Usebenza izinsuku ezine uZamani, uphele umsebenzi wokupenda. Akufani nokuhlala ngoba uwatholile amasentshana. Ngesonto elilandelayo ubuyela emgwaqeni, abheke umsebenzi. Sekuphele isonto efesa kodwa lutho umsebenzi. Ayama wona amaveni kodwa yena akakhethwa. Nangawo loLwesihlanu kuyafana futhi – akakhethwanga. Uvele athenge isinkwa esinsundu ngoba isona esishibhile, abuyele egumbini likaThemba.
Akukapheli nemizuzu emihlanu efikile egumbini ngesikhathi kungena uThemba. Ubethi uzophumula uZamani kanti akazi ukuthi uzohlangana nezimbila zithutha ziholwa emhlophe phambili. Kuyabonakala ukuthi ikhona into emxakile uThemba ngoba akumeki ndawonye.
“Mzala ngikuphathele izindaba ezimbi,” kusho uThemba.
“Khuluma kwenzenjani, mzala?”
“Sengithole umsebenzi ongcono kunalona enginawo. Kusasa ngiyahamba ngiya eKapa. Okusho ukuthi angeke ngisayirentela lenyanga ezoqalwa ezinsukwini ezimbalawa,” kusho uThemba.
Ukukhathazela kumkhungatha ngokushesha uZamani. Abuze athi, “Manje mina ngizokwenzenjani, mzala? Mina ngizohlala kuphi?”
“Ngiyaxolisa, mzala. Bengifisa ukukusiza kodwa angeke ngikwazi ukukhokhela igumbi ngoba nakhona eKapa kufanele ngikhokhele indawo yokuhlala.”
“Eish, Themba!”
“Kodwa ungakhathazeki. Asikho isidingo sokuba ugoduke. Nginawo umjondolo engangihlala kuwo ngisafika la eThekweni. Ulapha ngaphesheya eSnake Park. Awubona ubukhazikhazi kodwa uzokwazi ukukhosela okwesikhashana uze ukwazi ukuzimela nawe.”
“Ngiyabonga, mzala! Kulungile ngizohlala kuwona ngoba ngihluphekile. Ngeke nje ngikwazi ukubuyela ekhaya.”
“Ungajabuli kakhulu ngoba umjondolo awukho esimeni esihle. Futhi awunawo ugesi.”
“Kulungile, mzala. Uma nje ngikwazile ukufihla ikhanda khona kulungile. Ngiyakubongela ngomsebenzi omusha owutholile. Angeke ukwazi ukungikhulumela lapho obusebenza khona? Uyazi nawe ngizosebenza ngokuzikhandla. Angeke ngikonele igama lakho.”
“Bafuna isitifiketi sikamatikuletsheni, mzala.”
“Kwaze kwanzima. Ekugcineni kufanele ngibuyele esikoleni,” kusho uZamani enwaya ikhanda.
“Kuzomele uzame ukuphindela esikoleni ngempela, mzala.” kusho uThemba.
Nangempela uThemba uthatha konke okungokwakhe, alibangise eKapa.
*****
UZamani uzibona emile phambi komjondolo eSnake Park. Zonke izingubo zokugqoka uziphethe ngopulasitiki, ugaxe ingubo yokulala ehlombe. Umjondolo upendwe inombolo u35 esicabheni. Lendawo inemijondolo ethothene. Uvula ingidi uZamani, angene phakathi.
Lomjondolo unezimbobo ezinkulu okhetheni oluyizindonga kanye nophahla; ubona phakathi ungaphandle. Kukhona umbhede omdala, omncanyana onezingubo ezingcolile phakathi nendawo. Ukhonkolo waphansi uqekekile. Kukhona umshanelo onesidunu esiphukile oginqike phansi. Uthatha umshanelo, ashanele. Nawo unqamukile kumele agobe uma eshanela.
“Kazi ngizothathani ngihlanganise nani?” kuzibuza uZamani engeke aphendulwa muntu. Ukhipha imali anayo, ayibale, ihlangane ibe ngu R150. “Ngizothengani ngiyekeni?”
Uphumela emnyango, aqalaze isitolo. Nebala alibone ibhodi elibhalwe ngamagama amakhulu ukuthi, ‘Gladys Tuckshop.’ Ufika athenge insipho yokugeza, ikhandlela kanye nomentshisi. Uyezwa kunuka kamnandi, avele asithenge isibindi esithosiwe nesinkwa.
***
Sitshele umbono wakho: Kukwenza uzizwe kanjani ukuthi kunenqwaba yabantu baseSouth Africa abahlala emijondolo futhi abaningi babo bavela ezindaweni zasemaphandleni?