NguBertha Solomon
Ngenkulungwane yamashumi amabini
Ifoto kaBertha Solomons. Umfanekiso: ukwiqonga likawonkewonke, kuWikimedia Commons
“Kweyam iBhili ndafumama malunga namashumi asixhenxe ekhulwini woko ndandikufuna – kusekho okusadingekayo. Ukunyamezela nokusebenza nzima – ayikho enye indlela ngaphandle kwezi kulo naliphi na ikhono.”
UBertha wayeneminyaka emine kuphela ubudala ukufika kwakhe eKapa evela eRussia. Wafunda kwiSikolo Samabanga Aphezulu iGood Hope Seminary nase-Anglican Diocesan College (eBishops College), esiba ngomnye wabona bafundi bokuqala bamaJuda kule kholeji. Emva kokugqiba izifundo zakhe njengotitshala, uBertha wazimanya ngeqhina lomtshato noCharles Solomon ze bafudukela eRhawutini.
Emva kweshumi leminyaka ngo-1923 uBertha wenza izifundo zomthetho, wavula inkampani yakhe yezomthetho, ze waba yi-advocate yokuqala elinina ukuvela ngaphambi kweNqanaba lePhondo leTransvaal ePitoli.
UBertha wayenguye yedwa i-advocate kwibhari yaseRhawutini yaye ayethontelana amanina ukuza kubona yena. Ngelo xesha imithetho yoMzantsi Afrika yayiwohluthile amanina ilungelo lokuba ngabanini bemihlaba, ilungelo lokulawula imivuzo yabo kwakunye nelungelo lokuvota. Amanina ayethatyathwa njengabantu abangenamagunya ngokomthetho yaye ayengenakho ukuvula ii-akhawunti zebhanki ngaphandle kwemvume yabayeni babo. Kwimeko yamanina awayeyiqhawulile imitshato, umfazi wayengenawo amalungelo okuba ngumntu onelungelo lokukhulisa umntwana, yaye wayephulukana nabo ngoko nangoko abantwana bakhe phantsi kwemithetho elawula umtshato. UBertha wayibona intlungu awayejamelene nayo amaninna ngenxa yezithintelo zomthetho. Oku kwamkhokelela ekubeni alndele ubizo awayesoloko enalo: ihambo yokubuyisela isidima samanina, kwakunye nomngeni wokwenziwa kweenguqu kumthetho ngenjongo yokuphucula ubomi bamanina.
Wazimanya neSuffrage Movement yamanina de kwabe kuwiswa ibhili enika amanina ilungelo lokuvota ngo-1930. Ibhili le yamdanisa kakhulu uBertha, njengoko yayinikezela ngamalungelo okuvota kumanina amhlophe kuphela.
UBertha waqhuba de waya kuba nguCeba wePhondo wokuqala olinina. Wazitsalela okunyulelwa ePalamente, unyulo awaluphumelela ngo-1938. Indima yakhe yokuqala ePalamente yaba kukusekwa kwekhitshi lesuphu eJeppestown. Ukuqhambuka kweMfazi Yehlabathi Yesibini, wayengomnye wabaseki beSouth African Women’s Auxiliary Airforce.
UBertha Solomon walwa isithuba esingaqphaya kwamashumi amabini eminyaka ukuze kuwiswe ibhili eyayibizwa iMatrimonial Affairs Bill. Yathi yaphunyezwa ekugqibeleni ngo-1953, inika amanina amalungelo okuba nemihlaba kwakunye nokuba ngabantu abagcina abantwana babo. Ngaloo nyaka wafumana iwonga lokuba linina lonyaka.
IBertha Solomon Centre kule ndawo ibizwa ngokuba yiJeppestown kule mihla iyaqhuba nokusebenzela uluntu lwaseRhawutini.
