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KUVELA okumise ukuqhubeka kwemisebenzi kaMbongeni Ngema (osesithombeni) owadlula emhlabeni engozini yemoto eyenzeka e-Eastern Cape, ngoZibandlela (December) wonyaka odlule. Ngokusho kwendodana yakhe, u-Afrika Ngema, umbango kwamafa yiwona owenze imisebenzi imiswe. Sekubikwe kaningi emithonjeni yabezindaba ngokuklwebhana kwamakhosikazi akhe, osekwenze kwayiswana ezinkantolo. Phakathi kwezinto ezibangwayo, yize u-Afrika engafunanga ukwanda kakhulu ngazo, yi-intellectual property (ubunikazi bemisebenzi yomculo nemidlalo yasesiteji kaNgema) nemizi.
Sekuke kwavela ukuthi iJoburg Theatre ihoxile ukukhipha imali yoxhaso lomdlalo wokukhumbula uNgema, obekumele ube ngoNhlangulana (June) eNewtown, eGoli. Isizathu wukuthi umndeni usabanga amafa. Ekhuluma neLANGA Lempelasonto u-Afrika, uthe: “Sinqume ukumisa kancane zonke izinto ebezihleliwe ukuqhuba igama likaMadlokovu ngenxa yombango oqhubekayo ezinkantolo. Uma sewuxazululiwe, siyobe sesiqhubeka nemisebenzi kababa esihlose ukuthi ingapheleli emoyeni ngoba uyibekile induku ebandla.”
Ngesikhathi senkonzo yokufihla uNgema eyayise-Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC), eThekwini ngoMasingana (January), kwamenyezelwa ukuthi kuneMbongeni Ngema Academy obekumele ivulwe ngokusemthethweni eThekwini ngoMbasa (April) walo nyaka.
Ngokusho kukaSihle Bam owayesebenzisana noNgema kuma-project, lesi sikole sizoba sekhoneni lika-Anton Lembede (Smith Street) noSamora Machel (Aliwal). Kwaphinde kwavela ukuthi uNgema wayesezinhlelweni zokuvula iMbongeni Ngema Museum of Africa Greatness. Kulesi sigcina magugu wayehlose ukuqopha umlando waSeningizimu Afrika nowase-Afrika jikelele. Kwakuzophinde kuhlonishwe iqhaza lamaciko emikhakheni eyahlukene. Kulawo maciko kwabalulwa uMirriam Makeba, uYvonne Chakachaka noBrenda Fassie.
Kuyo le nkonzo yomngcwabo, umlingani wakhe weminyaka ongumculi nophrojusa, uSello “Chicco” Twala, waphakamisa ukuthi iThe Playhouse Company yaseThekwini iqanjwe ngoNgema. UMnu Zizi Kodwa, owayengungqongqoshe wezemidlalo, ubuciko namaciko, waphakamisa ukuthi kwenziwe umfuziselo (statue) ngaphandle kweThe Playhouse, lapho imidlalo yasesiteji eminingi kaNgema yayibukwa khona.
UNgema uzakhele igama ngesikhathi umdlalo wakhe wasesiteji iSarafina – owasungulwa ngo-1987 – unyakazisa cishe izwe lonke, waze wayongena eBroadway, eNew York, e-USA, lapho owadlala khona iminyaka emibili ngenxa yokuthandwa ngabantu. Lo mdlalo ukhuluma ngezibhelu zango-1976, lapho kwakubhikisha khona abafundi eSoweto, kanti wavundulula ikhono lamaciko asedumile manje okubalwa kuwona uLeleti Khumalo, uDumisani Dlamini noKhanyo Maphumulo.
