Mnumzana Mamali
Kufuneka ndilungise uNokuzola ngokwasengqondweni ngoluhambo. Ntonje umntu ongutata kuncinci angakwenza kumntwana oyintombazana. Bekungangcono ukuba bekhukho omnye umntu ongamnceda. Kufuneka onwabe esikolweni kwakhona. Bekungangcono ukuba ndingabakunye naye esikolweni. Xa ndicinga ndiyaqonda ukuba unabantu abambalwa, okanye abakho kwa ukubakho abantu anokuthetha nabo. Nangona nje bekhona abantu abalungileyo abamngqongileyo esikolweni.
Xa efika esuka esikolweni uzivalela kwigumbi lakhe lokulala ixesha elide. “Nokuzola, wenzantoni apho ngaphakathi?” ndimkhwazile ndincamathisele indlebe ecangweni.
“Tata, sendizakuphuma, ndinike umzuzwana nje,” uphendule watsho. Ndimva ngelizwi. Akamnandanga.
“Ndiyakucela, uphume. Ndikwenzele esasonka usithandayo.”
“Tata, andilambanga.” Ngoku ndiyamva ukuba uyalila.
Kudlule iiyure ezimbini. Ndicingile ukuvula umnyango wegumbi lakhe lokulala. Kodwa oko akayikukuthatha kakuhle. Uyintombi eneminyaka elishumi elinesithandathu ngoku. Ndizamile ukufunda iphepha ndihleli esitulweni. Kodwa andikwazanga kufaka nto engqondweni.
Emva kwexesha elide uphumile. Amehlo akhe abomvu, nam ndatsho ndaziva ndikhathazekile. Ndifuna ukumnceda.
“Tata, singaya kudibana negqirha.” Itshilo intombi yam.
Nokuzola
Kulomziwegqirha eKhayelitsha sifike kugcwele ngaphandle. Sikhulule izihlangu xa singena kulendlu ikhanya mfiliba ngaphakathi.
Kukho iimfele ngeemfele zezilwanyana ezixhonywe emadongeni. Utata undixelele ukuba azibiwanga ezimfele.Kukho ixhego elihleli phantsi. Ndicinga ukuba utata akanabubele ngalo ngoba akalixeleli ukuba sibekwa yintoni apha.
Ikhandlela livutha ngokungxama phantsi. Umsi wempepho ugcwalisa indlu.
Ixhego eli lihleli phantsi liqalile lathetha nathi. Ngokumangalisayo, uyayazi ukuba sibekwa yintoni apha. Utata uyaphinda-phinda uthi, “camagu, ooGatyeni”
Igqirha lithi ndizakuphila. Uncumo lufika ebusweni kum. Elityotyombe lisuke lafana nekhaya lethemba. Ndizibambile xa ndiphinda ndikhumbula ukuba ayingoThixo lo uhleli phambi kwam.
Ndicinge ngonyulo oluzayo lweenkokheli zabafundi. Ndisafuna kakhulu ukulungenela olunyulo. Kodwa ngoku ndiyacinga ukuba akekho umntu oza kundivotela.
Lindothuse ndaphantse ndafa isiqaqa igqirha xa lisithi, “unalengulo.” Utsho endichazela amaphupha am athanda ukundivusa ebusuku.
Kweliphupha kukho makhulu othile onxibe umnqwazi omkhulu neentsimbi ezihlahleni zakhe. Ume phezu komlilo ehlathini uyacula. Lendawo akuyo ndiyazela ephupheni kuphela.
Elixhego lindichazela ukuba nam ndizakubaligqirha.
Ndiphume ndiphethe umxube ngesandla. Lithe mandisele kabini ngemini. Kufuneka ndivume intwaso. Kowu! Ndimncinci. Ndingakwazi ukuyenza loo nto? Andiziboni ndizakuyenza mna le nto. Kutheni kufuneka ibendim? Bazakuthini ngam abantu? Uzakucinga ntoni ngam uLubabalo?