Ndigqiba ukumchazela uBambatha ngamaphupha am. Andazi ukuba oko kuya kwenza ntoni kodwa ndiyamchazela. Malunga nentsimi, malunga nendlela ezibengezela ngayo izityalo, malunga nesilwanyana esiza kuye emathunzini nangendlela endingenakho ukusinqanda. Uphulaphule ngenyameko ndade ndagqiba.
Xa sele ndigqibile, ndiqallisa ukucinga ukuba le nto iyavakala xa besithi uChasa nabahlali bacinga ukuba ndingumprofethikazi abamoyikayo. UBambatha ngoyena mlimi uphumeleleuo apha elalini kodwa naye uyasokola ukwenza imali eyaneleyo ukuxhasa umalume wakhe noo-anti bakhe. Kungavakala xa kusithiwa ndiza kuqala ngawona madoda aphumeleleyo elalini.
Uthi uBambatha, “ndicinga ukuba masiye kubona igqirha.”
Enyanisweni le ibingeyonto ebendiyilindele ukuba angayithetha yena. “Kuza kunceda ntoni ukubona igqirha?” Ndabuza.
“Ukuba ungumprofethikazi, unalo ilungelo lokwazi. Ukuba akunguye, singachazela abahlali ukuba sinobungqina bokuba awunguye lo mntu bathi unguye.”
“Bobuphi obo bungqina?”
UBambatha unikina intloko, “andazi Nomfundo. Andifuni nje ukuba wonzakale. Ndim owakucela ukuba uze apha. Luxanduva lwam ukukugcina ukhuselekile.”
“Ukuba ndinguye ngenene umprofethikazi kwaye ngenene ndiyalibona ikamva, kufuneka ukhathazeke ngawe kuqala,” ndatsho. Ndizama ukwenza isiqhulo kodwa akukho namnye kuthi onomdla wokuhleka.
Singena kwibakkie yam ze sive ukukhala kwamakhosikazi. Esi sikhalo sivela kwifama encinane ekufuphi nale yethu.
“Ingaba sisikhalo sabamelwane eso?” Ndabuza.
“Ndicinga njalo. Kunabantwana abahlala phaya. Kufuneka sijonge ukuba kwenzeka ntoni – ngoku,” watsho.
“Ngena!” Ndatsho kuBambatha.
Ndiqhuba ndibalekisa kangangoko kwindlela yegrabile embi. Akukho donga lwahlule iipropati ezikufuphi yaye ngumgama omfutshane ukuya kooronta abathathathu abakhulu. Xa sifika kubakho uthuli olukhulu, sifumana amakhosikazi amane ekhala kwisiqhu sabantu. Abanye abantu beze bebaleka bephuma ezindlwini zabo ukuza kubona ukuba kwenzeke ntoni ngalo ndlela kuqala ukudaleka isiqhu. UBambatha nam siya sikhawuleza kula makhosikazi sifumane indoda ilele phantsi ezinyaweni zabo. Umlenze wayo wasekunene uphantse wasuswa yinto ekunokuba sisilwanyana. Wopha ngamandla ndiya phambili ngokukhawuleza ukuzama ukuncedisa ukunqanda ukopha. Uyaphuma uChasa apha kwisiqhu ukuza kundinqanda.
“Hayi! uSathane! Myeke,” watsho engxola uChasa.
“Omnye umntu kufuneka anqande ukhopha okanye iza kufa le ndoda. Uphantse waphulukana nomlenze wakhe.”
Abanye abantu baqalisa ukundithuka. Abanye babo bavumelana noChasa, abanye bafuna ukuba ndinqande ukopha kodwa bebonke babonakala bendityhola ngale nto yenzekayo.
“Izityalo zethu zisafa nangoku!” yatsho enye indoda.
Ndibona igqirha lisiza ngendlela liza kuthi kodwa alibonakali ngathi kukho nto liyingxameleyo.
“Uze nezinto ezimbi kakhulu. Okoko wafika, izinto zibe mbi kakhulu!” yatsho enye indoda.
Umntu othile apha kwesi siqhu uyandityhala ngeli xesha omnye kwalapha enditswebayo. UBambatha uza ngaphambili ukuza kundikhusela kodwa sele ndiweba amazwi abo esonyuka benomsindo.
“Kufuneka simqhube simse emlanjeni njengangaphambili ngokuya wayezama ukusixelela ngekamva lethu! Kufuneka sizikhusele thina nomhlaba wethu,” watsho uChasa. Igqirha liyafika apha kwesi siqhu liphakamise isandla salo. Wonke umntu makayeke ukungxola.
“Asiyazi le nkosikazi okanye ukuba ize kwenza ntoni apha. Kodwa asikwazi kumgweba ngaphandle kokuba siqale simnike ithuba lokuba azithethelele. Asinakho ukonzakalisa inkosikazi engenatyala. Sizenzile iimpazamo nathi ngaphambili ezibulele abantu,” latsho igqirha.
Abanye abantu apha kwisiqhu bayanqwala kodwa ndibona amehlo kaChasa evutha ngumsindo. Igqirha liguqukela kum. “Uneveki enye,” watsho.
Ndiqalisa ukuphikisa – andinakho ukuvelisa iziphumo, ulingo alusebenzi njalo – kodwa uphakamisa isandla sakhe ukundithulisa.
“Iveki enye,” watsho. “Isigqibo sam sesokugqibela kwaye kuza kufuneka ukuba ubonise wonke umntu apha elalini ukuba yintoni kanye le ebulala izityalo zethu okanye uya kohlwaywa,” watsho, ejonge kuBambatha.
* * *
Khawusichazele ukuba ucinga ntoni: Ingaba uNomfundo kufanele alushiye uphando lwakhe abuyele edolophini?