Day off for National Flag Day

Lusuku Lwekugubha Ifulegi LakaNgwane: Luphawu Lwebunye Nemlandvo Wetfu

Lusuku lwekugubha ifulegi lakaNgwane (National Flag Day) lusuku lolubaluleke kakhulu emlandvweni nasebentfwini base-Eswatini. Lolu lusuku lapho sonkhe sihlonipha futsi sikhumbula luphawu lolusihlanganisako njengesive, lolumele kukhululeka kwetfu, emasiko etfu, kanye nelikusasa letfu. Lelifulegi alisiwo nje emalendze anemibala leyehlukene, kodvwa liyindzaba lephilayo yendlela lesitsetse ngayo luhambo lwekuba sive lesitimele futsi lesitighenyako ngemlandvo waso.

Kugujwa kwelusuku lwelifulegi kusikhumbuta ngenkhululeko lesayitfola kanye nekubambisana kwetfu njengemaSwati. Ngulapho sikhumbula khona kutsi lelifulegi laphakanyiswa kwekucala mhlaka 25 Apreli 1967, lokungumzuzu lowashintsha umlandvo walelive phakadze. Ngaleso sikhatsi, live lakaNgwane belisendleleni lebovu yekutfola inkhululeko lephelele emandleni eBrithani, futsi kuphakanyiswa kwelifulegi kwakumele kutsi sesingive lesitibusa ngetfu, lesinemasiko aso kanye nendlela yaso yekuphila.

Ngalolu lusuku, emaSwati kulo lonkhe live, kusukela emadolobheni lamakhulu njengeMbabane neManzini kuye emakhaya lamancane emikhambeni, ayabukisisa kutsi lisho kutsini lelifulegi kubo. Lolu lusuku lwekutighenya ngebunye betfu ngaphansi kwelubandza lwenkhosi netibongo tetfu letinyenti. Sifundzisa nemaswati lamasha ngenkhululeko nangenhlonipho lefanale iniketwe lolu luphawu lwesive.

Lusuku lwelifulegi nga-2026

Emnyakeni wa-2026, lolu lusuku luyawube lubaluleke kakhulu njengensayeya yetfu yekucinisa live. Njengobe umlandvo ukhombisa, lolu lusuku lolugujwa mhlaka 25 Apreli minyaka yonkhe, kodvwa uma lolu lusuku luwela ngempelasontfo, hulumende uniketa sive lilanga lekuphumula kute wonkhe umuntfu atfole litfuba lekuligubha ngalokuphelele.

Nga-2026, lolu lusuku lutawugujwa ngalendlela lelandzelako:

Lusuku lweliviki: Monday Lusuku lwenyanga: April 27, 2026 Sikhatsi lesisele: Kusele emalanga langu-69 kute lolu lusuku lufike.

Lolu lusuku lolubekwe emlandvweni kutsi lube lilanga lekuphumula (public holiday) kute emaSwati akhone kukhumbula lolu luphawu lwesive. Njengobe mhlaka 25 Apreli 2026 kuwela ngeMgcibelo, hulumende ukhetse mhlaka April 27, 2026 kutsi kube lilanga lekuphumula lelisemtsetfweni kute kuniketwe wonkhe umuntfu sikhatsi sekuligubha. Loku kukhombisa kutsi hulumende uyalihlonipha lelifulegi njengentfo lehlanganisa sive.

Umlandvo Nevelaphi Yelifulegi LakaNgwane

Umlandvo welifulegi lakaNgwane ujile kakhulu futsi uhlangene nemlandvo wemphi kanye nekubandzakanyeka kwemaSwati etindzabeni temhlaba. Indzaba yalo yacala ngemnyaka wa-1941, ngesikhatsi Semphi Yesibili Yemhlaba (World War II). Ngaleso sikhatsi, iNkhosi Sobhuza II yaniketa libutfo leSwazi Pioneer Corps ifulegi lelikhetsekile ngesikhatsi balungeselelwa kuya emphini kute bayolwa kanye nemabutfo lahlanganyele (Allied forces).

Lelifulegi leliniketwa lamabutfo lalingasiyo nje indvwangu, kodvwa lalikhomba kutsi ngisho nasebalwa etindzaweni letikhashane, bangemaSwati futsi bamele iNgwenyama nesive sabo. Ngesikhatsi live lakaNgwane selilungeselela kutfola inkhululeko emnyakeni wa-1960, uMkhandlu waVelonkhe (Swazi National Council) wancuma kutsi lelifulegi lebelisetshenziswa libutfo le-Pioneer Corps litalube lona ifulegi lesive lelisha.

Mhlaka 25 Apreli 1967, ngesikhatsi live litfola kutilawula (internal self-government), lolu lusuku lwaba ngulapho ifulegi lakaNgwane laphakanyiswa khona kwekucala, latsatsa sikhundla selifulegi laseBrithani (Union Jack). Kwakungumzuzu lotsintsa inhlitiyo lapho iNgwenyama yafungiswa khona njengenhloko yembuso ngaphansi kwelifulegi lelisha. Kusukela ngalelo langa, mhlaka 25 Apreli ube lusuku lolukhetsekile lwekuphakamisa imibala yakaNgwane.

Tinchazelo Nemibala Yelifulegi LakaNgwane

Ifulegi lakaNgwane lihlukile futsi lihlotshiswe ngetimphawu letinemlandvo longatfolakali kulamanye emafulegi emhlaba. Yonkhe imibala netitfombe letikulo tinencazelo lejulile:

Imibala

1. Luhlata lolwesibhakabhaka (Blue): Kunemigca lemibili leluhlata, ngenhla nangaphansi. Lolu luhlata lumele kuthula (peace) kanye nekuzinza (stability) kwelive lakaNgwane. Lukhombisa kutsi live letfu liyive lelitsandza kuthula nemoya wekuhloniphana.
2. Libovu (Red): Emkhatsini kunemugca lobovu lomkhulu. Leli libovu limele timphi letalwiwa ngukhokho nabo mkhulu kute kuciniswe lelive. Liphindze limele ingati yemaSwati leyacitseka kute kuvikelwe live nekutsi live lihlale likhululekile.
3. Liphuti (Yellow): Kunemigca lemincane lephuti leshica lelibovu. Lolu liphuti lumele umcebo welive lakaNgwane, lokufaka phakatsi timbiwa (minerals), umhlaba lowuvundvile, kanye nemitfombo yemvelo lesinikwe yona nguMvelincanti.

Timphawu (The Shield and Weapons)

Emkhatsini welifulegi kunelihawu letikhumba letimnyama nemhlophe, kanye netikhali:

Lihawu (The Shield): Lihawu lakaNgwane limele kuvikelwa kwelive etitsini. Imibala le-mnyama nemhlophe kulelihawu ikhombisa kutsi kulelive kuhlala bantfu labamnyama nalabamhlophe ngeluthando nangekuthula, kute kube nekubambisana lokungenalubandlululo. Tikhali (Spears and Staff): Ngaphansi kwelihawu kunetikhali letimbili (spears) kanye nendvuku yekuhlotshiswa (staff). Letikhali tikhombisa emandla ebukhosini kanye nekulungela kwesive kutivikela. Injobo: Kunetimphaphe letihlotshiswe kulelihawu nasetikhalini lebitwa ngetinjobo. Letinjobo tentiwe ngetimphaphe tetinyoni letibaluleke kakhulu, letivame kugcatshwa ngemakhosi nemabutfo. Tikhombisa bukhosi nemasiko laphakeme akaNgwane.

Indlela EmaSwati Lagubha Ngayo Lolu Lusuku

Kugubha lusuku lwelifulegi e-Eswatini kudzinga inhlonipho nemisimeto lelandzelwayo. Noma kuliwa lilanga lekuphumula, kunemicimbi leyehlukene leyentiwako:

Emisebentini Yahulumende Nemasiko

Kuvame kutsi kube nemicimbi lapho kukhulunywa khona ngemlandvo welive. Emabutfo netiphoyisa bakhombisa inhlonipho kulelifulegi ngetindlela letibekiwe (parades). Ezikolweni, bafundzi bafundziswa kucula lihubo lesive (National Anthem) ngesikhatsi kuphakanyiswa ifulegi, futsi bafundziswa kutsi kungani kungakafaneli kutsi ifulegi litsintse phansi noma liphathwe kabi.

Emakhaya Nemiphakatsi

Emakhaya, emaSwati lanyenti ayalisebentisa lelitfuba kute aphumule nemindeni yawo. Njengobe lolu lusuku luyawube lungu-Monday nga-2026, bantfu labanyenti bayawusebentisa leliphelasontfo lelidze (long weekend) kute baye emakhaya bayovakashela tihlobo. Kuyasikwa inyama, kuphekwe kudla kwesintfu, futsi kucocwe ngetindzaba takhashane.

Imicimbi Yemidlalo Nekujabula

Kuvame kutsi kube nemidlalo yelibhola netimphahla letinemibala yelifulegi. EmaSwati ayatsandza kugcoka timphahla letinemibala leluhlata, lebovu, nelephuti kute akhombise kutighenya ngelive lawo. Loku kukhombisa kutsi ifulegi alisiwo nje luphawu lwahulumende, kodvwa lusemihliziyweni yabo bonkhe bantfu.

Imitsetfo Yekuphatfwa Kwelifulegi

E-Eswatini, ifulegi liyahlonishwa kakhulu. Kunemitsetfo lengakabhalwa nalebhalwe phansi mayelana nekutsi liphatfwa njani:

1. Akukafaneli litsintse phansi: Uma uphakamisa noma wehlisa ifulegi, akukafaneli livumeleke kutsi lihudvuleke phansi elutfulini.
2. Sikhatsi sekuphakamisa: Ngokwemisimeto, ifulegi liphakamiswa ngetingusa (sunrise) futsi lehliswe ngetingucatshona (sunset), ngaphandle uma kunetibane letikhanyisa kulo ebusuku.
3. Ifulegi lelidzabukile: Akukafaneli kuphakanyiswe ifulegi lelidzabukile noma lelinemanyala. Uma seligugile kakhulu, kumele lishiswe ngendlela lehambisana nencabiso, hhayi kulahlewa nje emlotfeni.
4. Kuhlonipha: Uma ifulegi liphakamiswa noma lihubulwa lihubo lesive, wonkhe umuntfu kumele eme atsi nsi, akhombise inhlonipho.

Kubaluleka Kwelilanga Lekuphumula (Public Holiday Status)

Lusuku lwelifulegi lakaNgwane lilanga lekuphumula lelisemtsetfweni (official public holiday). Loku kusho kutsi:

Tihhovisi taHulumende: Tonkhe tihhovisi tahulumende tiyavalwa kute tisebenti takhe tikhone kugubha lolu lusuku. Tikolo: Bafundzi netisheli abayi esikolweni. Mabhizinisi: Mabhizinisi lamanyenti ayavalwa, kodvwa tikhungo letibalulekile njengemavinkile ekudla (supermarkets) netiteshi temafutsa (petrol stations) tingase tivule ngesikhatsi lesifushane. Emabhange: Emabhange ayavalwa ngalolu lusuku, ngakho-ke bantfu bayakhutsatwa kutsi bente tinhlelo tabo tasebhange kusese ngetulu.

Nga-2026, njengobe lilanga lekuphumula liwela mhlaka April 27, 2026, loku kuniketa emaSwati litfuba lekutsi aphumule ngemuva kwemicimbi yangoMgcibelo mhlaka 25 Apreli. Loku kusiza ekuciniseni umoya webunye nekutsi sive sititfole sineliviki lelicala ngetingcondvo letivuselelwe.

Siphetfo

Lusuku lwekugubha ifulegi lakaNgwane (National Flag Day) lusikhumbuta kutsi singabantfu labanjani. Lusikhumbuta ngetinsayeya letendlulile netincunmo letatsatfwa bokhokho betfu kute sibe live lelinefulegi lalo. Njengobe silindzele mhlaka April 27, 2026, 2026, kusele emalanga langu-69, sikhutsatwa sonkhe kutsi siligubhe lolu lusuku ngenhlonipho, ngetighenya, nangekutsandza live letfu lase-Eswatini.

Lelifulegi letfu liyawuhlala liphaphatseka, likhombisa umhlaba wonkhe kutsi sive sase-Eswatini sive lesiphilayo, lesinesitfunti, nalesibambene ngaphansi kwemibala lemihle nemlandvo lonotsile. Kwandze kuthula, kwandze kubambisana, futsi kwandze kutighenya ngaleligugu letfu lesalinikwa nguMvelincanti neNgwenyama yetfu.

Bayethe! Wena waphakathi!