Igama lam ndinguPhumlani Qhaga. Ndikhulele kwilokishi eyiyeyona inkulu apha eKapa- iKhayelitsha. Ndandinomntakwethu omkhulu kunam, uZanoxolo, owaye emdala kum ngeminyaka emibini. Mna nomntakwethu sasingabantwana ababini kwinkumbula yabantwana abakhuliswa ngumzali omnye kula migxobhozo yase Site C. Kodwa mna ndandimazi utata wam, ndingafani nabanye abaninzi. Wayeliqhawe lam kwaye engumntu endijonge kuye kuloo minyaka yokuqala ebomini bam: wayelipolisa elihloniphekileyo kwaye elilungu lasekuhlaleni.
Ndiyikhumbula kakuhle loo ntsasa utata weza egumbini lethu lokulala kuseliqhiza. Kwaku sesekuseni kakhulu ukuba sivuke, ngoko mna noZanoxolo sazilalisa. Utata wasiphuza emabunzini ethu ngothando waza akaluvala ucango lwegumbi lokulala xa ephuma. Ndatsala ilaphu lefestile ndakroba, ndaza ndambona esimka ephethe isuthikheyisi kwakunye nebhegi enkulu. Emva koko, ndeva umama ekhala egumbini lokulala. Noxa sasibancinci -mna ndandineminyaka emihlanu kuphela ngoko-mna nomntakwethu saqonda nje ukuba ikhona into engalunganga. Utata akazange abuyele ekhaya ngoloo rhatya, okanye usuku olulandelayo.
“Uza kubuya nini utata, mama?” UZanoxolo wambuza umama xa kuphela usuku lwesibini.
“UKapteyini wakhe umthumele eRhawutini ukuba aye kusebenza kwityala elikhulu. Uyakubuya xa lithe lasonjululwa ityala,” Watsho umama. Kodwa akazange abuye saqhubeka sihlala ngaphandle kwakhe.
UZanoxolo wabalasela kwizifundo zakhe kwisikolo samabanga aphantsi kwaye waqhubekeka nokugqwesa nakumabanga aphezulu.
“Ingaba uZanoxolo Qhaga ngumnakwenu?” utitshala wayendibuza qho xa ndiqala ibanga elitsha. Xa ndimxelela ukuba kunjalo, babesuka baqhubekeke ngokundixelela ngobukrelekrele bakhe, nokuba babelindele ukuba nam ndisebenze nzima njengaye. Kodwa ndandingeyo ncutshe njengaye: ndandingumfundi nje ophakathi ozamayo kangangoko anakho.
Umama wam wayesoloko eqhayisa ngokuba krele krele komntakwethu ezifundweni zakhe nokuphumelela kwakhe kwizizalwane kwakunye nezihlobo zethu.Wayedla ngokubaxelela ukuba uZanoxolo uza kuba ngugqirha aze asithengele indlu enkulu edolophini ngenye imini.
Qho ngonyaka esikolweni sethu kwakubakho amatheko eembasa. Umntakwethu waye enenqwaba yeengqokelela zokuba ngumfundi ophezulu ngempumelelo kodwa mna ndandinengqokelela yokuba ngumdlali weqakamba wonyaka. Iqakamba yayikuphela kwento endandibalasele kuyo, kodwa umama wayengafane akubalule ukuphumelela kwam. Phofu wayesoloko endixelela ukuba ndingasebenza nzima emsebenzini wesikolo sam, nam ndingaphucuka ndifane nomntakwethu.
emva koko wonke umntu ondaziyo waqalisa ukundibiza ngelika Ntini.
Xa ndifunda ibanga le shumi ( uGrade 10) uZanoxolo wabe esenza imatriki ( Grade 12). Imilo yamaqela emiguvela yayihambela phezulu ngelo xesha eSite C. Bekubakho umngcwabo phantse zonke iinyanga kwaye kwakukho iindawo apho amakhwenkwe ahlala ebumelwaneni ayangenakuthi cakatha kuzo; bekungakhathaliseki nokuba ulilungu leqela lemiguvela okanye hayi.
Ndandisazi amakhwenkwe angenelela kula maqela emiguvela esekumanga aphantsi esikolweni. Inkoliso yabo yafa phambi kokuba ifike kwibanga lesithoba ( Grade 9).
Qho ngokuhlwa phambi kokuba ndilale, ndandimamela umama xa ethandaza egumbini lakhe lokulala, “ …ngaphezu koko Nkosi khusela abantwana bam kobu bundlobongela. Yiba likhaka nesikhokelo kubo. Bakhuphe kule miguvela. Bakhuphe kule nyhikityha yegazi. Basisonwabiso kum…”
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Khawusixelele: Abantwana basoloko becinga ukuba abazali bakhetha omnye umntakwabo okanye udade wabo kunaye. Ucinga ukuba le nto yenzeka kangakanani ngokwenene?