(It’s Thursday evening and Nzaliseko is enjoying dinner with the Sifuba family.)

Nosidima: My son, you will be able go back to your house soon.

Nzaliseko: I’m very emotional about going back to my house and leaving the place that gave me hope and a second chance at life.

Nosidima: You will be going home very strong. Your enemies will be very disappointed when they see you strong and confident.

Nzaliseko:The people that will be disappointed the most will be my colleagues at work. I think they already applied for the driver vacancy.

Nosidima: I think after three months of work you must buy a goat or a sheep and slaughter it. When you do that, you are thanking my ancestors and your ancestors who worked together to heal you.

Nzaliseko: My mother, I promise I will do as you have told me. When I left Magqabi village, I thought that I had left all the evil spirits, witchcraft, and leprechauns there, but I realised I was wrong because I almost died after I was attacked by evil spirits and witchcraft.

Nosidima: My son, people who practice witchcraft don’t rest. If they want to kill somebody who is not in-front of them, they use evil medicines to kill that person although he or she is far away from them.

Nzaliseko: I lost my father when I was very young. I have my three older sisters who work in Gauteng. When I sacrifice something for my ancestors, I will call all my sisters and tell them about the traditional ceremony that I want to do.

Nosidima: You are doing something that is very important. When you tell your family about the work you are doing that has connected you to your ancestors, your family will give you more blessings.

Nzaliseko: My mother will be very happy when I tell her that I am doing a traditional ceremony to thank my ancestors for saving my life.

(Mnyamezeli knocks on the door.)

Nosidima: Come inside.

Mnyamezeli: Good evening.

Nosidima: Good evening, Mnyamezeli.

Mnyamezeli: How are you, my mother?

Nosidima: I’m fine, my child. We are all fine.

Mnyamezeli: I just came to see my older brother, Nzaliseko.

Nosidima: Mnyamezeli, I don’t understand you. Nzaliseko is older than you but you spend most of your time with him. Mnyamezeli, you are only sixteen years old but you act like you are thirty-five years old.

Nzaliseko: My mother, I think Mnyamezeli wants to mature early in his life and not repeat mistakes that I made when I was younger. He is serious about life.

Nosidima: It’s fine, I understand why he likes to talk to you.

Nzaliseko: What attracted me to this boy, my mother, is that he is serious about life and he is gifted by God to do oral traditional poems anywhere and at any time.

Nosidima: Many people always talk about his talent. I think he must thank his ancestors for developing his talent.

Nzaliseko: Mnyamezeli asked me about my background and life. He is unique to other boys.

(Nonkuthazo enters the room and falls down.)

Nonkuthazo: Please help. Please call an ambulance because I am feeling dizzy and I have a high blood pressure.

Nosidima: Don’t cry, my child, I will call an ambulance now.

Tell us: What could be wrong with Nonkuthazo?