“Ungakwenza wena lokhuya, Mma?” u-Afrika wabuza unina.
“Ngenze ini?” kubuza uMme wa Afrika. “Uthwale umthwalo ehloko njengomma loya,” kutjho u-Afrika.
“Iye, ngingakghona. Kulula,” kwatjho unina. U-Afrika waqala umma loya bewasithela esitjhabeni sabantu abajame Phakathi kweentodlwana zokuthengisela.
“Nginesiciniseko sokobana nami ngingazithwala izinto ehloko!” kwatjho u-Afrika azicabangela. Wabona ibhodlelo lesiselo esimakhaza leplastiki elinganalitho phasi. Walidobha, walibeka ehloko yakhe, kodwana kwafanela bona alibambe ngombana belikhamba liwa.
“Etjhi!” kwatjho umntazanyana oseduze naye. “Ngizakutjengisa bona kwenziwa bunjani!” Wathatha ibhodlelo lesiselo, walibeka ehloko, nepumulo yayisemmoyeni, wabhoda u-Afrika kwangathi yikosazana ezikhakhazisako.
“Yho!” kwatjho u-Afrika, akarekile. “Ungubani ibizo lakho?”
“Ngingu-Asanda,” kwatjho umntazanyana. “Mina ngingu-Afrika. Wakufunda njani ukwenza lokho?” wabuza u-Afrika.
“Ngathoma ngokuzama ukukhamba ngithwele iincwadi zami ehloko,” watjho aphendula. “Kufanele wenze ihloko yakho ingasikinyeki lokha nawukhambako.” Wabuyisela ibhodlelo lesiselo phezu kwehloko ka-Afrika. “Khamba kabuthaka kwanjesi, uthwale ipumulo uyise emmoyeni, njengekosana.”
U-Afrika wazombeleza uAsanda kabuthaka, ihloko ingasikinyeki nepumulo isemmoyeni. Ibhodlelo lanzinza!
“Qala Mma! Ngiqala Mma …” kwatjho u-Afrika, kodwana akhenge abone unina! Kwabakhona otjhayisa u-Afrika nebhodlelo lesiselo lawa ehloko yakhe. Kodwana besele akhohliwe ngebhodlelo – wafuna ukwazi bona uphi unina!
“Ukuphi, Mma?” wabiza. Akhenge kube nependulo. “Mma!” wabiza khudlwana. Solo akunapendulo.
“Umma ulahlekile!”kwatjho u-Afrika ku-Asanda. “Besisendleleni eya esitolo seencwadi laphaya ekhoneni, kodwana akasabonakali!”
“Nami ngiyakhona esitolo seencwadi! Ngiyokuthenga incwadi yeendatjana ngemali engiyongileko. Mhlamunye umma wakho usesitolo seencwadi. Asikhambe siyomqala!” u-Asanda wabeka umbono.
U-Asanda no-Afrika bakhamba hlangana neenqubuthu zabantu. Kusesenjalo u-Afrika wezwa igama lakhe! “Afrika! Afrika! Ukuphi?”
