Thembelihle Zwane
21 September 2026
NgoSepthemba 21, njalo ngonyaka, umhlaba ugubha uSuku Lomhlaba Lwe-Alzheimer’s. Kodwa endaweni eziningi zaseNingizimu Afrika, lolu suku alubi nenjabulo nemicimbi – luvela njengelinye ihora nje kolunye usuku lokunakekela: ukugeza, ukuphakela, ukuphindaphinda amagama, ukulinda ukuthi uthando lubuye lubonakale emehlweni omuntu othandekayo osekungathi akasekho.
Ngokusho kombiko iWorld Alzheimer Report, cishe abantu abangu-187 000 baseNingizimu Afrika baphila ne-dementia, kanti inani lilindeleke ukukhuphuka libe ngu-250 000 ngonyaka we-2030, njengoba isibalo sabantu abadala abaneminyaka engu-60 kuya phezulu silindeleke ukukhula sifinyelele ku-7 million. Ucwaningo lwe-Global Burden of Disease lubikezela ukwanda kwe-181% kwe-dementia phakathi kuka-2019 (241 937) no-2050 (680 045) eNingizimu Afrika. Okubaluleke kakhulu: ucwaningo oluncane olwenziwa eKapa (Kalula, 2010) lwathola ukuthi cishe u-79% weziguli ze-dementia zinakekelwa ekhaya, ikakhulukazi umlingani womshado noma ingane esikhulile. Akukho nqubomgomo yezwe ephelele mayelana ne-dementia, futhi izinsiza ezisekela abanakekeli zisele zincike kakhulu ezinhlanganweni ezimbili ezingezona zikahulumeni – i-Alzheimer’s South Africa ne-Dementia SA – ezisebenza ngezinsiza ezilinganiselwe.
Lezi zibalo azikhulumi ngokuzwakalayo ngesisindo esithwelwe abantu njengoNokuthula Mchunu, oneminyaka engu-58, onakekela unina oneminyaka engu-84 oneminyaka emihlanu enalesi sifo. “Ngiyamlandela njengengane encane, kodwa ungumama wami,” kusho yena. “Kunezinsuku lapho engingazi khona ukuthi ngiyakhala ngoba ngikhathele, noma ngoba ngikhumbula umama wangaphambilini. Umuntu angakhala umama wakhe ephila, kodwa umkhumbule njengoba wayenjalo ngaphambilini.”
Ochwepheshe bezempilo yengqondo bathi lo mthwalo unomthelela omkhulu ohlwini lwezinkinga zengqondo ezifana ne-caregiver burnout, ukudangala, nokukhathazeka. UDkt. Nomvula Zondi, isazi sengqondo esisebenza nabanakekeli beziguli ze-dementia eThekwini, uthi: “Abanakekeli abaningi bayakhonjwa nje njengabantu ‘abanesibindi’, kodwa abasekelwa ngokwanele. Bayahlukunyezwa ngokungabonakali – amaphupho abo, imisebenzi yabo, imali yabo, konke kuphelela kulesi sikhundla sokunakekela. Uma singabaniki isikhala sokuzikhulula noma ukusekelwa, kuzokwenzeka izehlakalo eziningi zokugula ngokwengqondo ezingabikwa.”
Kunezinselelo eziqondene nemiphakathi esemakhaya nasezindaweni ezihlwempu. Ukuntuleka kwezimoto zokuhamba, kanye nokushoda kwabahlengikazi abaqeqeshelwe i-dementia emakliniki, konke kwandisa umthwalo. Kuningi futhi ukungaqondakali ngale sifo emiphakathini ethile, lapho abanye becabanga ukuthi ukulahlekelwa yingqondo ubuloyi noma ukuguga nje okujwayelekile – okuholela ekuhlukunyezweni nasekuhlanjalazweni kwabaguli.
Nokho, phakathi kobunzima, kunobuqotho nobunye obuhle. “Angizisoli ngalutho,” kusho uThemba Ngwenya, onakekela ubaba wakhe onezinyanga eziyi-40 kade ephila ne-dementia. “Yena wangikhulisa. Manje sengiyambuyisela lokho wangipha khona. Kodwa ngifisa bekukhona indawo yokuthi mina nabanye abanjengami sixoxe, siphumule, sikhale kanye – ngaphandle kokuzizwa sinecala.”
Njengoba iNingizimu Afrika ibhekene nomphakathi ogugayo ngokushesha, izifundiswa zithi kudingeka uhlelo lwezwe olucacile lwe-dementia, ukusekelwa kwezimali kubanakekeli, kanye nezinhlelo zokuqeqesha abasebenzi bezempilo emphakathini. Kuze kube yilapho lokho kufezeka, izinkulungwane zabanakekeli baseNingizimu Afrika bazoqhubeka “bevalelisa okude” – belahlekelwa umuntu abamthandayo kancane kancane, imihla ngemihla, kuze kube sekugcineni.
