Site sakuvela kwapuma into
Eyimyoli good on you Nkosi
Bantu.
Hamba Sokulandela, 40
Nawe mazi esifuba sikulu eyati
Gqi nomnweba ku Buxton,
Kwavuleka intolongo.
Hamba Sokulandela,
Mazi eyapuma izinto nge pass 45
Kwapuma izinto kwa tamb’u,
Mlungu exwayi kati ngabula
Nojekwa.
Hamba Sokulandela,
Mazi eyateta e Nancefield yatsho 50
Amadoda e Komishoni apupa
Kakubona.
Hamba Sokulandela,
Mazi eyalandela amadoda
E Komishoni kwada kwase Bhai 55
Indlovu ndifungu Ledi.
Hamba Sokulandela,
Nawe Cete nto ka Nkombisa,
Chizama bamb’i ntambo ama
Kowenu akugxeleshile kunje. 60
Hamba Sokulandela,
Nto ka Mbambisa Radebe Tina
master stick-fighter;
don’t let yapping curs
distract you from the giant hound. 65
Go and we’ll follow you,
son of Maxeke:
we’ve been bought off with low-grade chuck,
meat slopped up in the compounds.
Go and we’ll follow you: 70
this lot would prefer to face
next year without competition.
Ho! Ho! Ho! Fat chance!
Hom! Wait a minute! The ford holds threats!
That’s it, Editor. Mercy! 75
You’ll hear from me again.
God bless Africa.
CHIZAMA,
Crown Mines.
Siyakwazi nase zintongeni
Ungotuswa zi ngqeqe jonga
Ukupuma kwe nkulu inja. 65
Hamba Sokulandela,
Mfo ka Maxeke kuba tina
Kaloku satengwa ngo duladula
Inyama ye Komponi.
Hamba Sokulandela, 70
Kuba lempi ifuna ukubona
Yodwa unyaka ozayo Ho! Ho!
Ho! Sakubona Fish.
Hom Mazijike, izibuko libi,
Ndoka ndime Mhleli taru ndobuye 75
Ndivele.
Nkosi Sikele Africa.
CHIZAMA,
Crown Mines.
Mgqwetho here develops the image of the ford that appeared at the end of her first poem (line 71). Black people have been defeated by whites in battle, but they must regain their martial spirit and strive for independence, though with a more deliberate strategy. She urges the settling of internal differences, a unity essential to the passage to a better situation, symbolised by a ford across a river. Black people must seek this new dispensation in opposition to whites, without their help; in uniting and settling their differences, they must involve their estranged chiefs in their quest.
2 Nontsizi Chizama, the woman poet
Hom! Wait a minute! In the Cape
we stumbled in starting:—
1Halahoyi, you in the Cape!
Something stinks
like the river snake 5
fouling the air.
2“We stumbled in starting!
Things fell apart,” says Maxeke,
hunting those who scattered
and took to the hills. 10
3Halahoyi! In the Cape
they seek a ford,
for Government troops
met Phalo’s,
and we slipped off 15
like swallows.
4So says Maxeke,
white-flanked kite:
first we’ll find
a ford for ourselves— 20
then King George
can set his seal.
Please hear!
2 Imbongikazi Nontsizi u Chizama
Hom! Mazijike! Tina Makoloni
Sifunze kakubi:—
1Halahoyi! Makoloni,
Nalo ke ivumba
Linukisa 5
Okwenyoka yomlambo.
2Sifunze Kakubi!
Larazuka “ibhayi”
Itsho into ka Maxeke,
Ezingela nabayame ngentaba. 10
3Halahoyi! Amakoloni
Afuna Izibuko
Kuba u Rulumente
Wabambana no Palo
“Satweta” ukuhamba 15
Saxela inkonjane.
4Uti Untloyiya ontusi
Into ka Maxeke
Izibuko kuqala lobonwa
Ngamakaya— 20
Aze no King George
Abeke ne Sitampu.
Kauve!
5Hom! Wait a minute!
Return to the battlefield: 25
our men are butchered
by bladeless spears.
Peace!
6We seek a ford to ferry
first one dove then the rest; 30
we want them all, even those
who egg on the troops but stay home themselves.
7We stumbled in starting!
We seek a ford,
a long rope for hauling 35
the lame as well.
8The slope is benighted,
we seek a ford:
our fathers abandoned us,
a flock without kindling. 40
9Halahoyi! Remove your shoes
and seek a ford,
so that your chiefs
can lick the cream.
10We