This story is also available in English: Vusi’s visit to the Drakensberg Mountains.

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UVusi ujabule kakhulu njengoba esezohamba nezinye izingane zesikole bavakashele ezintabeni. UGogo useyitholile imali yokukhokhela uhambo lukaVusi. UVusi uzobona ubuhle bemvelo ezintabeni zoKhahlamba. Uzophatha umphako azowenzelwa uGogo.

“Sengifisa sengathi sesiyahamba khona manje,” kusho uVusi ejabulile.

“UGogo uthe mina ngiyohamba ngonyaka ozayo. Phela uGogo akanayo imali yokusikhokhela sobabili kulohambo,” kusho uNtobeko.

UGogo ungena endlini ephethe ukudla okuningi ayekuthenge esitolo.

“Ngifuna ukwenza umphako omnandi ozowudla le ezintabeni Vusi,” kusho uGogo.

“Ngizobuya ngizonixoxela ngomgwaqo oya eSani Pass okuthiwa umagwincigwinci, abantwana bezimfene, imihosha kanye nobunye ubuhle bemvelo obule ezintabeni,” kusho uVusi ebala ezinye zezinto ezisezintabeni zoKhahlamba.

UGogo ukhipha ushintshi osekhukhwini lephinifa lakhe.

“Ntobeko nawe Vusi; gijimani niye esitolo niyothenga ijusi ezophathwa uVusi kuhambo lwakusasa,” kusho uGogo enika uNtobeko imali.

UGogo usegugile. Kwenye inkathi uyakhohlwa ukubuyisela ushintshi esikhwameni semali. Kuyenzeka ukuthi akhohlwe isikhwama semali uma eya esitolo noma asikhohlwe esitolo uma esebuya eza ekhaya.

Endleleni eya esitolo uNtobeko benoVusi bathola ngesikhwama semali esinemibala ephuzi kanye nempunga. Sasifana nesikhwama sikaGogo.

“Ntobe, asithenge amakhekhe, amaswidi kanye nezigaxa zikashokholedi ngayoyonke le mali,” kusho uVusi ephethe isikhwama.

“Cha! Kumele sisinike uGogo isikhwama khona ezofuna umnikazi waso,” kuphawula uNtobeko.

UVusi uyenqaba ukuba isikhwama sinikezwe uGogo. Wathenga izigaxa zikashokholedi, amaswidi kanye namakhekhe ngayo yonke imali. Wadla nabangani bakhe abafica esitolo. Wabaxoxela ukuthi naye usezoya ukuyobona ubuhle bezintaba zoKhahlamba.

Amaswidi kanye nezigaxa zoshokholedi sekugcwele emakhukhwini ebhulukwe likaVusi njengoba sebebuyela ekhaya.

“Thatha Ntobe, uzozwa ukuthi umnandi kanjani lo shokholedi,” kusho uVusi.

“Cha Vusi, angeke ngikwazi. Bekumele sisinike uGogo leso sikhwama,” kusho uNtobeko ekhomba isikhwama esikesandleni sikaVusi.

UVusi noNtobeko bafika ekhaya bephuma esitolo. UNtobeko uphethe ijusi ababeyithunyiwe. UVusi uphethe isikhwama semali abasithole endleleni eya esitolo.

UNtobeko wanika uGogo ijusi kanye nohlweza lwashintshi.

“Akekho obone isikhwama sami semali? Mhlawumbe ngisilahle endleleni kade ngiphuma esitolo,” kusho uGogo.

“Sibukeka kanjani isikhwama sakho semali, Gogo?” sekubuza uNtobeko.

“Sinemibala ephuzi kanye nempunga. Sinemali yonke okumele ngikhokhe ngayo kusasa ukuze uVusi agibele ayobona ubuhle bezintaba zoKhahlamba,” kuchaza uGogo.

UGogo ubona isikhwama esasiphethwe uVusi. Sinemibala ephuzi kanye nempunga.

“Awu! Nasi isikhwama sami semali kuVusi, ngiyabonga,” kusho uGogo ejabulile.

UVusi wakhala ebheke uNtobeko. UVusi wayethenge amaswidi, izigaxa zikashokoledi kanye namakhekhe ngayo yonke imali. UGogo akasenayo imali yokukhokha ukuze aye ukuyobona ubuhle ezintabeni zoKhahlamba. UVusi ufisa ukuba uwalalelile amazwi ayenobuhlakani ashiwo uNtobeko.