Xa umhlaba lo wawusaqaleka ukuvela, kwiminyaka ezizigidigidi ezithathu ezinesiqingatha eyadlulayo yayisisithabazi^[1] samanzi eelwandle kwisijikelezi-langa. Kwakusenyanyeni, kungekho kwamhlaba, koko kubonakala amanzi odwa.

Iintaba-mlilo^[2] phantsi kwaloo maza olwandle, zagqabhuka, zaphuphuma zityekeza udak’olutshisa bhee^[3] olwachitheka kumgangatho wolwandle^[4]. Kwadaleka imilambokazi yomlilo onodaka olutshitshizayo^[5]; Lwaphola lwakudibana namanz’abandayo. Lwaqina lwenz’ulwalwa olukhulu lokuqala.

Olu daka lwahluke mpela kolu lutyekezwa ziintaba-mlilo namhlanje, kuba oluyaa lwakudala lwalutshisa mpela – nto leyo ibonakalisa ukuba amathumbu omhlaba aya ephola ngokuphola njengokuba lisiba lidala neHlabathi.

Ekuhambeni kwexesha, ezi ntaba-mlilo  zaya zisiba nkulu ngokuba nkulu zade zakroba ngaphezu kwamanzi zenza iziqithana ngeziqithana ezincinane. Ezi ziqithi zazimana ukusondelelana zingqubane de zadibana zankulu kakhulu zenza umhlaba obanzi.

Yaba kukubunjwa kwamazwekazi okuqala ke oko. Loo mazwekazi ayeyimiqwebedu, kusenkangala, kungekho mithi, zityalo, nazinambuzane! Kwakukho imilambo enqumleze umhlaba, iwatshayelela onke amabibi elwandle.

La mazwekazi okuqala asekho nanamhla oku. Thina simi kwelinye lawo! UMzantsi Afrika lelinye lamaqhekeza elidala kwihlabathi jikelele. Udaka olutshisayo olungaqhelekanga olwalungumjelo owawuhamba kumgangatho wolwandle lusabonakala nanamhlanje oku kwiMimandla yeeNtaba zaseBarbeton, eMpumalanga.

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[ 1] Isithabazi –  stretched water
[2] Intabamlilo – volcano
[3] Udaka olutshisa bhee – lava
[4] Umgangatho wolwandle – sea floor
[5] Ukutshitshiza – hissing