Ingobozi yayibekwe phambi kwendlu kaMakhulu kufele lwenyamakazi.
“Imdaka kakhulu,” watsho uMnu Mthembu. “Kwaye igugile. Jonga apha phezu kwale phatheni ityheli igosogoso.”
“Kakade imdaka kwaye ibukrazuka kancinci,” watsho uMakhulu, ngelizwi elitshothozayo ngenxa yokuguga nomsindo. “Le ngobozi yeyeemini zakudala zikakhokho wam. Ngexesha uShaka kaSenzangakhona wayenguKumkani. Ukususela ngexesha izinyanya zam zaziqeqeshwa nguNobela owayesoyikwa.”
“UNobela?” watsho uMnu Masondo. NjengoMnu Mthembu, wayenxibe isuti nangona yayiyimini eshushu kwimimango yaKwaZulu. “Isanuse esaziwayo kwikomkhulu likaShaka?”
“Ewe, uNobela isanuse. Ukhokho wam wayesomba amachiza ewaqokelelela uNobela. Lowo yayingumsebenzi wakhe. Jonga phaya ezantsi kwingobozi – amanye amachiza akhe asekhona. Yayingutata wakhe owoluka le ngobozi: umawokhulu wam.”
“Ewe, ndiyabona,” watsho uMnu Masondo. “Kodwa kukho enye ingxaki. Asinayo indlela yokukuqinisekisa oko. Asinamaphepha. Akukho nto ibhalwe phatsi.”
UMakhulu wajamela aba bathengi bempahla zakudala esele zisebenzile. “Amabali am ngawezizukulwana ngezizukulwana kwaye abaliswa ngenkathalo. Afana nale ngobozi. Kwakukho ixesha apho zonke iinyaniso zethu zazibaliswa ngomlomo. Ixesha apho iphepha kunye nokubhala yayizizinto esingaziwayo ngabantu bethu. Nilibele kuba ninxiba iisuti zenu ezimbetshembetshe nisiya kuhlala kwizindlu zenu zamaxabiso aphezulu ezakhiwe ngezitena?”
“Amakhulu amahlanu eerandi. Nalo ixabiso esikunika lona, Makhulu.”
“Amakhulu amahlanu kuphela? Le ngobozi inexabiso elingaphezulu le kunoko. Yolukwe kwinkcubeko yethu etyebileyo yimbali evela kwizinyanya zethu! Isuka kwiintsuku ezimnandi zeNdlovukazi. Isizathu sokuba ndiyithengise kukuba uSipho, umzukulwana wam kufuneka ehlawule imali yesikolo. Athenge neyunifom. Kufuneka ethenge nezihlangu zesikolo.”
La madoda asebezelana. “Kulungile ke. Amakhulu asibhozo. Loo mali yeyona iphezulu sinokukunika yona.”
UMnu Masondo wayibala imali. UMnu Mthembu wayisongela ingobozi ngephepha elizuba. Bobabini baya kwimoto yabo emenyezelayo eyayimiswe endleleni yomhlaba.
“Ingaba uqinisekile ngoku?”
“Ndithembe, siza kwenza inzuzo ebonakalayo, Mthembu. Amawaka asixhenxe okanye asibhozo. Uyayibona le dayi ityheli bugolide? Le resiphi yalahleka ngexesha likaShaka. Akusekho mntu ukwaziyo ukuyenza kule mihla. Hayi, Mthembu, le ingobozi yeyona yoqobo.”
“Uqinisekile?”
“Ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo! Nditsho nalaa nxalenye yebali malunga nomawokhulu. Kwixesha lakudala yayingamadoda oluka iingobozi. Hayi abasetyhini.”
Bayibeka ngobunono ingobozi kwisihlalo esingasemva emotweni. Ivumba lamachiza laliphumela kwelo phepha babeyisongele ngayo lizalisa imoto. La madoda ayengathi awaliva.
Kodwa bayiqaphela inkwenkwana encinane. Yavela yathi gqi emva kwetyholo.
“Thixo! Ndiyathemba ukuba akasivanga,” watsho uMthembu.
“Akunamsebenzi. Ndiqinisekile akaqondanga ukuba sithetha ngantoni.” La madoda aqhuba imoto eshiya ilifu lothuli emva kwayo.
Inkwenkwana enguSipho yabaleka yaya kungena endlwini. “Makhulu, Makhulu! Ndibavile besithi baza kuyithengisa ngamawaka asixhenxe okanye mhlawumbi asibhozo. Ngamasela nabaphangi!”
UMakhulu wancuma.
UMakhulu wathi, “Sipho, ngomso kufuneka siphinde sombe kwakhona.”
“Sombe iingcambu zeresiphi eyimfihlo kamawokhulu, Makhulu? Sombe idayi etyheli bugolide?”
“Ewe. Abathengi bempahla endala esele isetyenzisiwe abavela eRhawutini baza kufika kwiveki ezayo. Kufuneka siphinde soluke enye ingobozi.”
Isiphelo