KWAKUNGU-AUGUST 1936. Kusesigodlweni noma enxulumeni lenkosi yaseSwazini. URobert noGeorge Nisbet babesanda kudlala umculo oqoshiwe nezinkulumo zikaMfoweth’ u-J. F. Rutherford emotweni enombhobho. INkosi uSobhuza II yajabula. UGeorge wathi: “Sadumala lapho icela ukuba siyithengisele umshini wokudlala amarekhodi, amarekhodi kanye nombhobho esasimemezela ngawo isigijimi soMbuso!”

URobert waxolisa washo ukuthi lezo zinto azidayiswa. Kungani? Ngoba zazingezona ezabo. INkosi yafuna ukwazi ukuthi ezikabani.

URobert waphendula, “Zingezenye iNkosi.” INkosi uSobhuza yabe isibuza ukuthi ingubani leyo Nkosi. URobert wathi, “NguJesu Kristu iNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.”

INkosi uSobhuza yavuma ngenhlonipho ejulile: “Wo, uyiNkosi enkulu ngempela. Angifuni ukuthatha lutho olungolwakhe.”

URobert wabhala: ‘Sangihlaba umxhwele isimo sengqondo seNgonyama, iNkosi uSobhuza. IsiNgisi yayisikhipha ngamakhala kodwa ingaqhoshi ngalokho, futhi yayingagunci futhi ingeneka. Ngahlala nayo ehhovisi layo cishe imizuzu engu-45, ngesikhathi uGeorge edlala umculo ngaphandle.’

URobert waqhubeka, ‘Ntambama saya esikoleni esibizwa ngokuthi iSwazi National lapho saba nokuhlangenwe nakho okuthakazelisa kakhulu. Safakaza kuthishanhloko, futhi akabanga nankinga yokusilalela. Lapho simtshela ngomshini futhi sicela ukudlalela isikole sonke amarekhodi, wajabula futhi wabiza abafundi ababalelwa ekhulwini ukuba bahlale phansi otshanini balalele. Satshelwa ukuthi leso sikole samabanga aphakeme sasifundisa ezolimo, umsebenzi wasengadini, ukubaza, ukwakha, isiNgisi, abafana befundiswa izibalo, amantombazane efundiswa ubuhlengikazi, imisebenzi yasendlini neminye imisebenzi ewusizo. Lesi sikole sasungulwa ugogo weNgonyama.’ *

Ngasekuqaleni kuka-1933, iNkosi uSobhuza yakujabulela ukulalela amaphayona ayefike esigodlweni. Kwesinye isenzakalo, yaze yamema namabutho ayikhulu angabaqaphi bayo ukuba azolalela isigijimi soMbuso esiqoshiwe. Yenza izikhokhelo zomagazini bethu futhi yamukela nezincwadi. Kungakabiphi  iNkosi yayisinomtapo wezincwadi ezingokwasezulwini ocishe uphelele! Ngaphezu kwalokho, yazigcina izincwadi zethu ngisho nangesikhathi uMbuso WaseBrithani, izwe laseSwazini elalingaphansi kwawo, wawuzivimbele ngeMpi Yezwe II.

INkosi uSobhuza II yaqhubeka nokwamukela oFakazi esigodlweni sayo kwaLobamba, yayize ibize nabefundisi ukuba bazolalela izinkulumo zeBhayibheli. Lapho uFakazi wendawo ogama lakhe kunguHelvie Mashazi exoxa ngoMathewu isahluko 23, iqembu labefundisi lathukuthela lagxuma lama ngezinyawo, lazama ukumhlalisa phansi ngenkani. Kodwa iNkosi yangenela, yacela uMfoweth’ uMashazi ukuba aqhubeke. Ngaphezu kwalokho yatshela izilaleli ukuthi zibhale phansi wonke amavesi eBhayibheli okukhulunywe ngawo enkulumweni!

Kwesinye isenzakalo, ngemva kokulalela inkulumo eyayinikezwa umzalwane oyiphayona, abefundisi abane ababekhona bajikisa okhololo babo futhi bamemezela: “Asisebona abafundisi kodwa sesingoFakazi BakaJehova.” Babe sebebuza iphayona ukuthi alinazo yini ezinye izincwadi iNgonyama eyayinazo.

Kusukela ngawo-1930 kwaze kwaba sekukhothameni kwayo ngo-1982, iNgonyama yayilokhu ibahlonipha oFakazi BakaJehova futhi ingavumi ukuba bashushiswe ngokungawagcini amasiko amaSwazi. Ngakho-ke, oFakazi babenesizathu esihle sokuyibonga, futhi badabuka ngempela lapho ikhothama.

Ngasekuqaleni kuka-2013, abamemezeli boMbuso eSwazini base bengaphezu kuka-3 000. Njengoba inani labantu kuleli zwe lingaphezu nje kwesigidi, ummemezeli ngamunye ubhekene nabantu abangu-384 ngokwesilinganiso. Kunamaphayona angaphezu kuka-260 emabandleni angu-90, futhi bangu-7 496 ababekhona eSikhumbuzweni ngo-2012. Kusobala ukuthi kunethuba elikhulu lokwanda okwengeziwe. Lokho kuhambela kokuqala ngawo-1930 ngempela kwabeka isisekelo esiqinile eSwazini.—Sivela ezinqolobaneni zethu eNingizimu Afrika.