Izazinge Ezingaqhelekanga ZaseAfrika
Malunga neekhilomitha ezingama-2 000, kumathafa amakhulu eNtlango yeNamib ekumzantsi-ntshona Afrika, kukho izazinge ezimalunga neemitha ezintathu ubukhulu. Isazinge ngasinye sijikelezwe yingca ende. Kubakhenkethi balapha ezi zazinge zikhangeleka ngathi yirhashalala okanye ziziva ezibangelwe ngamathontsi amakhulu emvula. Ngokweenkolelo zabantu balapha, ezi zazinge zinamandla athile obugqi. Ezinye izizwe zikholelwa ukuba isazinge ngasinye sijikeleze ingcwaba loMthwa othile, owafa kwiimfazwe zaBathwa nabantu ababefuna ukuthimba umhlaba wabo kwiinkulungwane ezadlulayo.
Kudala iinzululwazi zifuna ukwazi inyaniso ngezi zazinge. Ngowe-1978, abaphengululi babecinga ukuba ezi zazinge ziya kutshintsha indawo ezikuzo, bafaka intonga yentsimbi kumbindi wazo. Kwiminyaka engamashumi amabini kamva, ezi zazinge azikhange zishukume nakancinane. Zininzi izinto ezikhe zathethwa ngemvelaphi yezi zazinge. Iphephandaba laseLondon, iThe Daily Telegraph, lithi zibangelwe ziintubi, izityalo ezinamachiza anobungozi, imitha yeathom kunye nokuzonwaya kweenciniba emhlabeni.” Kutshanje, unjingalwazi uGretel van Rooyen, weYunivesithi yasePitoli, eMzantsi Afrika, uye wakhokela iqela labaphengululi kwiphulo lokuzama ukuqonda ezi zazinge. Le njingalwazi ibhala isithi: “Siye savavanya ingcamango nganye, ibe akukho nanye echanileyo kuzo.”
Abaphengululi baye bafumanisa ukuba ingca etyalwe kumhlaba ofumaneka kwezi zazinge iyatsha. Kodwa ikhula kakuhle kumhlaba othatyathwe kwizazinge ezinengca okuthetha ukuba kukho umahluko kwimihlaba ekwezi ndawo. Nakuba kungazange kufumaneke nto kwilinge lokuqala lokuhlola lo mhlaba, lo kaVan Rooyen unethemba lokuba uphando olwenziwa ngokusebenzisa isixhobo sokulinganisa iiathom (mass spectrometer) luya kuphuma nento ebambekayo. Uyawathandabuza amarhe obukho bamachiza anobungozi kumhlaba wezi zazinge. Lo kaVan Rooyen uthi xa ethetha kwiphephandaba iNew Scientist: “Nokuba siyawafumana la machiza, enye ingxaki esiya kujamelana nayo, yimvelaphi yawo.” Okwangoku, ezi zazinge yenye yezinto ezininzi eziseyintsinda-badala emhlabeni.
[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 27]
Courtesy of Austin Stevens