Samthatha umama samsa kwindawo apho sasimshiye ethe natya khona umntakwethu. Amakhwenkwe abemhlasela kwakukudala ephele emehlweni. Kwakukho iiveni zamapolisa, kodwa ingekho yona inqwelo yezigulana. UZanoxolo walala apha engashukumi eneteyiphu emthubi ejikeleze umzimba wakhe. Ubuso bakhe babugqunyiwe ngebhatyi yesikolo elijaja ligazi.
“Ndifuna ukubona ukuba ngenene ngumntwana wam lo!” Umama wazama ukutyhudisa ngaphaya kwalo teyiphu imthubi kodwa amapolisa amnqanda.
Wakhala akumqonda ukuba nguye. “Hayi! uZanoxolo! Hayi! Awukwazi ukundishiya nyana wam.”Waphelelwa ngamandla ecaleni kwalo mapolisa ayemnqanda.
Ndandingayikholelwa ncam le nto iqhubekayo; kwimizuzu embalwa edlulileyo bendincokola nomntakwethu, kodwa bhum! Ngoku wayebhubhile. Akwaba bendimtsale ngengalo ngokuya besibaleka, mhlawumbi ngesaphila ngoku. UZanoxolo ebengafanelanga ukufa ngolo hlobo.
“Ebengomnye wemiguvela. Aba bantwana kumele bazi kakuhle ikhondo lobomi ababuphilayo ukuba libasaphi.” Ndandibeva abantu ababengazi nento le ngomntakwethu bethetha kweso siqhu sabantu.
Ndandicinga ukuba utata uza kubuyela ekhaya, nokuba wayephi, emva kokuva indaba iindaba zokufa kukaZanoxolo. Mna nomama sasimdinga ngoku, kodwa akazange abonakale kwimithandazo yangorhatya, okanye kwinkonzo yesikhumbuzo eyayibanjelwe esikolweni sethu.
UZanoxolo waya kungcwatyelwa kuCentane, eMpuma Koloni. Kulapho ndambona khona utata kwakhona. Wafika umfihlo sele uphakathi, kodwa waye engahambi yedwa. Waye kunye nomnye umama owayebambe umntwana omncinci oyinkwenkwe ngesandla-ingathi wayeneminyaka emithandathu kwaye efana nqo notata wam.
“Phumlani, yiza’pha mfo wam,” Wandibiza utata emva komngcwabo. Wayemi ecaleni kwemoto yakhe eyayimiswe ecaleni kwesango elingena apha kule ndawo inamangcwaba. Laa mama kwakunye nala nkwenkwe incinci babengaphakathi emotweni, bemlindile.
Ndema phambi kwakhe andathetha nto.
“Ukhulile nyana,” watsho. Kwakhona azange ndithethe nto, ndasuka ndajonga emotweni ndaphinda ndajonga kuye.
“Mamela nyana wam, ndiza kuhamba kodwa andizange ndayeka ukukuthanda nyana wam. Kwaye iyandikhathaza into yokuba ndikubone ukwimeko enje ukuba buhlungu emva kwayo yonke le minyaka. Into eyenzeka phakathi kwam nomama wakho yayingenanto yakwenza nawe, bekungamele ndikwenze uxhwaleke ngenxa yayo. Ndiyafuna ukuba yinxalenye yobomi bakho kwakhona, Phumlani, mfo wam.” Izandla zakhe wayezibeke emagxeni am xa egqibezela isivakalisi sokugqibela.
“Umama yena?” Ndambuza.
“Ukuthini kwakhe? Wabuza.
“Ingaba uza kuba yinxalenye yobomi bakho naye?” Ndambuza.
“Ngelishwa ayinakukwazi ukwenzeka loo nto nyana wam,” watsho. Ndathatha amanyathelo ambalwa ndabuya umva.
“E-e, yiza uze kubulisa umntakwenu omncinci.” Wavula kweli cango lomkhweli. “Yiza Phumlani, yiza kubulisa kuSizwe.” Lo mama usemotweni wancuma buntlonirha.
Ndabajonga nje ndasuka ndabuyela endlwini.
“Phumlani! Phumlani!” Wandikhwaza utata, kodwa andizange ndimhoye. Ndandingafuni kuba nanto yakwenza naye kunye nosapho lwakhe olutsha. Oyena mntakwethu endandinaye wayebhubhile, oyena mama ndandinaye wayengcungcutheka ngalo mzuzu.
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Khawusixelele: UPhumlani ebemdinga utata wakhe, kodwa iimvakalelo zakhe zaguquka esakubona ukuba unosapho olutsha. Ucinga ukuba utata kaPhumlani wayengayibaxi xa wayelindele ukuba amkele umfazi wakhe omtsha kwakunye nomninawa wakhe ngeli xesha?