Yini Oyaziyo Ngobuthakathi?

UBUTHAKATHI! Yini efika engqondweni lapho uzwa lelo gama?

Kwabaningi, buyizinto zezinkolelo-ze nezicatshangelwayo okungamelwe zinakwe kangako. Kubo, ubuthakathi buyinto ecatshangwayo nje—abathakathi abagugile abagqoke imijiva, abafaka embizeni ebilayo izimpiko zamalulwane, abaphendula abantu amaxoxo, abandiza ngezinduku zemishanelo esibhakabhakeni ebusuku begigitheka ngenxa yezinhloso ezimbi.

Kwabanye ubuthakathi abulona ihlaya. Abanye abacwaningi bathi inani elingaphezu kwengxenye yabantu bomhlaba likholelwa ukuthi bakhona ngempela abathakathi futhi bangathonya ukuphila kwabanye. Izigidi zikholelwa ukuthi ubuthakathi bubi, buyingozi futhi kumelwe besatshwe kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, incwadi ekhuluma ngenkolo yase-Afrika ithi: “Ukukholelwa ekusebenzeni nasekubeni yingozi kwemilingo emibi nobuthakathi kugxile kakhulu ekuphileni kwase-Afrika . . . Abathakathi ngabantu abazondwa kakhulu emiphakathini yabo. Ngisho nanamuhla kunezindawo nezikhathi lapho beye bashaywa babulawa yibo bonke abantu.”

Nokho, emazweni aseNtshonalanga ubuthakathi buye bafaka isigubuzelo esisha sokuhlonishwa. Izincwadi, ithelevishini namafilimu kuye kwenza lukhulu ekunciphiseni ukwesatshwa kobuthakathi. Umhlaziyi wezokuzilibazisa uDavid Davis uyaphawula: “Abathakathi sekujike kwaba ngabantu abasha nabakhangayo, abakhanga ngempela. Izimboni zamafilimu zaseMelika ziyashesha ukwamukela imikhuba emisha. . . . Ngokwenza abathakathi bakhange futhi bathandeke, bangakhanga abantu abaningi, kuhlanganise nabesifazane nezingane.” Izimboni zamafilimu zaseMelika ziyakwazi ukwenza noma yimuphi umkhuba omusha uzuzise ngokwezimali.

Abanye bathi ubuthakathi buye baba enye yezinhlangano ezingokomoya ezikhula ngokushesha okukhulu e-United States. Kuwo wonke amazwe athuthukile, inani elandayo labantu, abakhuthazwa izinhlangano ezisekela amalungelo abesifazane nalabo abangenasithakazelo ezinkolweni ezivamile, bafuna ukwaneliseka okungokomoya ezinhlotsheni ezihlukahlukene zobuthakathi. Eqinisweni, izinhlobo zobuthakathi ziningi kangangokuthi abantu abavumelani ngisho nangencazelo yegama elithi “witch” (umthakathi). Nokho, abathakathi ngokuvamile bahlobene neWicca—echazwa kwesinye isichazamazwi ngokuthi “inkolo yobuqaba yokukhulekela imvelo, evela entshonalanga Yurophu yangaphambi kobuKristu, evuselelwayo ekhulwini  lama-20.” * Ngenxa yalokho, abaningi bazibiza nangokuthi amaqaba noma amaqaba anamuhla.

Kuwo wonke umlando, abathakathi bebelokhu bezondwa, beshushiswa, behlushwa, bebulawa ngisho nokubulawa. Akumangalisi ukuthi abathakathi banamuhla bamagange ukuthuthukisa idumela labo. Kokunye ukuhlola, kwabuzwa abathakathi abaningi ukuthi imuphi umyalezo abafisa kakhulu ukuwusho emphakathini. Impendulo yabo, efingqwe umcwaningi uMargot Adler, yayithi: “Asibabi. Asikhulekeli uDeveli. Asilimazi noma siyenge abantu. Asiyona ingozi. Singabantu abavamile njengawe. Sinemikhaya, siyasebenza, sinamathemba namaphupho. Asilona ihlelo. Asesabeki. . . . Akudingeki nisesabe. . . . Siyafana kakhulu nani kunalokho enikucabangayo.”

Lowo myalezo uya ngokuya wamukelwa. Kodwa ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi asikho isizathu sokukhathazeka ngobuthakathi? Ake sicabangele lowo mbuzo esihlokweni esilandelayo.

[Umbhalo waphansi]