Zinhle makes her way to the spaza shop. She stands at a distance and waits for twenty minutes until the many people who are buying are gone. In those twenty minutes the sun sets. In the distance, Zinhle can see lights in the windows of her school. It must be the members of the study group that her friend, Mbali, was talking about. If only I had time I’d also be there, Zinhle thinks.

She forces a smile as she approaches the counter.

“Hello, Ma Sibiya!” she says, trying her best to sound cheerful.

“Hello, Zinhle,” says Ma Sibiya. “How are you, my girl?”

“I’m well, Ma. Is Prudence around?”

Prudence is Ma Sibiya’s daughter. Zinhle is asking about Prudence just to break the ice with Ma Sibiya. Zinhle doesn’t get along with Prudence because she dishes the dirt on everyone who buys on credit from her mom’s spaza shop. Her nastiest comments are reserved for those who struggle with payments. And Zinhle takes the prize for that.

“Prudence is at school with her study group,” says Ma Sibiya. “Shouldn’t you be there as well, Zinhle?”

“I should, Ma. But you know how it is with me. By the time I finish helping my siblings, and cooking, I’m sure the study group would have finished.”

“God will bless you for how well you look after those kids. Believe that, my child,” says Ma Sibiya.

Zinhle sees Ma Sibiya break into a compassionate smile. She pounces.

“Ma. I’m sorry to trouble you, but we are a bit short. Can you spare mince or chicken? And onions?”

Ma Sibiya shrugs her shoulders. Zinhle notices the empty shelves in the spaza shop.

“Sorry, Zinhle,” says Ma Sibiya. “But things are really bad for me as well this month. I had to pay the mechanic for fixing the van I use to order stock. The only thing I have now is money to order stock for tomorrow. I’m out of meat and vegetables.”

Zinhle does some quick thinking. She can see a few dried goods on the upper shelves. If she gets a packet of soup, they can fill up on bread.

“I know. Things are bad for everyone, Ma. Is it possible to get soup, some paraffin and two candles?”

Ma Sibiya nods. She pumps a bit of paraffin into a bottle.

“Thanks, Ma,” says Zinhle.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t help you,” says Ma Sibiya.

“No problem, Ma. This is better than nothing,” says Zinhle, taking the paraffin, candles and packet of soup.

Zinhle is approaching her shack when she sees the lights come on in Ma Mdluli’s house. Ma Mdluli has been her unofficial guardian ever since her mother passed away two years ago.

“Auntie,” Zinhle greets through the open lounge door.

“Hello, Zinhle. How are you? What are you doing walking around alone at night?”

“I was at the spaza getting a few things, Auntie,” Zinhle says, taking a seat next to Ma Mdluli on the sofa.

Ma Mdluli has lived in the shack section for years. She recently demolished her shack and built a proper house with concrete blocks. She used to work as a seamstress in a clothing firm, but she recently retired and was able to build the small house with the money she had saved over the years. She survives on her government pension grant. The money Ma Mdluli earns is not much, but she helps Zinhle when she can.

Ma Mdluli gets up to go to the toilet and Zinhle tidies up in the kitchen.

“No! Not today, Zinhle,” says Ma Mdluli when she returns from the toilet. “You are writing tests. Go study. And I cooked enough food to last all of us for a couple of days!”

She dishes the chicken curry into a large ice-cream container and hands it to Zinhle.

“Thanks very much, Ma. Let me go study for tomorrow’s test,” says Zinhle.

Relief is evident on her young face.

“What are you writing?” asks Ma Mdluli.

“English,” Zinhle answers.

“Good luck, my child,” says Ma Mdluli.

Zinhle smiles back at Ma Mdluli, repeats her thanks, and rushes into the night to her siblings.

Tell us: Why is Ma Mdluli so important in Zinhle’s life?