Ngesikhathi umnyaka ka2023 ususiyafika emaphethelweni, kulabasakhulayo abathi lomnyaka ubatholise uluju lobisi, kodwa bakhona abanye abathi inyanga ezilitshumi lambili ezedluleyo lezi zibathwalise amagabha avuzayo ngenxa yokugugudeka somnotho welizwe.
Abanye bathi bakhangelele okungcono ngomnyaka ka2024, kodwa kube labanengi abathi sebelahlekelwe lithemba eZimbabwe ukuthi kuzakuba lenguquko.
Omunye walabo abathi u2023 umphethe kamnandi nguNqobani Simango, osakhulayo waseKwekwe.
“Angeke ngasola mina ngoba konke bekuhamba ngendlela engangiyifuna. Ngile bhizimusi lami elokuthengisa omakhalekhukhwini. Kudala ngangithola amafoni lawa emazweni anjengeSouth Africa, edula. Kodwa khathesi besengithenga eChina, emanengi, njalo elentengo ephansi. Ngalesi sikhathi sekhefu lekhisimusi, ngibambe imali elomthunzi sibili okwenza ngikhangelele umnyaka ka2024.”
Njengebizo lakhe, uyajabula laye uJabulani Mangena, osakhulayo wakoBulawayo, ngoba laye wasebenzela okukhanyayo kulo umnyaka osuphutsha.
“Mina ngisebenza enhlanganisweni ezimeleyo lapha koBulawayo. Bengihola imali engcono kakhulu, nxa kuqathaniswa labanye ontanga abasemisebenzini etshiyeneno. Ngenelise ukwenza okunengi ngaleyi mali, okubalisa ukuthenga indawo yokwakha umuzi, ukuthenga okuyimota, kanye lokubhadalela abanawami imali zasezikolo zemfundo yaphezulu. Ngingasola lomnyaka, ngiyabe ngidinga uswazi lukaMlimu.”
Kodwa ayisibo bonke abathi konke bekubutshelezi ngo2023, ngoba umnotho welizwe ubulokhubhidlika, okutshabalalise amathuba okuzithuthukisa kwabatsha. UMary Mabutho ngomunye wabasakhulayo abathi bekungalula lonyaka.
“Umnyaka lo ubunzima kakhulu ngoba bekufunakala izimali ezinengi zesikolo. Okwakuhlupha kakhulu yikuthi wawusithi ungathola imali yakuleli eyamaBond, yayingasebenzi okukhanyayo ngoba yayingela mandla; kuthi njalo elamandla yakhona, amaU.S, ebengabambeki lula. So bekuyisiphithiphithi nje umnyaka wonke. Asazi ukuthi u2024 izasiphathelani.”
Uyakhala laye uNokuphiwa Moyo waseGwanda, ngoba uthi esephelile u2023, kodwa akala lokukodwa angakukhomba ukuthi wenelisa ukukufeza lonyaka.
“Njengakimi umnyaka lowu ubunzima sibili ngoba ngazama sibili ukuthi ngidhonse ngazonke indlela, kodwa kwehlule. Ngake ngathi ngithengise, kodwa sesibanengi abantu abathengisayo, okwenza izinto zingathengwa kangako, njalo abantu abala mali yokuthenga. Kuthi njalo izinto zazilokhe zikhwela eZimbabwe okungaqedakaliyo. Ungathi udinge umsebenzi awutholakali. Hayi u2023 ubenzima.”
USibongumusa Ncube, ngosakhulayo oyisifundi seAfrica University, odabuka eGwanda. Yena-ke uthi kwezombusazwe lomnotho, abasakhulayo abatholanga amathuba abanelayo lonyaka.
“Ukhetho luka 23 Ncwabakazi kwakulithuba lokuthi sibe yingxeke yokhetho ekwakheni isizwe. Kodwa kusaswelakala ukuthi abatsha baphatheke ngokuzikhandla emnothweni welizwe. Manengi amathuba umuntu angafisa ukumadinga. Kuyisifiso sami ukuthi sesingena kumnyaka ka2024, njengabantu abatsha sengeze ukuphatheka kwethu kulezi nhlangothi, ukwenzela ukuthi siphathisane ekwakheni ilizwe lethu.”
Osakhulayo ocubungula indaba zabatsha, njalo engumlobi wamabhuku, uThabani Mlilo, uthi ubunzima obuhlangane labasakhulayo lonyaka, bungaba bubavulele amathuba.
“U2023 ubungumnyaka omuhle sibili. Ngilethemba lokuthi loba ubulabo ubunzima, kulethe amathuba okufunda, ukukhula, lokuba ngcono kulokho esizakwenza kwelakusasa. Ngithanda ukuthi sikhangelane lokuhle okungabe kwenzakala kithi, okubalisa ukuphutsha umnyaka siphila. Yikho njengomutsha ngibona u2023 eyisikolo esingifundise okutsha ngempilo.”
Ezinye ingcwethi ezicubungula indaba zabasakhulayo zithi inengi lalabo abathi lumnyaka ubahambele kamnandi, bengaba bebebesizakala ngomkhuba wenhkohlakalo, kanye lobusela ukuze bathole ukuziphilisa lokuba lempilo engcono.
Kodwa abasakhulayo abanengi bathi sebesiyadinga amadlelo aluhlaza phandle kwelizwe ngoba elizweni amathuba okuthola imisebenzi ehambelana lemfundo yabo lokhu encipha.
Inhlanganiso yezisebenzi eyeZimbabwe Congress Trade Unions ithi abantu abafika isilinganiso esingamatshumi ayisitshiyagalolunye ekhulwini, abala misebenzi eZimbabwe.