“Usumthintile ngocingo uMnumzane Mlambo?” uZamani ubuza ngezwi eligcwele inhlonipho.
Intokazi eyi-receptionist yakwa-Department of Public Works iyamgqolozela, ikweqe amehlo, iphefumulele phezulu, isuse ucingo endlebeni ilubeke ehlombe.
“Lalela,” kusho le ntokazi. “Kambe uthe uwubani igama lakho?”
“NginguZamani Ndlovu. Ngikutshelile igama lami ngesikhathi ngifika la three hours ago. Ngikubonile ulibhala phansi igama lami. Ngine-appointment noMnumzane Mlambo.”
“Yebo, Zamani Ndlovu. Lalela, thela igazi phansi. UMnumzane Mlambo uzofika uma esefikile. Akafuni ukuphazanyiswa njengamanje.”
“Ukuthi sengiqala ukutatazela ngoba sekudlule isikhathi eside ngilindile. Ngicela umfonele umuzwe ukuthi uzofika nini.”
I-receptionist ivuma ngekhanda, amehlo egcwele ukubhuqa. “Ngiyakuzwa. Ngikuzwa kahle kamhlophe kodwa thatha iseluleko kumina i-receptionist engelutho. Uma ufuna ukungena khaxa la emsebenzini kufanele ulalele lokhu engizokutshela khona. La emsebenzini kufanele uthele igazi phansi. Iyona kuphela indle-”
“Ngicela ufonele uMnumzane Mlambo, please,” kusho uZamani. “Mhlawumbe ukhohliwe, Mhlawumbe enye i-site inspector iyona ekufanele ingikhombise umsebenziokufanele ngiwenze njengoba ngiqala namhlanje.”
I-receptionist ikweqa amehlo, inikine ikhanda, ibuyisele ucingo endlebeni iqhubeke nezindaba ezikhulumayo ocingweni.
UZamani kumele atatazele namhlanje. Namhlanje ukuqala kwesahluko esisha empilweni yakhe. Akafuni nokuncane okuzokwenza izinto zingahambi ngendlela. Emuva kokuthumela amakhulu amaningi ama-job applications, i-interview yomsebenzi wokuba i-junior site inspector kwa-Department of Public Works iyona kuphela abizelwa wona. UZamani wakuzwa ngaphakathi emnkantsheni, njengoba umjuluko wokwesaba wawudilika emhlane ngesikhathi ekuyo i-interview, ukuthi lo msebenzi ungowakhe.
UMlambo, i-senior site inspector, ungena eshwibeka emuva kwehora. Akamgqizi qakala uZamani – ubingelela i-receptionist, aqhubeke agcine esithele emahhovisi. UZamani uyafa indlala. Akasitholanga isikhathi sokudla ekuseni ngoba esaba ukuthi angeke akwazi ukugcina isikhathi ngosuku lokuqala emsebenzini. Ujuza amathe uma ebona umuntu wesifazane eluma i-boerewors roll ngaphesheya komgwaqo.
Isandla esinendluzula siqhweba uZamani ehlombe. Uphenduka abone uMnumzane Mlambo eceleni kwakhe. UMlambo uphethe iphepha esandleni, uyafifiyela ezama ukubona ukuthi yini ebhaliwe ephepheni. UMlambo uhloma leli phepha ebusweni kuZamani.
“Funda la!” kusho uMlambo. “Ngizikhohlwe emotweni izibuko zami zokufunda.”
UZamani uthatha iphepha, alifunde. Umbhalo okulo mncane, kuyabonakali ukuthi i-email lena ebhaliwe.
“Dear Mr Mlambo -”
“Khohlwa yilokho,” kusho uMlambo. “Funda le ndawo ebhalwe ngokugcizelela.”
UZamani uyafifiyela, afunde.
“The site inspection report to the progress of the storm damaged Power neighbourhood in Umlazi Township is still outstanding. Now, I do not need to tell you how sensitive this matter is. I expect-”
“Sekwanele!” kusho uMlambo. “Ikuphi ekhaya?”
“Ekhaya kusePinetown.”
“Uziphethe izincwadi zokushayela?”
“Yebo.”
“Kulungile, mfana wase-suburb,” kusho uMlambo emamatheka. “Asihambe. Ngizokukhombisa ilokishi.”
UMlambo uthule emotweni. UZamani ucabanga ukuthi yini angakhuluma ngayo ukuze baqale baxoxe noMlambo. Ngizoxoxa ngebhola likanobhutshuzwayo, kucabanga uZamani, wonke umuntu uyalithanda ibhola. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba akhulume kukhala umakhalekhukhwini kaMlambo.UMlambo ubuka umakhalekhukhwini amamatheke ngaphambi kokuba aphendule. UZamani uyezwa ngendlela akhuluma ngayo ukuthi sishubile isimo.
“Ngeke niyithole eminye imisebenzi uma imali yami ningayilethi ngesikhathi esivumelane ngaso! Uyezwa?”
UMlambo uyalela uZamani indlela ngesandla njengoba eqhubeka ekhuluma kumakhalekhukhwini. Emuva kwemizuzu engamashumi amane nesihlanu imoto iyama endaweni enemizi yemixhaso kahulumeni ebizwa ngePower.
“Awungene lapho kusetshenzwa khona ubuke ukuthi benzani, ubhale phansi ukuthi sebehambe kangakanani,” kusho uMlambo.
UZamani ufisa ukubuza imibuzo embalwa kodwa akasho lutho uma ebona ulaka oluvutha emehlweni kaMlambo.
***
Sitshele: UMlambo akakufihli ukuthi uyakhwabanisa njengoba ehamba noZamani. Kudalwa yini ukuba uMlambo angakufihli ukukhwabanisa?