Umfana omncinane ogama linguMfundo wayehlala nonina noyise. Abazali bakhe babesokola, utata wakhe ebephila ngokuthunga izihlangu. Umfundo ebeyibukele yonke le meko abazali bakhe baphila phantsi kwayo. Uthe uMfundo xa eneminyaka elishumi uyise wamfundisa ukuthunga izihlangu. Ubesithi rhoqo xa ebuya esikolweni ancedise uyise ekuthungeni izihlangu.
Minazana ithile uMfundo uthe xa eqokelela imfuyo wachola incwadana eyayisele ingenawo amanye amaphepha, ncwadi leyo yayibhalwe nguNobhizinisi owaphila impilo efana nqwa nale ka Mfundo. Wayehlala eyifunda lencwadi eyiphinda-phinda. Ngenye imini wabuza uyise, “Nyana, inantoni na lencwadi ohlala uhamba nayo?”
“Le ncwadi tata ithi ukuba ndingagcina imali kancinane kancinane izakukhula kodwa kunzima ukuyikholwa. Ndifuna ukuzama ndigcine lemali ndithunga ngayo izihlangu nathi sizokwazi ukuba nemali enintsi ngenye imini,” watsho uMfundo.
“Uyabona ke mfo wam kwezi sheleni zimbini uzifumanayo xa uthunge izihlangu, thatha ibenye uyifake kwesi singxobo.”
Ngokwenene wenze njalo uMfundo wayifaka isheleni yokuqala esingxotyeni. Uyise wangena naye ebuhlanti basombela ekoneni isingxobo eso.
“Mamela ke mfo wam, ungaze uyithi vu nakubani na le yesi singxobo kuba ukuba ukhe wayithivu ayisoze ikhule le mali, kwaye uze ube nomonde kenyana. Uze ke usindwendwele esisingxobo kuphela xa uzokufaka imali kuphela.”
Ngokwenene uMfundo uthe xa ethunge izihlangu wathatha isheleni kwiisheleni ezimbini azifumeneyo waya kuyofaka esingxobeni. Wothuke waphantse ukufa xa efika leya sheleni ikhule ngesenti ezimbini. Wayifaka lesheleni wasibuyisela isingxobo endaweni yaso, wabaleka wasisiphekepheke ukuya kuyise.
“Yintoni nyana uyaleqwa?” wabuza uyise.
“Tata! Tata, le ncwadi inyanisile ngenene. Ndifike ikhulile imali esingxotyeni. Sizoba zizinhanha oku kwethu sifane no Mnumzana u Khalipha.”
“Ngubani kengoku mfo wam uMnumzana Khalipha?” wabuza uyise.
“Ngulo ubhale lencwadi tata, naye ukhule esokola kodwa ngoku ungunobhizinisi owaziwayo emhlabeni jikelele kuba wayengadlali ngemali wayesoloko eyilondoloza.”
“Ndiyamthanda ke mfo wam uMnumzama Khalipha lo, ukhaliphile ngokwenene. Ndiqinisekile ukuba nesikolo sikwanento yokwenza nempumelelo yakhe. Nawe ke nyana uze uhlale uzimisele ezincwadini zesikolo.”
Wamomotheka uMfundo kaloku ezindaba bezingena zihlale ezindlebeni zakhe. Ubumnye kuphela umnqweno wakhe ikukubona abazali bakhe bephila impilo ethambileyo ngenye imini. Uthando namazwi enkuthazo aphuma kuyise ebeyenza lula yonke lento. Uqhubile ke umfo eyigcina imali esingxotyeni, ukufika imali ikhulile ngesenti ezimbini okanye ezintathu kwaye ibimkhuthaza lento. Kaloku uyise ebemlinda aye esikolweni anyonyobe aye kufaka ezisenti kwesa singxobo. Injongo yakhe ibikukuba unyana wakhe akholwe kwaye akhuthazeke afunde ukuyiggcina imali eselula.
Ikhulile imali yanda. Wabuza uyise ngenye imini ukuba uceba ukwenzani ngemali njengoba ephumelele ukuyigcina. Waphendula uMfundo wathi, “Ndiza kuzithengela ezinye incwadi ezinokundikhuthaza ukuba ndenze izinto ebendingaqondi ukuba ndinako ukuzenza.”
Kuyabonakala ukuba incwadi kaMnumzana Khalipha ibenesandla empilweni ka Mfundo. UMfundo wayekrelekrele esikolweni ezithanda iincwadi, ootitshala bakhe bezidla ngaye esoloko engumzekelo.
Ukhulile umfana ezimisele ephumelele kwaye efundile. Ekukhuleni kwakhe wayiqonda ukuba ayikho imali engavele izikhulele esingxotyeni ngaphandle kokuba yayifakwa ngumntu kwaye impendulo ebesele enazo. Wasithatha esisingxobo wayegcina kuso imali eseyintwana waya naso kuyise esiphakamisele phezulu ngesandla. Emomothekile luncumo wathi, “Ndiyabulela tata ngokundifundisa ukonga imali nokundikhulisa, ngoku ndazi ngcono,”
Wanqwala intloko uyise emanga.