Ixhegokazi landithi nqaku ngesihlahla. Lalomelele ngathi aliguli. “Kufuneka undincede, Mongikazi Dudu!”
Andinguye nomongikazi, ndingumncedisi nje wabongikazi. Iintsuku nje ezintathu ngeveki. Ndivunyelwa nje ukuba ndondlule iibhedi ndichithe neetshemba zezigulane. Kananjalo ndithi ndimamele noMongikazi oyiNtloko endikhwaza endingxolisa xa ndenze impazamo.
Akwaba bendingumongikazi wokwenene. Bendiza kukwazi ukubanika izitofu abantu, ndibafake needriphu, ndisindise ubomi babo. Kodwa ke ayikho imali yokuba ndiye kwikholeji yokufundela ukuba ngumongikazi.
Nakubeni kunjalo, ndathoba ndisondela kweli xhegokazi. Lalindifanela nowam umakhulu, ngaphandle nje kwayo yonke le mibhobho wayexhakaxhaka yiyo. Ngaphandle nje kwabo matshini babempompa, bemxhagile: isixhobo sokuphefumla, isixhobo sokupopola ukusebenza kwentliziyo nabanye.
“Ndingakunceda njani, Nksk Gatyeni?”
“Kufuneka undisuse undise kwenye ibhedi. Andifuni kulala kule bhedi yesithandathu.”
“Kodwa Nkosikazi, zonke iibhedi ezikwigumbi labaxhalisekileyo zizele.” Oku kwakuyinyaniso: igumbi labaxhalisekileyo lalisoloko lizele. “Yintoni ongayithandiyo ngebhedi yesithandathu?”
“Izigulane ezilele kwibhedi yesithandathu ziyafa, Mongikazi Dudu. Kufuneka undisindise.”
Ndazi lukhulu ngezibhedlele kwakunye namabali angeyonyaniso asasazwa zizigulane: afana nokuba oogqirha abenza uqhaqho bamamela umculo we-hip-hop baze badanise lo gama besenza uqhaqho; abongikazi abasebenza ebusuku abeba amayeza okudambisa iintlungu ze babeke ii-aspirin endaweni yawo; okanye barhabula igazi eligcinwe kwindawo yokugcina igazi; nokuba kukho izinto zobuhedeni ezenzeka kwigumbi elingaphantsi komhlaba lokugcina izidumbu.
Ndiyazi. Ukugula kuyoyikisa. Ukulala esibhedlele kuyoyikisa, ingakumbi kubantu bethu abadala.
Ndikhe ndancokola nezinye izigulane ezilele kwigumbi labaxhalabisekileyo. Ndineentsukwana ezimbalwa ndiphangela apha.
“Ibhedi yesithandathu inesiqalekiso,” utshilo uMnu Lenake. “Izigulane ezine kwiiveki ezisixhenxe – zonke ziswelekile.”
“Kwaye zisweleka qho ngoLwezihlanu, Mongikazi Dudu,” kongeze uJonathan olele kwibhedi yeshumi. “Ugqibela isigulane sizilalele. Ubone sele uMongikazi oyiNtloko evala umkhusane. Uthi uyeva sekufika abasebenza kwigumbi lezidumbu, basithathe eso sigulane bemke naso sesiswelekile.”
Andiphangeli ngoLwezihlanu. Kodwa ndixelele uNksk Gatyeni ukuba, “Ndiza kuza emsebenzini ngoLwesihlanu. Ndiza kuhlala ecaleni kwakho imini yonke ndiqinisekise ukuba ukhuselekile.”
“Uyingelosi!” Wandincumela uNksk Gatyeni ephantsi kwaloo mibhobho.
NgoLwesihlanu ndafika kwakusasa esibhedlele. Engaka impithizelo! Kwakuxakekwe kakhulu kuneentsuku endandiphangela ngazo. Kwakukho ihlokondiba labafundi bezonyango elalilandela oogqirha njengokuba bexilonga izigulane, kwaye babexabe indlela yakhe wonke umntu. Abasebenzi abacocayo abasebenza kwinkampani yokucoca, ecoca isibhedlele ngeveki, nabo babezalise iipaseji, benxibe iiyunifomu zabo ezipinki, berhuqa oomatshini babo bokucoca. Abongikazi bona babesihla besenyuka, behamba ngokubaleka, bephethe iifayile, belungisa izigulane bezilungiselela uqhaqho lwangooLwezihlanu. Abasebenzi base-ofisini babaleka emva kwabo bephethe amaxwebhu eemvume zoqhaqho.
Ndavula iingcango zegumbi labaxhalabisekileyo. Oko ndakubonayo kwibhedi yesithandathu kwandenza ndanxunguphala.
“Hayi bo!” ndakhala. “Yima!”
Umsebenzi ococayo owayesecaleni kwebhedi kaNksk Gatyeni wandithi gxezu ngamehlo. “Musa ukuthetha nam ngolo hlobo! Andisosicaka sakho! Ndenza le nto rhoqo ngoLwezihlanu.”
UMongikazi oyiNtloko wathi gqi. “Mongikazi oncedisayo Dudu, kutheni ungxola? Kusesibhedlele apha, akukho simokolweni apha! Awuphangeli nokuphangela namhlanje!” watsho endingxolisa. Kodwa kanye ngelo xesha wakubona oko umsebenzi ococayo awayeza kukwenza.
“Yima!” naye wakhwaza. “Nkosi yamaZulu! Musa ukukucinga nokukucinga ukwenza oko!”
Umsebenzi ococayo wayebambe iplagi yomatshini wokupolisha kwesinye isandla. Ngesinye isandla wayexakekile etsala ngeenjongo zokukhupha iplagi yesixhobo sokuphefumla sikaNksk Gatyeni ukuze akwazi ukusebenzisa loo sokethi siplagwe kuyo, aplage umatshini wakhe wokucoca.
Ngokukhawuleza ndafumana indawo yokufaka iplagi engasebenzanga epasejini kwaplagwa umatshini wokucoca. Umsebenzi ococayo wayesandijamele.
“Usindise ubomi namhlanje, Mongikazi oncedisayo Dudu,” watsho uMongikazi oyiNtloko. “Ewe, mhlawumbi usindise ubomi booLwezihlanu abaninzi abezayo!”
Isiphelo