Ngesikhathi i-Africa inanza ilanga labatsha, eleInternational Day of the African Child, leli zwekazi libikwa seliyindawo elenani eliphezulu labatsha ukwedlula amazwe wonke womhlaba.
Ingcwethi zenhlalakahle lentuthuko kazulu zithi elakusasa le Zimbabwe le Africa yonke jikelele, lingaphumelela nxa ohulumende bengaqakathekisa inhlelo zokubathuthukisa abatsha.
Ilanga leli elithakazelelwa minyaka yonke mhlaka 16 Nhlangula liyisikhumbuzo sabantwana abatshengisela emzini weSoweto, kwele South Africa besola umbuso wabamhlophe owawulobandlululo oweApartheid kodwa bacina bedutshulwa.
Ingcitshi zezombusazwwe zithi ilanga leli liyisikhumbuzo sokuba abantu abatsha kumele baphiwe usekelo nguhulumende ngoba beyibo ikusasa hatshi kweleZimbabwe kuphela kodwa lasezwekazi leAfrica jikelele.
UMnu Mlindelwa Mancitshana uchasisa ngokuqakatheka kwelanga leli esithi kumele uhulumende anikeze abatsha amathuba ukuze bavuselele umnotho welizwe.
“Namhla lilanga lomtwana we Africa lapho kukhunjulwa ukuqakathela komntwwana we Africa. Abantwana abasela okokwenza, imisebenzi akula. Nxxa bethi benze amalungelo abo baphilela phakathi kovalo. Lokhu kuyabaphambanisa njalo kumele kulungiswe”
Unobhala wabatsha kuMDC Alliance, uMnu Gift Ostallos Siziba uthi njengabatsha ilanga leli kumele libamanyanise ukulwisana lobunzima ababhekane labo.
“Sihlalanga labatsha bonke ukuthakazelela lolusuku lwabatsha iAfrica yinke. Kwele Zimbabwe silodubo olufana lwalolo olwenzakala Soweto okwenza abatsga basukume benze lokhu okutshengisela’
Lokhu kusekelwe ngomunye osakhulayo uMnu Pride Mkono yena othi abatsha bathwele nzima ngobuyanga elizweni.
“Liza ngesikhathi ontanga beZimbabwe behlangane lobuyanga ngokuswela imisebenzi. Uhulumende ka Mongameli Mnangagwa usetshengisele ukuba akanaki ontanga ngoba engabaphi amathuba okuzithuthukisa”
Ingcitshi ecubungula ezombusaze uMnu Mlungisi Dube uthi kumele uhulumende asekele abatsha ukuze indubo zabo zilungisiswe.
“Lusuku olusikhumbuza ukuba abantu abatsha bengenza umehluko nxa bengasukuma bakhulume. Uhulumende lo ulubugovu lokutshontshwa kwezimali okwenza ukuba kungabi lezimali ezenza abatsha babe lelakusasa elihle”
Kodwa umsekeli kanobhala wabatsha kubandla le ZANU PF uMnu Mabutho Moyo uthi abatsha kumele basebenzelane lohulumende hatshi ukuphambana lezimiso zakhe ngokutshengisela lalapho kungafanele.
“Lilanga lapho abatsha abasukuma khona besithi kabasoze bevume ukwethuselwa ngamabhunu. Leli lilanga esingasoze silikhohlwe. Sizaxoxa ngalo sifundise abazukulu lezizukulwane ezizabuya okumele lihlale lithakazelelwa”
I-langa leli lonyaka linanzwa phansi kwendikimba ethi ‘ Access to a Child Friendly Justice System in Africa’ kulenkuthazo yokuba imithethwandaba yaseAfrica kumele ibe lendlela ezingethuseli abantwana lapho bethonisiswa kumbe besipha ubufakazi.
Ngenxa yomkhuhlane we Covid 19 lonyaka akusoze kube lemibithunano etshiyeneyo ejwayele ukwenzakala kunanzwa leli langa.
Kunjalo nje, abasakhulayo beZimbabwe bakhala ngokuthi kusese kunengi okumele kwenziwe nguhulumende, ukubathuthukisa. Lokhu kuphume kungxoxo eyenziwe nguMike Hove oweStudio7, losakhulayo, uNkosazana Sally Mlambo owenhlanganiso yePlatform For Youth Development.
“Kwelethu lapha eZimbabwe, amalungelo abontanga vele kawahlonitshwa. Nxa yena umuntu ezehluleka ukuthi ahloniphe amalungelo omuntu omdala, vele kuyazicacela sibili ukuthi ukuthi amalungelo abatsha ngeke vele bazihluphe ngawo,” kutsho uMaMlambo.
