Uthisha omkhulu wes’kole iSabelo high, uMnguni, wathumela umfanyana ukuba ayombizela intombazane ewuThandeka Zulu
eyayifunda kwa-Grade 12C ngalesos’khathi.

Kwakusasekuseni impela ngoba ngithi wawungakashayi u 10 wasekuseni. UThandeka lo owayebizwa wayeyintombazane enhle ukuzedlula zonke izintombi zakulesisikole ingangoba akekho noyedwa umfana owayengamfuni. Babeshela beshelile kodwa bonke begabheka.

Ngisho nezethenjwa zamasoka zazifike zingqubuzeke kuThandeka. Phela umntaka-Zulu wayedonswe ngendlebe kubo, ukuthi angalinge aqome ngoba uzokhulelwa alahlekelwe nayikusasa lakhe, “Uke nje wamitha, uzophuma uphele lapha ekhaya,” wayevame ukusho njalo ubaba wakhe. uZulu owayenolaka lolu okungathi alusasile kahle. Kwakusho bandla ukuthi wayengalitholanga ixesha lokuya ngases’koleni.

Habe, phela abantu abangafundile bafuna yonke into yenziwe ngendlela efunwa yibo, nangeskhathi esifunwa yibo. Uma nje
uphambana nentando yabo, udliwa yinduku. Yikho ke nje noThandeka ayenganiki muntu ucu, ngoba wabe azi ukuthi uma nje eke waphazama, ubaba wakhe uzombulala nya.

Kwakuthi noma insizwa iwabeka kamnandi amagama, uThandeka asimze aqinise ikhanda, ngoba ewazi umthetho wasekhaya.

Hay’ke athi angezwa uThandeka ukuthi ubizwa uThisha omkhulu, aphuthume lokhu phela nasekhaya ufundisiwe inhlonipho. Cha, amfice eyedwa uthisha omkhulu, ebukabuka okusamaphephana.

Anele angene uThandeka, uthisha acele ukuba avale umnyango. Nebala enzenjalo uThandeka. Ay, kuthi ukuthuleka ehovisi nothisha omkhulu ebheke phansi, sakuba namahlonyana.

“Er uthisha ungibizeleni vele?” kubuza uThandeka ebona kuthuli nje endlini.

Ashaye isikhwehlela uthisha bese ethi, “Er Thandeka ngikubizela udaba olujulile, esenginesikhathi eside ngilufihle ngaphakathi kimi.”

Abuyise izinhlonzi uThandeka, exwayile.

“Udaba ol’julile?” ebuzisisa umntaka-Zulu.

“Impela Nkosazana.”

“Ay bo, lumayelana nani lolodaba ol’julile?” kubuza uThandeka edidekile impela.

“Er as’qale kanje Nkosazana. Angithi usumdala manje ukhulile?”
avume ngekhanda uThandeka. “Good! Njengoba usumdala nje usuyakwazi ukuzikhethela nokuzithathela izinqumo angithi?” aphinde sona leso uThandeka sokuvuma ngekhanda. “Kuhle ke uma kunjalo.”

Aphefumulele phezulu uthisha athi,”Thandeka, ng’zocela ung’xolele bandla uma uk’biza ngesono ukuveza imizwa enginayo ngawe,” kuthuleke.

“Thandeka,”

“Yebo thisha,”

“Ng’yak’thanda mtanomuntu, futhi olwakho uthando lwangishaya ngiqala ukukubona. Ng’yazi ukuthi into efana nale ubungay’lindele kumina. Isikakhulukazi ngoba ngimdala kuwena kepha iqiniso wukuthi for the first time I saw you kwaba khona into ethile engayizwa ngawe. Please,” kuncenga uthisha omkhulu.

“Ay bo, Sir.” Kusho uThandeka ekhophozile, namahloni esethe bhe.

“I mean it Thandeka. Ng’zocela uhambe uye ekhaya uyoyicabangisisa lento ngoba ng’yak’bona udidekile, isikakhulukazi ngoba kube yinto ekwehle ngaphezulu.” Asukume kancane uThandeka kungathi uyagodola. Aphume ethole insambatheka abengayilindele.

Hay’ke, zahamba ke izinsuku. Ikhanda laThandeka lixakanisekile engazi ukuthi kumele athathe siphi isinqumo. Wayehlal’ahlale umbone esenikina ikhanda, umbona nje ukuthi uyaz’buza uyaz’phendula.

Yize kona uThisha omkhulu ayemdala kuyena, kodwa wayengemdala kangako, wayengaqomeka nje kungabi hlazo. Wathi uma ufika lowomcabango onjalo kuyena, wabuye wakhumbula ulaka lababa wakhe! Anikine ikhanda ngolaka. Ey angafa fi uma nje engavuma ukuthandana noThish’ omkhulu.

Ay naye uThisha omkhulu wayengazibekile phansi; emnakashele uThandeka. Kwakuthi nya nya umbone eseya ehovisi uThandeka, ahlale isikhathi eside umbone esephuma. Kwahamba kwahamba uThisha waqala nokumthengela izinto ezimnandi, ezama ukuncenga uMaTha ukuthi avume kodwa cha bandla uThandeka wayelokhu
enqabile ekhala ngokuthi usafunda yena, futhi usazimisele ngekusasa lakhe.

Lento yakhe yokuhlala esehhovisi likathisha-nhloko yaqala yasolisa abaningi manje. Bonke bez’buza ukuthi uThandeka ufunani ehhovisi likaThish’ omkhulu ngempela, uhlanganiseni nalo? Impendulo yalowo mbuzo yaba yinye kwabanye abafundi,
“Yingoba bayathandana futhi kade baqala,” babesho kanje abanye. Abanye ubezwe bethi, “Lokhu okuwuThandeka kuzenza into engaqomi nje kanti kuthandana nothish’ omkhulu!”

Ukusabalala kwalamahlebezi kwenza ahamba ahamba aze ayofika nasezindlebeni zikababa kaThandeka. Jo! Akathukuthelanga kanje, wal’gana ii unwabu.

“Usuqome oThish’ omkhulu wena!” ebuza ngesankahlu uZulu
kuThandeka owayengena nje ngakho kodwa ephuma esikoleni.

“Ay bo baba mina…mina…” enkwankwaza.

“Mina mina ini!” esho ededela ugesi wempama uZulu, owanele wahlala enhlafunweni kaThandeka. Wasakazeka wayongqubuzeka odongeni, waphuma igazi emakhaleni.

“Usuqome oThisha wena. Ngikuthumela es’koleni ukuba uyofunda wena uzipha amadoda doti!” esho edonsa iketanga elaliwungqinsi omkhulu ngaphansi kombhede. Wamvuthela ngalo!

Ay akakhalanga kanje bandla uThandeka elokhu ethi, “Mina baba ang’thandani nothish’ omkhulu. As’thandani baba.” Pho uyezwa yini uZulu!

Uma nje esekholwe yinto uhlala kuyona unomphelo. Akamshayanga kanje ngeketanga elalisho ekhanda, ebusweni, emzimbeni nasemilenzeni. Igazi lilokhu ligobhoza nje kuThandeka owayelokhu ephike njalo ukuthi uthandana nothisha uMnguni.

“Ngik’thuma ukuba uyofunda wena uzipha amadoda!” esho eligamanxisa iketanga lisuka endlebeni yangakwesokudla liya
kweyangakwesokunxele. Akamshayanga kanje. Ngisho nenkomo yayingakaze ishaywe kanje.

Wayethi angaligamanxisa ekhanda bese libambelela emlukweni kaThandeka, alidonse ngesikhulu isihluku lesi kuzumpuke izinwele kuThandeka lithi tsaa negazi. Uyothi esuka ebe eligamanxisa ebusweni, amcindezelele phansi alibambe nhlangothi zombili iketanga, alidonse. Limupitshize amehlo nombombo wekhala uThandeka. Abuye alithele ezithweni nasezingalweni.

Uyokhala uThandeka bandla, elokhu eyithelile ubaba wakhe. Waze wamyeka ngoba nakhu emuzwa esethuli uThandeka nokuyilapho abona khona ukuthi usequlekile. Wathuka woma uZulu lokhu phela waqala ngokuzitshela ukuthi ufile uThandeka. Wabiza omakhelwane abafika nabo. Bababaza umhlola bethi uZulu kodwa ubesengaze ayishaye kangaka ingane bakithi ngokuqoma nje.

Kwaphuthunywa kwabizwa I ambulense. Nokuyilapho kwatholakala khona ukuthi ihlo laThandeka langakwesokudla lase liqhumile. Miningana iminyaka yenzeka lento. Umlenze kaThandeka awukalungi namanje, uyaxhuga uma ehamba kanti nasekhanda usesizwa yiwo ama human hair ukufihla izingozi nezibazi ezisekhanda.

Eyehlo lakhe ke ay’sophinde ilunge ngoba alibe lisabuyiseleka uma selize laqhuma. Inhliziyo kaThandeka ibuhlungu iyaqaqamba njalo uma ez’buka esibukweni, ebuka ihlo lakhe elingasekho ngenxa yokusolelwa entweni ayengazange nakancane ayenze.

Yize kona ubaba wakhe aboshwa, kodwa uThandeka usanegqubu ngaye ngendlela yokuthi noma nini uma exoxa lendaba akwenzeki nakancane angakhali bandla.

Aw’ shame!

***

Sitshele ukuthi ucabangani: Ungaba wenze kahle yini uZulu ukushaya uThendeka ngenxa yamahlebezi?Sekhe washayelwa into ongayenzile wena? Wenza njani ukucazulula udaba?