Zolile: Kudala ndilapha kodwa andifumani mkhondo. Kungcono ndibuyele ekhaya kuba kuyacaca ukuba akho kwamntu omaziyo utata apha. Mhlawumbi uNoluntu ufuna ndihambe kokwabo njengokuba endinika eligama? Mhlawumbi undinike igama ekungelilo kuba efuna ndihambe. “Mntwana wam, uze ungathembi nomnye umntu.” (Ecinga amazwi kanina.) Mandisose ndibuzise okokugqibela ndizokubuyela emva.

(Uhambe ebuzisa kweloMonti likhulukazi. Uhambe wade wadibana noZondi umzala kaSihle)

Zolile: Uxolo bhuti ingaba awumazi lomntu? (emnika ifoto)

Velile: Uyintoni wena naye?

Zolile: Ngutata wam bhuti.

Velile: UnguZolile?

Zolile: Ewe bhuti undazi kanjani?

Velile: “Ungaze unditsho ukuba ndihlalaphi kulanja inguNosakhe kunye nomntwana wakhe andifuni nokubabona.” (ecinga amazwi kaSihle) Ubuthetha?

Zolile: Ingaba uyamazi? Ndicela undixele xa umazi.

Velile: Hayi andimazi suka phambi kwam. IMonti inkulu kangaka. Ukuba awukufuni ukufa phindela kokwenu.

Zolile: Kulungile bhuti.

Velile: Ewe mfana wam goduka. (etsho esiya phambili.) Kowu madoda le ntwana iyabonakala ukuba ibethekile. Ukuba inyanzelisile ukufuna uSihle ndiyayisizela. Phofu ke isiziba siviwa ngodondolo. (Uthethe yedwa wade waya kungena emotweni yakhe.)

(UZolile usendleleni esuka eMonti ubhekise kwelaseNcome Springs kokwabo.)

Zolile: (Ecinga nzulu) Inokuba ndizakuthi ndisukaphi kuMalumekazi? Khona akazundibetha? Ndikhumbula umama wam mna ngoku. Kungcono ndizibulale kuba ayikho into endisayiphilelayo. Andinabani ondinakekeleyo. Ndiyozibulala. Kubhetele ndife kunokuba ndizakhele usizi ebantwini. Kodwa utata wam yena andisoze ndimxolele ubomi bam bonke (zehla zilandelelana iinyembezi.)

(Wasuka ngentsimbi yesine emalanga eMonti waya kufika eNcome ngentsimbi yeshumi ebusuku. Imothule imoto yajika yabuyela emva).

Zolile: Kanti mna Thixo ndenzeni emhlabeni? Yintoni endingakwanelisi ngayo Bawo? Thixo ndicela uxolo ngazo zonke izinto endithe ndazenza gwenxa phambi kwakho.

(Uthe wakuqgiba ukwenza umthazo wakhe walala kwakulo ndawo. Kwakubanda kodwa zange ayinanze loongqele. Uvuke ekuseni wacothoza wabuyela ekhaya.)

Zolile: Nokuba ungandithathela kuwe Thixo ngeze ndikusole. Kuba ayikho into yam elapha emhlabani.

(UNoluntu uvuke ekuseni uvuswa kukuphupha ngoZolile engena esangweni. Uvuke wayokuma esangweni waqalaza uZolile).

Noluntu: Tyhini! Zolile ufike ngantoni? Phofu kutheni ulila? Khona ziphi iimpahla zakho?

Zolile: Ndicela umbuzo omnye ngexesha. Ndifike izolo ebusuku.

Noluntu: Walala phi kengoku?

Zolile: Esitophini. (zehla iinyembezi). Iimpahla zithathwe ngootsotsi, ndiphelele kwezi zisemzimbeni.

Noluntu: Uxolo Zolile. (emosula iinyembezi.) Zolile ungalilahli ithemba mzala, konke kuzodlula. Ungacingi nokucinga ukuzibulala unexabiso apha emhlabeni. Kungcono ujongane nesikolo umyeke utata wakho. Ukuba uthe wazibulala wazi ukuba ubulele nam zolile. (Zehla iinyembezi kuNoluntu.) Masingene endlini Zolile

Zolile: UMalumekazi akazukundingxolisa?

Noluntu: Zolile ndabaxelela bonke kuquka notata imbala.

Zolile: Mna ndiyongena endlini yam.

Noluntu: Hayi ngena apha utata akazukuyithanda lonto.

(Bangena endlini uNoluntu wabilisa amanzi wenzela uZolile into ephungwayo kuba wayegodole kobobusuku. Uthe esahleli uZolile kwavuka umalume wakhe uDilika.)

Dilika: Tyhini Zolile! Ubuyile (emxhawula), uvelaphi mtshana?

Zolile: Ndivela eMonti malume.

Dilika: Ungabi nexhala mtshana uNoluntu undixele yonke into. Noluntu, thatha ukuyta kwam ukunike uZolile.

Zolile: Enkosi Noluntu. (ethatha ukutya)

Noluntu: Uyazi tata uZolile ebelele phandle izolo?

Dilika: Intoni! Zolile mntwana wam, ndiyazi ukuba intliziyo yakho ilihlwili ngaphakathi, kodwa zama mtshana ukonwaba kuba uzakugula xa usoloko ulila.

(Waphakama uZolile waya kwigumbilakhe lokuphumla)

*****

[Lude lwafika usuku lokuba zivulwe izikolo. UZolile, uAbongile kunye noNoluntu baphindele esikolweni kwikota yesithathu.]

(UZolile uthetha nogxa wakhe uSipho)

Zolile: Ubukade uphi na mhlobo wam?

Sipho: Kufaneleke ukuba kubendim obuzayo hayi wena.

Zolile: Kulungile ke masigqithe apho. Uzakuwafundelaphi amabanga akho aphezulu?

Sipho: EKapa mhlobo wam, eKholejini.

Zolie: Kuvuya wena mhlobo wam.

Sipho: Kanti wena mhlobo uzakufunda phi?

Zolile: Andikazi mna ntwana yam, kusemnyama apha kum.

Sipho: Zolile unyaka uyaphela ngoku. Kufuneka uzazi.

Zolile: Kulungile mhlobo wam.

Sipho: Nantsi nalentsimbi sele ikhala masigoduke. (Baphuma bagoduka)

(Bahamba bobabini xabephuma esikolweni.)

Zolile: Kutheni wathula kangaka mhlobo wam, ucinga phi?

Sipho: Hayi ketana ntangam ndicinga lamhla wawuphoxwa yilantombi yakho.

Zolile: Yho! Awulibali ntanga. (Ehleka.)

Sipho: Usengumhobo wethu uMondli?

Zolile: Hayi. (etshintsha ebusweni.)

Sipho: Uthetha ukuthini xa usithi ‘hayi’?

Zolile: Ndithetha ukuthi hayi.

Sipho: Uyandiphoxa na Zolile?

Zolile: Hayi andikuphoxi.

Sipho: Qha wenza ntoni?

Zolile: Andenzinto. Sipho khawundehle futhi ndidikiwe mna ngoku nguwe saphuselani ndini.

Sipho: Uthetha ukuthini kengoku mhlobo wam?

Zolile: Buphelile ubuhlobo phakathi kwam nawe.

Sipho: Hayibo! Zolile ngoba kutheni?

Zolile: Wandiphoxa kaloku wena phakathi kwabanye abantwana. Soze ndiphinde ndikuthembe. Soze ndiphinde ndithethe kwa nawe. UMondli ngumhlobo wam hayi owakho. Watsho kwakuqala ukuba awulunganga wena Sipho. Wonke umntu uyakwazi.

Sipho: Uxolo mhlobo wam. Ngeke ndize ndiphinde. Ndicela uxolo Zolile mhlobo wam.

Zolile: Ngeke ndikuxolele Sipho. Yiya esikolweni, ume phambi kwabafundi ucele uxolo apha kum.

Sipho: Ukuba uzakundixolela Zolile ndizakuyenza loonto mhlobo wam.

Zolile: Usale kakuhle Sipho naku ekhaya. (Evuala isango lakowabo uZolile) Banyanisile abadala xa bethi ivili liyajikeleza. Ngubabani obesazi ukuba uSipho angaze acela uxolo kwinto enjengam? (Ehleka.) Soze ndikuxolele mna Sipho, zityele uxolo lwakho. (Engena endlini.)

(Ide yaphela inyanga uZolile esonwabile ngendlela engummangaliso. Ude wonyusela nasezifundweni zakhe)

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Khawutsho: Ungamxolela uSipho wena?