Ubothemba Itshe
Ngithe uma ngingena nje egumbini lameluleki uNkk. Zulu ngamfica engahlezi yedwa
njengokucabanga kwami. “Ngiyaxolisa ngicabanga ukuthi ngidukile.” Kuxolisa uMancane.
Ungangena uhlale phansi, ufike kahle namuhla usuku lokuhlangana ndawonye sikhulume
sivuleleke ngokungaphakathi kithi.” Kuchaza umeluleki. Kuleligumbi izitulo zibekwe
zenziwa indingiliza, umeluleki yena uhlezi phakathi nendawo. UMancane ungene kukhona
obekhuluma wonke umuntu ethule elalele wabe eseqhubeka. “Bonke labantu babhalwe usizi
emehlweni, babukeka besesimweni esicishe sifane nesami.” Kucabanga uMancane.
Kuthuleke ngathi isenkantolo kulalelwe okhulumayo, lapho uMancane akalalela, umqondo
wakhe uyazulazula. Uthuswe obeseduze kwakhe emthinta kancane idolo, lapho evusa amehlo
wonke umuntu ubesebheke yena, “Angikwazi ukudalula lonke usizi lwami, kwamina
luyangisinda angazi nokuthi ngiqalephi.” Kubalisa uMancane ngenhliziyo. “Khululeka
ungaqala ngokuzazisa ukuthi ungubani ebese usazisa ukuthi ubekwa yini lapha.” Kusho
umeluleki.
Luthi heqe uvalo, azwe izandla ziqhaqhazela, “Mina ngingowesifazane oneminyaka
engamashumi amathathu nane, umama angimazi, ngakhuliswa ugogo wangetha uSlindile,
ngingowakwa Ngcobo, kodwa ngaziwa kakhulu ngelika Mancane ngenxa yokuba nomzimba
omncane, ugogo wangishaya emhlabeni ngineminyaka engamashumi amabili nantathu
ehh…” Kuhlenenezele izinyembezi emehlweni ahluleke ukuqhubeka. “Khululeka
awuphoqiwe uma ubona ukuthi kusenzima ukukhipha yonke into esifubeni sakho
usangakwenza nangelinye ilanga.” Kusho umeluleki. “Ngiyabonga.” Kusho uMancane,
walinda wonke umuntu aqede ukukhuluma wabe esevalelisa wathembisa ukuthi usazobuya
nangelinye ilanga. Uphuma nje inhliziyo iyasinda, uhamba uyabalisa, ulibangise emabhasini.
“Ewu, nkosi yami awekho amabhasi.” Esho ngokukhathazeka. Kuthe kusanjalo kuqhamuke
unyanyavu lwemoto ishayelwa umlisa thizeni obukeka ezothile, “Uxolo ntokazi,
ngingakusiza? Ukhululeke ngingakuyisa lapho ofuna ukuya khona kunokuthi ulinde ibhasi
ongazi izofika nini.” Kusho umlisa. Kuthi akale kodwa futhi, izinga lomlisa selimuthengile,
amethembe angene emotweni ibe isuka. “Sawbona ntokazi.” Kubingelela umlisa
wonyanyavu lwemoto. Aphendule uMancane, “Yebo bhuti.” Kuzwakale nje ukuthi
akakhululekile. UMancane azwe sekukhiyeka izicabha, limuthi heqe uvalo aqale, “Ngicela
ungishiye Emakethe.” Ahleke kancane umlisa lona anqekuzise ikhanda avume. Ithe ifika
erobhothini imoto yathatha isandla sokudla yajika yangena egaraji, yabe isithi indoda,
“Asehle sizoya kothenga okuya ngasethunjini.” Isho iqinisa ubuso, kwamsinda ukwala
uMancane wavuma behla emotweni bangena kwelinye isango ngemuva kwase garaji.
“Sizokwenzani lapha? Ngabe indawo yokuthenga yini lena?” Kubuza uMancane. Igazi lakhe
limtshela ukuthi khona okushaya amanzi. Umlisa lona wakhipha izulu lezandla, “Thula wena
mhlambi kazalusile, ucabanga ukuthi uzogibela imoto yami yanokusho mahhala, uqambe
ushilo namuhla uzokhokha.” Kubhavumula umlisa. Wamuqhuba ngesibhamu baze
bayongena endlini encanyana nje ecashile. Bafica kukhona abanye abalisa ababili, Uzothula
uthi du, wenze okutshelwayo.” Kusho impisi egqoke isikhumba semvu. “Ngisizeni!
Ngisizeni!” Kukhala uMancane ngezwi elingekho. Wezwa kuthi qwa ngempama. “Awuzwa
umthetho wakho! Vala lomlonyana wakho ukhumule konke okugqokile manje.” Zehla
izinyembezi kuMancane, ukhumula nje uyancenga kepha konke lokho bakushaya indiva.
Umlisa wonyanyavu kanye nowesibili bagqoka ijazi emvakwalokho bamubamba
bamunukubeza ngokucansi ngesihluku, wakhala zaze zoma. Umlisa wesithathu ubehlezi
esofeni omncanyana epholisha isibhamu sakhe, Kuthe beqeda laba wasukuma naye
wakhumula wasala ngesudi yesele. Ubukeka engekho kahle ngokwesimo sempilo, izandla
zakhe zinezilonda, amazinyo akhe abolile, kanti nasemzimbeni uboqoke uphelile,
uyazibonakalela nje ukuthi uhamba nokufa kodwa. “ Ngyacela ungayenzi lento sengilimele
kwanele, ngyacela bandla, ngicela usebenzise ijazi.” isililo asimsizanga ngalutho uMancane,
lomlisa wakwenza konke ayekuthanda kuye ngaphandle kokusebenzisa ijazi, waqeda
wamkhahlelisa okwenja wamfela nangamathe. “Ngiyaxolisa ungangishayi, ngcela
ungangibulali ngyakucela.” Kunxusa uMancane. “Ilona thikithi lakho lokuphuma lapha
uphila, sukuma ugqoke uphume uphele lana.” Wasukuma wagqoka masinyane waphuma
ngesamagundwane uMancane.
“Awu kodwa ngoneni kangaka, Gogo! Gogo!” Kukhala uMancane nogogo wakhe ongasekho
emhlabeni. Ubaleke ngejubune wama ngoba sekuphela umoya, wangena ngaphansi
kwesihlala, kumnyama bhuqe ucashile, uthukile, akazi nokuthi aye kuphi, wakhala kwaze
kwasa. Wakhumbula ugogo wakhe emyala ethi kuye, “Mtanomtanami ubothemba itshe
kunokuthemba umuntu.” Amudla lamazwi, wasikhihla isililo futhi. Kuthe ngesikade
waqaphela ukuthi uyopha igazi ngezansi, kwacaca ukuth mukhulu umonakalo. “Kwasa
ngisakwelika bhanana.” Kubalisa inhliziyo yaMancane. Kuthe kusempondo zankomo
kuqhamuke usisi, ubukeka eyijwayele impilo yalapha. “Awu sthandwa, uhleleleni lana ekseni
kanje.” Kubuza usisi ngokukhathazeka. Aphinde futhi, “Akuphephile lapha, ukahle?”
Aphendule ngokusaba uMancane, “Yebo, ngikahle” Zibe zehla izinyembezi. Ay
imuhlukumeze losisi lento ayibonayo, acabange ukumthatha aye naye endlini ezomnikeza
okuya ethunjini. “Mina ngingu Sindi ngihlala kwelinye lama fulethi akulendawo, ngiphuma
emsebenzini sengibheke endlini ungeza nami khona ngizokunika okuya ethunjini.”
Ukhuluma nje usenokusola ukuthi kukhona okunuka santungwana. “Yebo ngingajabula.”
Kuphendula uMancane ebe esukuma enyathela kancane. “Awu! Igazi elingaka ebhulukweni
unesiqiniseko sokuthi ukahle? Awufuni ukuya EMtholampilo, ubuso bakho buvuvukele.”
Kubabaza uSindi. “Ngicela indawo yokugeza nokulala kancane.” Kunxusa uMancane.
Kwamsinda uSindi ukwala, uma ebuka isimo sakhe, wavuma bahamba. Bathe befika
wamunikeza izinto zokugeza, wageza. Uthe eqeda uMancane ukugeza, uSindi ubesemlinde
ngamehlo abomvu akapholisanga maseko wabe esebuza, “Uvelaphi? Kungani ubulele
lapha?” Aqale achaze uMancane “Ngisuka eNewcastle, lapha ethekwini bengizofuna
amatoho, ngase…” Avele asikhihle esikanandi isililo futhi uMancane. “Yehlisa umoya sisi,
uthi kwenzakaleni?” Ezama ukumduduza uSindi ukuze aqhubeke nenkulumo. “Ngase
ngivelelwa yishwa, lapho ngivumele umlisa ukuba angigibeze imoto ngesizathu sokungisiza
ngoba amabhasi abengasekho, kepha uye wangikhaphela, wangiyisa… Wangiyisa kulendlu
enabalisa ababili bangidlwengula bobathathu.” Zehla nakuSindi izinyembezi, kwaduma
ikhanda wangazi nokuthi athini. “Ngyakuzwa ay ishaqisa ikhanda lento engiyizwayo,
ngixolise ukukunameka ngemibuzo eminingi kepha ngisanesifiso sokwazi ukuthi uphunyuke
kanjani?” Kubuza uSindi. “Bangidedelile ngobumnyama bayizolo ngabaleka ngayocasha
ngaphansi kwesihlala, ngihlale lapho kwaze kwasa.” Kuphendula uMancane. “Kuzomele uye
Emtholampilo nasemaphoyiseni ukuze uthole ubulungiswa.” Esho ngolaka uSindi. “Cha
ngiyesaba, ngidinga ukulala kancane bandla ngyacela.” Esho ngezwi eliphansi. “Kulungile
kodwa kuzomele uqale ngokubamba okuya ethunjini kuqala bese uyacambalala.” Esho
emunika ukudla, akhe kabili kathathu, ahluleke akubeke, alale.
Kuntambama uSindi ulungisela ukuya emsebenzini futhi, kodwa inhliziyo yakhe
ayiphathekile kahle ngenxa yesimo sikaMancane. “Mancane, ngisaya etohweni manje,
ungahlala lana Mina ngizobuya ekuseni, ukhululeke kukhona ukudla kwakho ngikumbozile
etafuleni, ngizobuya ekuseni ukhiye umnyango lapha uma ngiphuma.” Anqekuzise ikhanda
uMancane ekhombisa ukuthi uyezwa. “Ngizobuya ngikuphelezele siye emaphoyiseni
nasemtholampilo.” Kuqhuba uSindi. “Kulungile, ngiyabonga ngosizo lwakho.” Kubonga
uMancane. Asukume uSindi athathe ukhiye womnyango owodwa ebese omunye awunikeze
uMancane, ahambe. Kube ngathi khona okumi emphinjweni kuMancane uma ecabanga
imibuzo yamaphoyisa, azovele athi ubeyigibelelani imoto angayazi, konke lokhu
kuzophenduka icala lakhe, konke kwenzeke ngobudedengu bakhe. Uzumeke edla amathambo
engqondo. Uthe lapho ephaphama wathola ukuthi uyedwa endlini kanti nangaphandle
sekusile, waphuma esamagundwane ejahe ukuthi uSindi angimufici lapha endlini, akabange
esakhiya kwamnyango uma ephuma. Uphuma uqonda emakethe ngase bhirijini, lapho
kuhlala khona abantu abanganamakhaya. Ufica kukhona abazibhemela okusampushana
abakushisa ngothayelana. Emehlweni kaMancane babukeka bekujabulela lokubhema ngoba
balala bebheke phezulu bahleke kungekho noshaya ihlaya, umzimba wabo unezilonda kepha
ngathi abezwa zinhlungu. UMancane uthule nje useyahalela, ufisa ukuthola lento ukuze
adambise lezinhlungu azizwayo emzimbeni. Asondele kubo, abe esethi, “Ngicela
ningibhemise.” Ababuzanga lutho bamnika, wazithola esehleka kanjalo naye, konke
kwangathi kushabalalisiwe, phindanga wabuyela emumva.
Emvakwezinyanga ezine, impilo yaMancane yashintsha kakhulu, naye wayesezifanela nje
nabafana benyawupe. “Sawbona bhuda, ngicela ungizama ngeshumi bandla.” Kucela
uMancane. “Ay suka wena Phara, Nina nibaleka emakhaya ngoba ngingafuni ukulalela
abazali bese nizozenza izintandane emgwaqeni, imali iyasetshenzelwa, hamba uyofuna
itoho.” Kuthetha ubhuti. Lamazwi athi xhi enhlizweni wabuya umqondo, wazikhumbula naye
ukuthi okwakumlethe ethekwini kwakuwukuzofuna itoho kanye nokuthola usizo mayelana
nesimo ayephuma kuzo. Iyodwa kuphela indawo angathola kuyo usizo, ila ahamba ethembise
ukuthi usazobuya. Umile manje ekhoneni, uzicabanga yena uqobo, amaphupho akhe, izifiso
zikagogo kanye nemvelaphi yakhe. Akhumbule amazwi agogo athi, akulahlwa mbeleko
ngakufelwa, kumgqugquzele kangangokuba wasuka ngaso leso sikhathi ebheke kumeluleki
uNkk. Zulu. Uhamba nje uyashwibeka ngoba kuyibangana nalapho asuka khona, uthe engena
wacela ukubona umeluleki. “Usindwe zinyawo bhuti akasekho uNkk. Zulu.” Kuchaza
intokazi ewumamukeli wale ndawo. “Empeleni ngingowesifazane sisi, ngingabuya ksasa?”
Kuphendula uMancane. “Uxolo kuleyondawo, yebo ungabuya kusasa ngo 10:30 uzobe
ekhona kanti ngo 14:00 uzobe engasekho.” Kuphendula umamukeli. “Ngiyabonga.”
Ukusa kwaziwa wuye uMancane, phela uselala obenyoni, lapha emakhalibhothini ngaphansi
kwebhiriji. Uvuke washona empompini wageza ubuso ukuze kuzobonakala namuhla ukuthi
ungowesifazane wase eqonda eGlenwood. “Ngena sisi.” Umeluleki uzokubona maduzane
ufike kahle esanda kungena naye.” Kusho umamukeli. Ubukeka ematasa akabingelelanga
ngisho ukubingelela, kodwa akumhluphanga lokho uMancane, inhloso yakhe
kwakungukubona umeluleki nanxa wayenovalo kepha waqina. “Uselungile uNkk. Zulu
usungaya egumbini lakhe.” Kusho umamukeli. “Ngiyabonga.” Kusho uMancane. Ngqo,
Ngqo, Ngqo, “Ngena, wamukelekile ungahlala phansi.” Kusho uNkk. Zulu. “Ngiyabonga.”
Kuphendula uMancane. Esondeza isandla ngenhloso yokumxhawula, “Sawubona, ngingu
Nkk. Zulu umeluleki osiza abantu ngezimo ababhekene nazo okanye abake babhekana nazo
ezingezinhle, ake ngikuphe indlebe uzethule.” Kusho uNkk. Zulu. “Yebo, ngibonge ithuba,
mina ngingu Slindile Ngcobo, kodwa ngaziwa kakhulu ngelika Mancane, ngakhululiswa
ugogo, wase engishiya emhlabeni ngineminyaka engamashumi amabili nantathu, bengifinya
ngolimi njengenkomo sengisele ngedwa kulapho ngaqoma khona umlisa abathi uSphiwe.
Ungahlala naye kwakhe ngase ngidayisa umuzi wasekhaya ngiphoqwa wuye umlisa
engangihlekisana naye. Kuthe kuphela leyo mali ngathola ukuthi ngikhulelwe, uSphiwe
ubesebenza kodwa engaholi kakhulu futhi ubeyiphuza yonke imali abuye esedakiwe. Njalo
uma edle amponjwana ubengishaya. Ngenye imini wangishaya ngaze ngalimala saphuma
isisu okwesine. Kulapho ngathatha isinqumo sokubaleka ngize lapha ethekwini ngethemba
lokuthi ngizokwazi ukuthola itoho ngoba nesikole ngasiqeda, nomatikuketsheni ngawuphasa
kahle. Usuku lwami lokuqala lapha ethekwini ngeza lapha ngenhloso yokuthola usizo ukuze
ngiqhubeke nempilo kahle ngaphandle kwamanxeba. Kulapho ngavelelwa yishwa ngalala
ngophondo, lapho umlisa owangigibelisa imoto yakhe engiphonsa emhlambini
wezingonyama, abalisa ababili kanye naye bangidlwengula ngesihluku, lobo buhlungu
ngisabuzwa namanje, ngangena ezidakamizweni ngenxa yokudukuza oswini, ngingazi
ngiyenzeni.” Athi ukuma kancane abambe izinyembezi. “Nginegciwane lesandulela ngculazi
manje engalithola ngaso leso sigameko.” Zehle izinyembezi, aphuze amanzi. “Ngiyaludinga
usizo lwakho anginalutho kepha angiyithandi lempilo, ugogo wayazi ukuthi ngiyoba
okuncono yingakho ngilapha ngifuna ukuphuma kulempilo.” Aqede asule izinyembezi
ngezandla. “Uze endaweni efanele, khululeka manje konke sekuzolunga, ngizokutholela
indawo yakho yokufihla ikhanda, konke sizokwenza kancane kancane koze kulunge,
nobulungiswa uzobuthola ngoba loludaba selizodlulela emaphoyiseni.” Kuchaza uNkk. Zulu.
Konke lokhu kumnika ithemba uMancane lokuthi kuzokunga.
