UMaMbhele uyakhala uziginqa phansi uyampongoloza, bayazama ukumthulisa kodwa kunhlanga zimuka nomoya.
“Kodwa Nkulunkulu wami ungishiyeleni na?” kubuza uMaMbhele esezinhlungwini.
Sekugcwele manje kwaZwane kuphithizela omakhelwane egcekeni, kukhona abosizo lokuqala, namaphoyisa afike ngobuningi bawo. Abosizo lokuqala uyababona nje ukuthi imizimba bayibeke phansi, akukho kona-ke abasengakwenza. Amatasa amaphoyisa ngaphakathi endlini ashutha izithombe zomnumzane wekhaya.
Kunombono ohlasimulisa umzimba egumbini lokuphumula emzini wakwaZwane. Isidumbu sikaMnumzane Zwane sihleli kabuhlungu, sitshekele ngakwesokunxele esihlalweni sakhe sikanokusho. Kugcwele igazi amathantala esihlalweni sakhe, kuyena emzimbeni, naphansi, ungafunga ukuthi bekuhlinzwa inkomo la endlini. Lonke leli gazi lopha enxebeni lokudutshulwa enhlafunweni kuMnumzane Zwane. Kunesibhamu eceleni kwesihlalo phansi ngasesandleni sokudla.
Ongoti bokucutshungulwa kwezindawo zezinhlekelele bayashutha. Abaphenyi bayaqhwebana, bayakhombisana, kukhulu abakuxoxa bebodwa la endlini. Babuka indawo yesigameko okwenzeke khona lo mhlola. Nomakhelwane bayasebeza la ngaphandle bemangazwe yilesi sigameko. Abantu abasezwa kwamvula lena esikhemezela phandle. Belikade lilibi impela izulu phandle, beliduma liqeqebula, liphazima kabuhlungu. Kweminye yemizi lapha endaweni bese kukhishwe abafana ngenhloso yokuvimba izulu ukuthi lingangeni emakhaya.
Kuyacaca ukuthi amaphoyisa awakwazi ukumhloma imibuzo okwamanje uMaMbhele njengoba esesimweni akuso. Yingakho esephendukele emadodaneni akhe abonakalayo nawo ukuthi abuhlungu, ukuthi ayaziqinisa njengamadoda.
“Ngiyakuzwa lokho okushoyo mfowakithi, futhi ngiyaqonda ukuthi lesi sehlakalo silukhuni ngempela kuwe. Kodwa umthetho uyaphoqa ukuthi ngiphonsaphonse imibuzo. Ingabe ubaba ubekusiphi isimo ngenkathi uphuma lapha ekhaya wena ?” kubuza iphoyisa ngokufuna impendulo eqondile.
“Ngiyaphinda nami muntu womthetho, angazi ngoba azange ngimnake noma ngimbuze izinhloso zakhe zosuku. Ngakho-ke angicavi ukuthi yonke le nto asesigile yona ubeseyicabangile yini noma cha. Okungenzeka nje ukuthi ubengasijampiseli,” ephendula ngokunengeka uNkosinathi oyindodana endala yalapha ekhaya.
“Uyabuqonda kodwa bafo ubumqoka bale nkulumo yethu?” kubuza iphoyisa ngomoya ophansi.
“Wena uyacava ukuthi mina ngiqeda kuthola ukuthi ithayma libhodile? Akupheli lapho uzibhodise yena uqobo? Noma inkinga ukuthi wena akukaze kwakwehlakalela, usenabazali bobabili yikho uzongixina ngemibuzo engayi ndawo lapha?” Kubuza uNathi ngokukhulu ukudineka. Useze washintsha ngisho ebusweni manje ugqunqile ukuthukuthela.
“Ngiyazwelana nawe mfwethu ibuhlungu kakhulu lento eyenzeke lapha ekhaya, kodwa esizama ukukuthola ukuthi kwenzekeni ngempela la ekhaya. Yilokho nje esifuna ukukuthola. Sivumele mnewethu sisebenze sifike eqinisweni,” kuphendula iphoyisa ngesikhulu isineke.
Uyazibonela nje ukuthi iphoyisa leli lijwayele ukubhekana nezimo ezinjena awulibuzi. Linesineke nomoya ophansi liyakwazi nokubhekana nazo zonke izinkinga lezi, liwujwayele umphakathi.
“Nifuna ukuthola ukuthi kwenzekeni? Biza impumputhe uyibuze izokuphendula ukuthi ithayma lizibhodise lona ngentshiza yalo elele eceleni kwalo. Noma ufuna ukuthi kube yimi onishayela ispani senu? Ezami izingcosi zispanelwe ubani uma sengispanela amadoda amadala kangaka?” kuphendula yena njalo uNathi.
“Ungakhohlwa phela ndoda ukuthi ngisemsebenzini mina la.” Liqhwetshwe uzakwabo iphoyisa, uthi akaphuthume kukhona okumele azokubona. Liphenduke libuke uNathi. “Asiqedile ngenkulumo yethu njalo ndoda, ngisazobuya ngizokuhloma eminye imibuzo.”
Nalaba abanye ababili abafana balapha ekhaya nabo babahloma imibuzo. Lokhu okuncane kona uyakubona ukuthi kuthukile, uneminyaka engu-24 manje kodwa kuyona yonke le minyaka akakaze abone isidumbu somuntu ngamehlo enyama. Lokhu-ke kungaphezulu kwakhe ngoba uyise omzalayo uqobo.
UNathi asondele afike athathe abafowabo lapho besaphenywa khona ngemibuzo, impendulo ayikhiphile ukuthi la bantu bafelwe.
“Nisho ukuthi yingoba beningeke nje niphinde nisibuze yonke le mibuzo yenu kusasa sesikwazile nokuyetshisa le ndaba? Kukhulu kakhulu okusehlele lapha ekhaya, ukuhamba komnumzane wekhaya ngale ndlela akuyona into encane. Sixoleleni ngan’zakwethu sithole ithuba lokuphefumula.” Kusho uNathi ebhekise emaphoyiseni abekade ekhuluma nabafowabo.
Sitshele umbono wakho: Ucabanga ukuthi kwenzekeni kuMnumzane Zwane?