Ubonakala eqhamuka kude uZamani ukuthi udangele. Amadolo axega kakhulu ngalo lonke igxathi alithathayo njengoba ehamba. Ikhanda ulihlome phansi. Kuduma ikhanda kuZamani. Uhamba endwazile acishe awise ibhodwe eliseziko kulawondi abawusebenzisa njengekhishi. Ugogo wakhe, uMaDladla, ukhwezela umlilo, upheka ubhatata.
“Kwenzenjani, Zamani? Wadangala kangakaga? Wangaswabuluka nje ebusweni, kwenzekeni?” kubuza uMaDladla.
“Kubi, Gogo. Izinto azihambi kahle,” kuphendula uZamani egqolozele umlilo into engapheli.
“Ngiphuthume wena. Kwenzenjani?” kusho uMaDladla embuka emehlweni.
“Uthi uMnuzane Mhlongo angeke ngisakwazi ukuqhubeka ngimulusele izinkomo ngoba usezozidayisa zonke,” kusho uZamani.
“Hawu imihlola lena! Uthi uzidayiselani izinkomo uMhlongo?”
“Uthi imfuyo imehlulile, Gogo. Uthe usafuna ukugxilisa umqondo wakhe kwezinye izinto.”
“Ungaphatheki kabi, uzolithola elinye itoho,” kusho uMaDladla, embeka isandla ehlombe emduduza.
Ukuzwa isandla sikaMaDladla ehlombe lakhe kubuyisa ingcosana yethemba kuZamani. “Asithembe kanjalo. Uwuthathephi ubhatata, Gogo?”
“Ngiwuphiwe nguMaCele, mntanami. Usisize kabi phela ikati lilele eziko lapha ekhaya. Bengingazi ngempela ukuthi sizolala sidleni namhlanje.”
UZamani noGogo wakhe bazwana ngendlela eyisimanga. Ukhulele ezandleni zakhe uMaDladla, akekho omunye umzali amaziyo. UZamani washonelwa ngunina esemncane, enezinyanga ezimbili kuphela ezelwe. Kanti uyise yena wavele wagcwala amathafa zibekwa nje. Ingakho uZamani agcina esekhuliswa nguMaDladla, omkhulise emthanda njengane yakhe ayizalayo.
Lo muzi ugcwele uthando yize bengenakho okuningi. Isimo simbi; bahlala emzini owakhiwe ngodaka. Baphila ngakho ukuphiwa omakhwelane noma uZamani abambe amatoho. UMaDladla yena ubamba izindima emzini yabantu. Lo muzi wakwaKhuzwayo udelelekile endaweni. Kunzima ukuthi uMaDladla aqhubeke alime njengoba ephathwa isifo samathambo. Nempesheni usekude ukuyithola – kusele iminyaka emihlanu – kanti umzimba wakhe ubuthaka kakhulu ukuthi angasebenza.
UZamani akakwazanga ukuqeda isikole ngenxa yesimo abaphila ngaphansi kwaso. Yena wayesathanda ukuqhubeka afunde kodwa isimo sasingavumi. Kwakumele asebenze ukuze balale bedlile.
Kwesinye isikhathi impelasonto ibiphela uZamani esebenza emasimini engakaze aphumule. Kwakuba nzima ukuvuka aye esikoleni ekuseni. Futhi akekho umuntu owayezomthengela izingubo zesikole ngoba noMadladla akakayiholi impesheni. Izihlobo zibashaya indiva ngoba banana njalo.
Ukuhlupheka komuzi wakubo sekugcine kumhlukumeza nasebunsizweni bakhe. Ayikho intombi efuna ukuthandana noZamani – isichaka sendawo. Bheka ngoba intombi ayithanda ngenhliziyo yakhe yonke, uNomathemba, useze washada. Wayesemshele iminyaka kodwa lutho ukumthola. Izinkinga zothando into yokugcina engqondweni yakhe. Into ayifunayo nje qha umsebenzi. Ufuna ukuvusa umuzi wakubo, ajabulise ugogo wakhe kanye nonina lapho elele khona.
Uphaka ubhatata adle uZamani. Noma ehlafuna ukudla uyabona ukuthi lukhulu olumdlayo. Akaxoxi njengoba edla. Kuthi uma eqeda, avele asukume aqonde elawini lakhe.
“Maye! Waphuma washiya ikhandlela nomentshisi? Uzokhanyisa ngani elawini lakho?” kubuza uMaDladla.
“Ngizolala ebumnyameni, Gogo. Vele nempilo yami imnyama. Libeke ikhandlela ngoba uzolidinga kusasa,” kusho uZamani ngezwi eliphansi.
“Mntanomntanami, ungacabangi kakhulu ngesimo sakho. Ngifuna wazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu uzolenza icebo,” kusho uMaDladla.
“Kulungile, Gogo. Ngiyakuzwa,” usho ngezwi elingenalo ithemba.
“Awuguqe sithandaze,” kusho uMaDladla ekhwica isibhaxelo sakhe eguqa ocansini lwakhe lwamachweba.
Asondele naye uZamani aguqe. Ikhuleke bandla intombi endala. Ikhuleke ize ikhiphe izinyembezi. Bahlukana bayolala yize bengazi ukuthi kusasa bazolala bedleni.
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Sitshele umbono wakho: Lendaba isikhombisa ukuthi kungani abantu abaningi befuna kube khona i-Basic Income Grant (yibheke ku-Google) ezosiza abantu abafana noZamani. Wena uyakweseka ukuthi bonke abantu abangasebenzi banikwe nguhulumeni imali encane yokuziphilisa njalo ngenyanga? Kwenziwa yini ukuthi uvumelane noma ungavumelani nokuthi kube khona i-Basic Income Grant?