Seliyoshona ilanga njengoba uZelwande Mhlongo ecweba izinyembezi. Uzwa imilenze ixega, ahlale phansi eceleni komgwaqo. Kuba ukuhlala phansi, akhihle esikaNandi.
Phela kufika umunyu kuZelwande uma ecabanga ngezingane zakubo u-Aphile oneminyaka engu 10, kanye noSenzo oneminyaka engu 14. Abazali babo bashona engozini yemoto eminyakeni eyisishiyagalombili eyedlule. UZelwande uneminyaka engu 25. Emuva kokushona kwabazali bakhe wayeka isikole wabheka amatoho ukuze anakekele izingane zakubo.
Into emukhalisa kakhulu namhlanje ngukuthi akalitholanga itoho yize eyizungeze yonke indawo yaseChatsworth. UZelwande wenza noma yimuphi umsebenzi awutholayo – ukuwasha izingubo, ukwenza igceke, ngisho nokukhuculula amahhoko ezinkukhu. Kodwa namhlanje akawutholanga ngisho umsebenzi wokuwasha izingubo. Zehla kakhulu izinyembezi uma ecabanga ukuthi izingane zakubo zizolala zilambile namhlanje.
“Kodwa nkosi yami into engizoyithini lena?” kukhalaza uZelwande ebuka ilanga seliyoshona. Uthula isikhashana, alinde impendulo evela esibhakabhakeni kodwa lutho impendulo.
Ukhala nje ngoba wazi kahle ukuthi uzothi engena endlini izingane zakubo zibe zimfuna ukudla, zimubelesela ngendlala. Yize inhliziyo ingavumi uyehla kancane ngomgwaqo ehlela endaweni yaseMathinini.
Le ndawo iyimijondolo ehlangene eyakhiwe ngezinkethe ingakho abantu bayetha ngokuthi kuseMathinini. Le ndawo ihlale ixokozela njalo ngoba kunamathaveni awuxhaxha. Umsindo, ukuthukana kanye nokugwazana kwabantu kuyinhlalayenza lapha eMathinini.
UZelwande imucasula kabi lento yokuthi izingane zakubo zikhulela endaweni egcwele abantu abakhohlakele. Izinga lokubulawa nokudlwengulwa kwabantu besifazane nezingane liphezulu eMathinini. Ingakho uZelwande efuna izingane zakubo zihlale endlini, zingabi uvanzi ngaphandle.
Kuthi esacabanga kanjalo azibone esengena endlini.
“Nangu uSis’ Zelwande!” Kujabula u-Aphile ekhazimula ngoba ebona udadewabo omdala.
Kufika umunyu kuZelwande uma ezwa injabulo kadadewabo ngoba uyazi ukuthi bathembele kuyena futhi usuku lonke bebeququdwa indlala.
“Besengikhathazekile ngawe dadewethu ngoba ngibona ungaqhamuki,” kusho uSenzo.
“Ngisuke ngabambeka ndawana thizeni,” kuphendula uZelwande.
“Ngilambile Sis’Zelwande,” kukhalaza u-Aphile.
“Angilitholanga itoho namhlanje, zingane zakwethu. Ayikho into ezodliwa ngaphandle kwephalishi elisale ekuseni,” kusho uZelwande ngamahloni.
UZelwande usho lokhu maqede amehlo agcwale izinyembezi, inhliziyo igwaza ngamandla sengathi kukhona oyihlaba ngezinaliti. Ikati lilele eziko. Ukudangala okusemehlweni ku-Aphile noSenzo kuphula inhliziyo kaZelwande. Ukudangala bakuzwa sengathi kuyabacindezela ngaphakathi emjondolo wabo omncane. Kwakhona ukuthula kuba sengathi kuphindelelwe njengoba nobani eququdwa imicabango, nezikelemu zikhononda into engapheli. Iyazula imicabango kaZelwande. Umqondo ubuya ngoba uSenzo ekhanyisa ikhandlela. Sekumnyama. Ugesi wekhadi wasendlini uphelile.
“Aphile, woza ngizokusiza ngeMaths,” kusho uSenzo.
“Eish ilukhuni nayo leMaths,” kukhononda u-Aphile.
“Akunjalo neze, Aphile. Into okufanele uyenze ukuthi ulandele imithetho yesibalo njengoba ngikukhombisile izolo. Buka, uqala la . . .”
Kumuphula umoya uZelwande ukubona izingane zakubo zifunda ngekhandlela. Ubona sengathi nguye oyisahluleki ngoba akanawo ngisho uzuka wokuthenga ukudla nogesi.
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