“Izindaba zehora leshumi nizithulelwa nguThokozile Makhanya. Ngiyanibingelela emakhaya ngamakhaya. Amaphoyisa asOsizweni, entshonalanga neKwaZulu-Natal, asebophe owesilisa ngemuva kokutholakala nezidumbu ezintathu egcekeni lomuzi namhlanje ekuseni. Amaphoyisa athole lomlisa ephethe insimbi enegazi, nezandla zakhe zigcwele igazi. Umsolwa, usolwa ngokubulala uSipho Hadebe, ongomunye wabaphathi be-S.S.Construction (Pty) Ltd okuyinkampani ezinze eRandburg, eGoli.

Sebedlulile emashumini amahlanu abantu okusolwa ukuthi sebebulewe nguyena lomlisa, nezidumbu zabo zijike zingatholakali nhlobo. Umphakathi wasOsizweni ubufuna ukuqeda ngomsolwa njengoba etholakale egcekeni lomuzi wakwaKhumalo. UBaba uKubheka, ongumakhelwane, uzwakalise okukhulu ukudumala ngemuva kokuzwa ngalesehlakalo, uthe:

‘Sekuphele iviki lonke ngingamboni uSipho. UMaKhumalo ebesavakashele kubo kwamyeni wakhe. Mhla ngigcina ukumbona uSipho, wayehla emotweni noNelile, amthula kimi njengomngani wakhe, futhi ungumgcini mabhuku enkampanini yakhe. Njengoba kuqhubeka izinsuku ngingamboni uSipho, bengizitsheli ukuthi ushiye imoto wabuyela eGoli ngoba unenye inkampani khona.’

Isidumbu sikaSipho Hadebe, kanye nezidumbu ezimbili zabesifazane, zitholakale zilenga emagumbini ahlukene emzini wakwaKhumalo namhlanje ekuseni. Igama lomsolwa belingakadalulwa. Kusolwa ukuthi nguyena obalengisile, ngenhloso yokubacwiya izitho zomzimba. Izidumbu zabo zitholakale sezinuka.

Umseshi uMabaso, ophethe lelicala, uthe: ‘Sekuphele iminyaka simfuna umbulali. Nokho siphoxwa yiwona umphakathi walapha endaweni. Uyazazi izigilamkhuba kepha awufuni ukuphumela obala uze kithi. Umphakathi ubusubiza umbulali ngendoda yejazi, abanye bethi ngu-undertaker. Kodwa ebengekho ofuna ukusikhombisa yena. Umsolwa ebehlasela imizi enabantu abangeqile kwabane. Ebefike ashunqise emnyango ukuze kungene iphunga elenza abanini bomuzi balale ubuthongo obunzima, bese eyangena. Nokho sesijabule ngoba sesize samthola umenzi walesihluku. Njengoba lisho nje ibhayibheli elingcwele, akukho okufihliwe okungezukuvela. Konke ekugcineni kuhlala obala kuhle kwenansi yenyoni!’

Umseshi uMabaso, uqhubeke wathi: ‘Yena sesimtholile umhlukumezi womphakathi. Seziningi izidumbu esizitholile, kepha yena ebengatholakali. Bekungelula ukuqhubeka nalelicala ngoba umsolwa ubethi uma ecwiya noma ebulala umuntu, ubefaka ama-gloves ezandleni ukuze singawatholi ama-finger prints akhe. Yena ebeyinono impela, ebengashiyi nokuncane okungambambisa. Umbonile nje namanje muhle kanjani, uzicuphile. Ngiyabonga kuBaba uNkulunkulu, useyiphendulile imithandazo yami kanye neyemindeni ebihlale ifisa ukwazi ukuthi ngubani obulale wacwiya abathandiweyo babo. Yena sesimtholile, njengoba sikhuluma nje, umsolwa uvalelwe. Sisazomphenya kakhulu. Siyabonga kubo omakhelwane abathe uma bebona isigila mkhuba babe sebeshayela esiteshini samaphoyisa. Siyethemba ukuthi nebheyili angeke ayithole uma eseyobingelela imantshi ngoLwesihlanu. Sinxusa umphakathi ukuthi usidedele sisebenze kahle. Sesimtholile umenzi, udlame angeke lusasiza ngalutho. Sobuqoqa ubufakazi ukuze avalelwe ingunaphakade. Miningi imiphefumulo ehlukene nenyama ngenxa yakhe. Siyethemba ukuthi uma sesimphenya, sizogcina sesikutholile ukuthi ubecwiya imizimba yabantu azidayise kuphi izicubu zemzimba yabo…’”

“Mama!” kumemeza uMvelo ephuma ngejubane endlini yokuphumula eya kunina owashayo empopini. “Ma, ezindabeni bathi usedlulile emhlabeni uSipho Hadebe, okungixakayo ukuthi naye uhlala Osizweni, kwaKhumalo. Ngicela ufonele uBaba!”

“Hhayi bo, Mvelo! Uthini manje?” kubuza uMaVilakazi, emangele. “Ubaba wakho usebenzela eGoli, akekho eNyukhasela okwamanje!” kusho uMaVilakazi esukuma, aziphuthaze umakhalekhukhwini wakhe ephinifeni eselimanzi ngaphambili njengoba ewasha. “Phuthuma uyothatha umakhalekhukhwini wami phezu kombhede!”

Abuyele ngejubane endlini uMvelo. Alandele ngokuphuthuma eyongena endlini yokuphumula uMaVilakazi. Umnyango wegumbi lakhe noSipho uphumela endlini yokuphumula.

“Ngehlelwa yini kodwa?” kucabanga uMaVilakazi engena endlini yokuphumula. “Kanti lamaphupho ebechaza ukuthini?” abuke emnyango wegumbi lakhe noSipho. “Yiza phela, Mvelo!” esho ngezwi elikhulu uMaVilakazi nakhu uMvelo engasaphumi egumbini lakhe nomakhalekhukhwini wakhe.

***

Sitshele umbono wakho: Wake waphupha kwenzeka into embi, yenzeke okwangempela? Yini leyo eyenzeka ukade uyiphuphile?