Selishonile ilanga, sesishaye sadlula nesikhathi sokushayisa. UNjabulo uyazibuza aziphendule efisa ukwazi ukuthi kungani umphathi wakhe emcele ukuba angagoduki engambonanga. USandy, ongunobhala womphathi wakhe uDavid Ndlovu, akacacisanga ngesikhathi edlulisa umyalezo wokuthi angahambi. UNjabulo ukhathele, ulambile futhi manje usenokwesaba. Kunemibuzo eminingi azibuza yona ekhanda lakhe: Ngabe kukhona iphutha alenzile? Ngabe umphathi akaneme ngomsebenzi awenzayo? Isicabha sehhovisi lika David Ndlovu, ophethe isikhundla sokuba Umqondisi we-NUZ FM News, sivuleka ngaso lesikhathi uNjabulo ezibuza lemibuzo.
“Njabulo, ngiyaxolisa ngokukulindisa kangaka. Asisale sesiphumisana, ngizokubeka erenki yamatekisi,” kusho uDavid ephethe isikhwama selephuthophu, ekhiya nesicabha sehhovisi lakhe.
“Sisenkingeni weNjabulo. Intatheli enesipiliyoni isivele yasishiya, ayichazanga lutho,” kusho uDavid ekhiya isicabha esikhulu esingenela emahhovisi eNUZ FM. “Ngiyathemba nawe ubonile ukuthi besisebenzisa izindaba esihlanganiswe nguwe kuphela,” unika uNjabulo isikhwama selephuthophu yakhe uDavid, bangene emotweni.
“Yebo, Mnumzane, kunjalo. Ngisho ukuthi ngikubonile lokho.”
“Selokhu uqalile ukusisebenzela kuleli sonto ngilokhu ngishilo ukuthi asikho isidingo sokungibiza ngoMnumzane. Khululeka, ungibize ngoDavid.”
UNjabulo uphethe esakhe isikhwama selephuthophu futhi usephethe nesikaDavid. Lokhu kwenza ahlale ngokumpintsheka esihlalweni sonyonyovu lwemoto kaDavid enguhlobo lwe BMW.
“Izikhwama ungazibeka esihlalweni esingemuva. Kunenkinobho ethintwayo lapho eceleni uhlehlise isihlalo, ngiyabona umpintshekile,” kusho uDavid esayinela ukuphuma esangweni. Unogada uvula isango, bangene umgwaqo.
“Kunjalo weNjabulo, njengoba sikhuluma nje uwena kuphela intatheli esinayo eNUZ FM. Ngizocela ungitakule wensizwa, ungisize kulesi sikhashana sisabheka enye intatheli. Ngicela uhlanganise lonke uhlobo lwezindaba. Ngijabula kakhulu ngezindaba zemidlalo nezokujabula ozibhalayo, unekhono ngempela, uyawazi umsebenzi wakho. Kodwa kusukela manje usuzobhala lonke uhlobo lwezindaba,” kusho uDavid eyithunga iBMW ezimotweni ezigcwele umgwaqo. Akupheli sikhathi esingakanani bafike erenki yamatekisi.
“Ithuba lakho leli Njabulo. Izintatheli eziningi ezidumile zaqala la eNUZ FM. Bengifisa ukuba uqale uwujwayele umsebenzi kodwa isimo siyaphoqa ukuthi uhlanganise lonke uhlobo lwezindaba. Vele usebenze, nsizwa. Akukho okunye esingakwenza, ukhonjwa isimo,” kusho uDavid.
UNjabulo uvula isicabha aphume, amalambu angaphakathi kwiBMW acwebezele empandleni kaDavid.
“Ngizosebenza ngokuzikhandla, Mnumzane Ndlovu, ngenze konke okusemandleni ukuze umsebenzi wami ube seqophelweni eliphezulu,” kusho uNjabulo ethatha isikhwama sakhe.
“Uzodinga izindaba ezimbili zaseMlazi ezizongena ezindabeni zasekuseni zehora leshumi ezimpondweni. Sengisizwe ihhovisi leMeya langithumelela okukhululilwe kwezindaba. Wena okwakho ukuthi ukulungise kume ngendlela yethu yeNUZ FM News. Engikudingayo kuwena indaba eyodwa ukuze sigcwalise isikhala. Hamba uye Esiteshini Samaphoyisa sangakini, uthole umthombo khona, nakanjani ngeke ungatholi lutho. Uxhumane Nomphathi Wezokuxhumana wakhona, uzokunika ukuze. . .” Itekisi esemuva kwabo ishaya ihutha, okwenza uDavid angakuqedi akushoyo. Sebevimbe uxhaxha lwezimoto ezibalandelayo.
“Wonke amathemba alele kuwena, Njabulo. Ngiyazi uzongitholela lendaba engiyidingayo,” ngokukhulu ukushesha uDavid ufaka imoto egiyeni, axolise kumshayeli wetekisi abamvimbile, angene kujengwe lwezimoto, aphele emehlweni.
Etekisini emhambisa ekhaya, uNjabulo uthinta umngani wakhe oyiphoyisa Esiteshini Samaphoyisa sangakubo. Ucingo lamngani wakhe luvaliwe.
Moja Zithini lapho? Owungitholela inombolo Yomphathi Wezokuxhumana walapho Esiteshini senu. Ngiyindinga ngokuphazima kweso. Uthumela le SMS kumngani wakhe.
UNjabulo ufika kubo ashintshe adle. Uyajabula ezwa kungena iSMS. Uzitshela ukuthi umngani wakhe oyiphoyisa useyamphendula nemininingwane ayidingayo, kodwa athole ukuthi uDavid Ndlovu.
Kukhona osukutholile Esiteshini Samaphoyisa? Wonke amathemba ami alele kuwena.
Khululeka, ngisendleleni ngiqonde khona.
Ulinda isikhashana, aphume endlini abheke abantu. Uhamba afike espaza shop esisekugcineni komgwaqo wangakubo. Espaza shop bayazincokolela nomnikazi waso, uDalisu. Bayazihhemela nje bakhuluma ngebhola namantombazane.
“Uma ufuna indaba yalapha eMlazi ungabhala ngezitolo ezinkulu esithenga kuzo. Ziyasiqeda weNjabs, umuntu akasakwazi okwenza inzuzo ngendlela ezibiza ngayo. Ungabhala nangabathengi bami abangiqolayo, kakhulukazi ogogo abahola impesheni. Bakweleta inyanga yonke kodwa abakhokhi,” kusho uDalisu.
Besancokola kanjalo kuqhamuka imoto imemeza into engazwakali kahle ngombhobho. Idlula kubona ngejubane isakaze amapheshana agcwala umgwaqo.
“Ngabe kumayelana nani lokhu?” kubuza uNjabulo ecosha elinye lalamaphepha asakazwe imoto.
“Awuthi ngibone,” kusho uDalisu edayisela umuntu othengaye. Uyafifiyela abukisise leli phepha elisezandleni zikaNjabulo, athi,“Oh, ilomhlangano obizwe ikhansela elisha. Ngathi ikhansela lizokhuluma ngenthuthuko ezayo la kuWard 84.”
UDalisu uphendula uNjabulo nje unika umthengi ushinstshi nesinkwa, aqhubeke nokusiza abanye abantu abaningi abazothenga.
“Kufanele siyozwa ukuthi lithini ikhansela elisha, Dalisu”
“Hhayi, hamba wena, Njabs. Mhlawumbe uzoyithola nalemndaba oyidingayo. Mina ungangibali lapho, ngikhathele abantu bepolitiki nezithembiso zabo ezingangisizi ngalutho. Futhi isona isikhathi lapho kuthengwa khona kakhulu manje. Le mali ngeke izakhe wemfwethu, kumele ngibe la ngidayise.”
UNjabulo uphokophela kulo mhlangano ephethe ipeni nebhuku abhalela kulo. Ufica ihholo lomphakathi ligcwele liphuphuma, ingekho nendawo yokuhlala. Uqonda phambili ancike odongeni eduze kwalapho ikhansela lizokhulumela khona. Uzwa imibono ehlukene njengoba eqonda phambili.
“Nazoke sekuqalile. Seziyasiqola futhi lezi gebengu. Sizoke sizwe ukuthi lithini ikhansela elisha,” kusho idlanzana lamabhungu.
“Akukapheli nenyanga engenile esikhundleni kodwa kukhona intuthuko eyenzekayo, angizisoli ngokumnika ivoti lami,” kusho indoda enamadevu ampunga.
“Uqinisile, O. Ikhansela elidala alisenzelanga lutho kodwa esilinike ithuba leli elisha,” kusho intokazi enguthisha itshela umngani wayo.
UNjabulo ubuka abantu abakhona ehholo, abhale phansi ebhukwini konke akubonayo. Kuzwakala ukuxokozela ngoba kuqhamuka uThrice ephethe umbhobho, abathulise abantu. UThrice akukho angakaze akwenze-wake waba ngumfundisi, waba isikhulumi esikhuthazanayo, waqeqesha iqembu lebhola, waba ngusomabhizinisi, wahola intsha yendawo, wake wabhantinta iminyaka eyisihlanu, waziwa nangokuba uthintitha- konke ongakucabanga, uThrice wakwenza.
“Ngicela ukunibonga ningumphakathi wakuWard 84 ngokufika kwenu kulo mhlangano. Ngicela ningisize ekwamukeleni umhlonishwa ikhansela lethu ubaba uJonas Mlaba. Uza nezindaba ezimnandi ezithinta iWard 84,” kusho uThrice.
UNjabulo wayengakaze alibone ikhansela elisha. Indoda eqhamukayo, exhawulwa uThrice eyidedelela inkundla ukuze ikhulume, imfishane. IKhansela uMlaba uhloniphekile, izinwele zimpunga emanhlonhlweni, ngokweminyaka uNjabulo umhlawumbisela eminyakeni engu-60. Izimpahla azigqokile azibukeki zibiza futhi ungumuntu ozothile. UNjabulo ukubhala konke lokhu ebhukwini lakhe.
“Mphakathi waseWard 84, ngeke ngithathe isikhathi eside. Ngiyazi abaningi benu baphuma emsebenzini bakhathele, nami ngokunjalo,” kusho iKhansela uMlaba ngezwi elipholile.“Ivoti lenu bantu benkosi lingibeke esikhundleni sokunimela. Enikucelile kimina ukuthi nidinga intuthuko nenqubekela phambili. Ngizithathile izicelo zenu ngazidlulisela phambili kulabo abaphethe ukuze zifezeke.”
Kuthe cwaka ehholo, wonke umuntu ulalele. UNjabulo ubuka abantu abone ukuthi balinde ukuzwa ukuthi uza nani uMlaba.
“Namhlanje ngime phambi kwenu ngoba ngizonazisa ukuthi kusukela kusasa,” uMlaba athule kancane,“Namhlanje, ngalobu busuku, ngime phambi kwenu Ward 84, ngizonazisa ukuthi kusukela kusasa siyaqala ukwakha isakhiwo Esiyisikhungo Somphakathi esizobiza izigidi zamarandi. Lesi sakhiwo sizokwakhiwa umphakathi waseWard 84, sithuthukise iWard 84 futhi sisebenzele iWard 84.”
Abantu besilisa basho ngehlombe namakhwela, abesifazane bazwakale bekikiza. Okunye akushoyo uMlaba akuzwakali phezu kwalo msindo. Naye uyakubona lokhu ayigoqe inkulumo yakhe.
“Labo abadinga umsebenzi abathintane noThrice ukuze ababhalise,” kusho uMlaba esehamba.
UNjabulo ucabanga umzala wakhe ongasebenzi, uThabo. UThabo ungumakhi onesandla esihle kodwa ziningana izinyanga engasebenzi, kungenzeka ahlomule ngomsebenzi kulesi sakhiwo Sesikhungo Somphakathi seWard 84.
Abantu basondela kuMlaba bamngunge. Abaningi bafisa ukumxhawula. Uyabaxhawula abambalwa, izidlakela ezingabavikeli bakhe zimuholele esicabheni ukuze aphume ehholo. Udlula eduze kukaNjabulo esephuma.
“Mnumzane, Mnumzane, Khansela Mlaba. Igama nginguNjabulo Msane we NUZ FM News, bengifisa ukuxoxisana nawe kancane.”
IKhansela livela ngale kwezidlakela ezingabavikeli balo.
“Asihlangane lapho kuzoqala khona ukwakhiwa Isikhungo Somphakathi. Asenze kube ngu-9 ekuseni, sixoxe,” kusho uMlaba edlulisela ikhadi lakhe lebhizinisi yakhe kuNjabulo.
Kungena iSMS kuNjabulo esendleleni eya ekhaya- ivela kumngani wakhe oyiphoyisa esiteshini samaphoyisa sangakubo.
Moja, Njabs. Sinazo izindaba ozidingayo. Ngizokunika imininingwane Yomphathi wethu Wezokuxhumana ne-imeyili yakhe.
Intokozo ibhalwe emehlweni kuNjabulo. Ufika ekhaya sezikhona ebhokisini lemilayezo engenayo ye-imeyili izindaba ezivela Kumphathi Wezokuxhumana.
Ngizitholile izindaba, boss. Uthumela le SMS kuDavid. Ndlovu.
“Yebo, Njabulo, awuchaze ngalezi zindaba ozitholile,” kusho uDavid ocingweni.
“Ezimbili ziphelele, ngizinikwe Umphathi Wezokuxhumana. Eyodwa yazo imayelana nabalisa abafunwa ngamaphoyisa, ngithole nezithombe zalaba balisa. Enye ixwayisa umphakathi mayelana nokugqekezwa kwemizi nokuthi kungavinjwa kanjani. Kukhona nenye yesithathu kodwa yona isadinga ngithole eminye imininingwane. Yona imayelana Nesikhungo Somphakathi sezigidigidi esizoqala ukwakhiwa kuWard 84. Ngizoxoxisana neKhansela ngo-9 ekuseni”
“Kwakuhle, Njabulo, sizofaka izithombe zabasolwa kwiwebhusayithi yethu ukuze umphakathi usizane namaphoyisa. Ekuseni kufanele usheshe ufike, usisebenzise ngendlela efanele isikhathi, ulungise izindaba ezimbili, uthathe imoto, ngo-8 ube ususendleleni uyoxoxisana neKhansela,” kusho uDavid ezwakala ukuthi ujabulile.
“Ngizokwenza kanjalo,” kuphendula uNjabulo.
“Ngiyabonga, Njabulo. Bengazi ukuthi uzokwenza kwenzeke.”
***
Sitshele ukuthi ubona kanjani: Ikhansela uMlaba ubukeka kanjani kuwena? Umbona engusopilitiki oqotho?