Kwilali ethile yaseMnkcunkcuzo phantsi kwe Cofimvaba kwakukho umfana owayekrelekrele egama lingu Gcobani. Wayehlala nomakhulu wakhe uNomaneji ngoba kaloku unina wasweleka emveni kokuba uGcobani elibonile ilanga. Uzamile umakhulu uNomaneji ukuba ayikhulise le nkwenkwana kwade kwacaca ukuba iyakwazi ukukhaba ibhola itye namazimba.
Kwakungekho lula ukuba mabaphile kodwa umakhulu wayesenza kwenzeke ukuze kusiwe into phantsi kwe mpumlo. Waye wabamba namatorho emasimini kwade kwacaba impilo iyambetha. Baphila ngemali ye ndodla kaNomaneji kunye ne yakhe ye fosta.
Wabona ukuba naye makenze icebo lokuba ayokuthengisa onkqiyoyo kunye ne tshiphusi esikolweni ukuze kubekho imalana ezawuthi ibancede xa inyanga ikekele. Ebengayazi ukuba uzakuyithatha phi inkunzi yoqala elishishini ngoba imali eyayisele yayiyoba kuthengwe ipilisi zika Nomaneji kodwa wayeyazi ukuba iqhinga lona lizakuvela ekuhambeni kwe xesha.
Uvuke ngenj’ixukuxa wabeka amanzi wahlamba elungiselela ukuya esikolweni. Wakrwela intshwela yepapa watya waleqa khona umfo ngoba noko ixesha beselixhatshwe yinja.
Uthe xa efika esikolweni wabe wonke umfundi sele esimigceni yokuthandaza. Ukhawuleze wayothi tshwaa kumngca wabefundi bebanga leshumi. Khange kube kudala kwahlatyelwa emveni koko kwathandazwa. Phambi kokuba babheke emagumbeni ofundela, inkqununu uMr Mkhonzi wabaxelela nge khompethishini yokupheka ezakuba khona ngomhla we 28 ku Februwari.
Wagqibelisa ngelithi, “Kuzakukhethwa abafundi abalishumi, lowo nalowo uzakupheka nomati wakhe.” Yaze yalandelisa inzwakazi eyayime ecaleni kwakhe.
“Nikhumbule abaphumeleleyo bazakugoduka nesixa semali esingange R1000 kanti abangaphumelelanga bona bazakufuma i-food parcels.”Yayingu nkxwee emigceni, wonke umntu enqwenela ukuba angenyulwa kweli shumi lizakukhethwa.
Kwayiwa eziklasini, uthe esacinga ngale khompethishini uGcobani kwangena omnye wabaafunda nabo uLitha.
“Yhe, Gcobani yintoni? Uyabonakala ukuba eyakho ingqondo ixakekile,” utsho esondela kuye uLitha.
“Yhey fethu ndicinga ngalamali beku thethwa ngayo emigceni, xandinothi ndiyifumane ndingatsho ndikwazi uthenga itshiphs nonqiyoyo for i-business endifuna ukuyiqala,” utsho ezibamba entloko uGcobani.
“Thandaza ntoyakuthi ukhethwe kolonyulo kwaye bendivile ukuba kuyabhaliswa pha eofisini abantu abafuna ungenelela uzuye qha uya uhamba nopeto wakho,” Litha utshilo. Uye wathula kancinci uGcobani ngoba kaloku ebengeka yazi ukuba uzakucela bani abengu mati wakhe.
“Undincedile ndizoya pha nge khefu,” Gcobani uphendule ngelitshoyo.
“Hayi akukhongxaki njayam,” uLitha utshilo. Kuthe kusenjalo kwangena itishalakazi uMiss Pamela ofundisa iPhysics. UGcobani wayeyithanda kakhulu kwaye eyiqonda kakuhle ingqina abanye kuleklassi yakhe babecela abancede apho babethakala khona. Zingenile zonke ipiriods zaphambi kwebreak yade yabetha intsimbi. Wahamba waye eofisini, uthe xa engena wathi gqi ngo Zama intombazana awayethanda uncokola nayo.
“Nawe uzobhalisela le khompethishini, Gcobani?” ubuze watsho ebencuma uZama.
“Ewe bendicinga uyingena intenayo andinamati,” Gcobani uphendule watsho.
“Yantle kelonto ngoba nam andinaye, singabangomati if uyafuna,” utsho ngoncumo uZama.
“Yhoo ndingavuya kakhulu, ndiyafuna enkosi Zama.”
Wayesedikiwe uLiziwe usisi owayesebenza erisephushini efuna uleqa kwisidlo sasemini.
“Yhe bethuna niyabhalisa okanye?” utsho njalo ebanqikela impumlo.
“Ewe siyabhalisa sis’Liziwe,” baphendule njalo ngaxesha nye.
Baye bahamba bayokuhlala phantsi komthi batya wamxelela ngelishishini afuna uyiqala, wathembisa ukuba uZama uzakumncedisa pha na phayana.
***
Khawusixelele: Ucinga ntoni ngelibali lifutshane lika Gcobani?
