Mhlob’am, ezi yayiziintsuku ezijikelezisa intloko. Kukho impelaveki ephuma yodwa. Kwaku ngoMatshi ngo-1996…
Licala emva kwentsimbi yesithoba kusasa, ndagaleleka kwisikhululo senqwelo moya i-HF Verwoed. Imozulu yayiqikelele imini entle, eshushu enomoyana ophephezelayo osuka ngasentshona. Le mini iqulethe okuhle, ndabe nditsala isuthkheyisi yam kumanqwanqwa ecala labafikayo. Ndaziva ndikhapu-khaphu. Ndandenze kakuhle ngenene ndizibona ndiphumelela ebomini.
NdiseBhayi ukuza kwingqungquthela yokuqala yequmrhu elimele abafundi baseTekhnikhon i- South African Technikon Students’ Union (SATSU). Ndandinyulwe ngo Oktobha kunyaka ophelileyo njengomongameli weTekhnikoni yaseNatala kwikomiti yabafundi. Ndandiziva ndikwinqwanqwa eliphezulu kwezopolitiko.
Ndaya ngqo kula minyango izivulekelayo kwabe sekukho inenekazi eliphethe umbhalo onegama lam ubhalwe ngqindilili: ‘WILFRED MLOTSHWA, indawo yokuqeshisa iimoto yakwaAvis’. Ndancuma kancinci, kodwa intliziyo yabe inga ingaxhuma ibhabhe emafini.
Ndeva kungena umyalezo kwibhipa yam, khumbula ukuba unyaka ngu 1996. Iminxeba ephathwayo sele ikho kodwa yayiyeyabantu abakumanqwanqwa aphezulu omzabalazo. Zange ndiyihoye, ukuze ndikwazi ukuthethana kakuhle nenenekazi lendawo eqeshisa iimoto, u-Avis. Lalibonakalalilihle eli nenekazi kwiyunifomu yalo ebomvu.
Ndasondela kulo ndalijonga ngqo emehlweni. Laphendula ngelipholileyo laza lancuma ndabe sendibona kuvela nezinyo legolide. Umsizi walo obomvu emlonyeni uhambelana ngqo neyunifomu yalo. Linolusu olukhanyayo kunye nobuso obuhle obumbhoxwana. Iinwele zakhe usisi zithiwe ntshi apha phezulu. Ndabuyisa uncumo olungacacanga nam ndizama nokufihla ukuba kungaqapheleki ukugevezela kwamadolo am. Amanenekazi amahle andigqiba ngolu hlobo, ndivele ndithambe amadolo.
“Molo bhuti. Nguwe-u Wilfred Mlotshwa?”, wabuza.
Ndashwantshatha amazwi angavakaliyo kuba ngoku ndandisele ndithinjwe bubumnandi nokuyola kwelizwi lakhe. IsiXhosa siba nomtsalane ozobozayo ngakumbi xa sithethwa linenekazi elihle. Phambi kokuba ndiphendule, ndandisele ndiwupopole ndawugqiba umzimba wakhe. Wayelinenekazi elicwengileyo ngenene, isisu sithe nca emqolo kwaye enemilenze emide emihle kakhulu.
“Eeh, aah, ewe sisi wam. Ndim uWilfred. Enkosi ngokuzixhamla kude kangaka uze kundamkela. Ndisikelelekile ngenene.”
Wajonga ecaleni umzuzwana ebaleka ukumqwalasela kwam, ndatsho ndabona isinxonxo esincinci kwisidlele sasekhohlo. Ndandithabathekile.
“Imoto yakho kwakunye nomqhubi wakho sebelungile mhlekazi,” wandazisa.
Ndahlala ndathi khakhalala kwisitulo esingemva njengokuba imoto iphinya-phinyela kwezo ndlela, phakathi kwemfumba yeemoto kweso sixeko. Wabe ejonge ngqo kwiTekhnokoni yaseBhayi. Ngaphantsi nje kweyure ndilapho ndandisele ndiweva amava abangela ukuba kuthiwe iBhayi “sisixeko esinobuhlobo” kanti ze kuphinde kuthiwe: “sisixeko esivuthuz’umoya”
Ndakufika eTekhnikhon ndaphuma eteksini, ingqondo yam yabe izula. Ndandingxamele ukufika ndidibane nabazabalazi beTekhnikhoni iMangosuthu yaseThekwini. Aba ngabakhaya bam kaloku. Ukuba sasiza kuyipeyinta ibe bomvu idolophu yaseBhayi, ndandidinga yonke inkxaso kangangoko.
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Khawusixelele: Kweli nqanaba ucinga ukuba uWilfred unomdla kumsebenzi wengqungquthela okanye uthe phithi lulonwabo?”