzi bokufika abavela ezindaweni zasemakhaya bakhangwe eMgababa nasezindaweni ezizungezile ukuze bathole amathuba emisebenzi embonini kashukela.
Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uMgababa wakhula waba idolobhana elincane elinengqalasizinda nezinsiza eziyisisekelo zokweseka umphakathi wendawo. Yaba indawo yokuhlala abasebenzi nemindeni yabo, ibahlinzeka ngezindlu, izikole nezinye izinsiza. Umnotho waleli dolobha ubugxile kwezolimo, kanti ukulinywa komoba kuyimboni ephambili.
Ngezikhathi zobandlululo eNingizimu Afrika (1948-1994), uMgababa, njengezinye izindawo eziningi, wabhekana nemigomo yokucwasana eyayisetshenziswa uhulumeni. Lezi zinqubomgomo bezihlose ukuhlukanisa izinhlanga ezahlukene kanye nokugcina umthetho wabamhlophe abambalwa. Ngenxa yalokho, uMgababa waqokwa njengendawo “emnyama” noma “engamhlophe” ngaphansi kohlelo lobandlululo.
Ngokuphela kobandlululo nokusungulwa kweNingizimu Afrika yentando yeningi ngo-1994, uMgababa, kanye nezwe lonke, kwaba nezinguquko ezinkulu kwezenhlalo nezombusazwe. Idolobhana selibone intuthuko kanye nokwenza ngcono kwengqalasizinda kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, kodwa lisabhekene nezinselelo ezifana nobubha, ukuntuleka kwemisebenzi kanye nokungafinyeleli kahle kwezinsiza.
Namuhla, uMgababa useyindawo ehlala abantu abaningi enengxube yezindlu ezihlelekile nezingahlelekile. Inomqondo oqinile womphakathi futhi yaziwa ngendawo yayo enhle engasogwini, iheha izivakashi nezivakashi. Idolobhana lisaqhubeka nokuthembela kwezolimo, ikakhulukazi ukulima umoba, kanye namabhizinisi amancane kanye nokuhweba okusakhula ukuze likwazi ukuliphilisa.