UPHIKO lombutho wamasosha asemanzini luhloniphe iSilo uShaka kaSenzangakhona ngokuqamba ingadlangadla yomkhumbi walo ngaso. AbeSouth African Navy bethule imikhumbi emisha ceke enkanjini yabo eSalisbury Island, eThekwini.
Umbutho wamasosha asemanzini anomsebenzi wokubheka ezokuphepha olwandle ugade abadobi abangagunyaziwe, abazama ukungenisa impahla ngokungemthetho nokunye.
Umcimbi ubuhanjelwe yiSilo uMisuzulu kaZwelithini nabantwana baseNdlunkulu. ISilo saKwaDukuza, uShaka, saziwa ngokuba wumbumbi wesizwe sikaZulu. ISilo uShaka sabusa uZulu ngo-1816, sakhothama ngo-1828 kodwa namanje amagalelo aso asabatshazwa.
Abombutho bamemezele ukuthi umkhumbi ubizwa ngeSAS King Shaka kanti neminye iqanjwe ngamanye amakhosi ezinye izizwe. UMkhuzi wophiko lwamasosha asemanzini, uVice Admiral Monde Lobese, uthe bathatha isinqumo sokuqamba impahla yabo ngamakhosi.
“Sibonga iSilo uMisuzulu kaZwelithini ngokusivumela ukuqamba umkhumbi ngeNkosi uShaka. Siyazi ukuthi wayenobuchule obunzulu kwezempi. Sathatha isinqumo sokuthi sihloniphe amaqhawe ethu ngokuqamba impahla yethu yokusebenza,’’ kusho uLobese.
Uthe umbutho wasemanzini unomsebenzi omkhulu wokugada izwe ukuze kuphephe abantu, uphinde usebenze ukutakula ezimeni ezinzima emanzini. Uthe empeleni badinga imikhumbi engu-15 ukuze benze kahle umsebenzi wabo kodwa ngenxa yokushoda kwemali basalela emuva.
ISilo uMisuzulu kaZwelithini asikhulumanga kakhulu kulo mcimbi, sithe qaphuqaphu sahlala phansi. Sibusise ukuqanjwa komkhumbi ngeSilo saKwaDukuza.
“Ngiyawuqamba ngeSilo uShaka ngokusemthethweni lo mkhumbi,’’ kushaya iSilo ngamafuphi sinanelwa wumkikizo nehlombe lezethameli.
Okhulumela indlunkulu, uMntwana u-Afrika Zulu, wendlu yasoNkweni, uthe indlunkulu yonke izizwa ithobekile ngokuqanjwa komkhumbi ngeLembe.
“ISilo uShaka siwuphawu lobunye ngakho kuyajabulisa ukuthi abombutho benze into enhle kangaka. Abombutho wasemanzini bagada izwe lethu ubusuku nemini, benza umsebenzi obalulekile. Siyabonga nokuthi abombutho baqasha abantu ngisho ezindaweni zasemakhaya,’’ kusho uMntwana u-Afrika.