UZamani udidekile njengoba engena lapho kusetshenzwa khona. Alukho uthango oluzungeze indawo yokusebenza. Izingane zasendaweni zidlala eduzane nezitini ezinkulu ezitakishwe ngendlela enobungozi. Ukhonkolo othelwa kwi-foundation yomuzi umanzi ngokweqile; akuwona neze ukhonkolo ofanele ngabe kwakhiwa ngawo i-foundation. Izitini zokwakha i-retaining wall endaweni eyiwa zibekwa emhlabathini, ayikho i-foundation. Izindonga zomuzi zakhiwa zifike ophahleni ngosuku olulodwa – ukhonkolo ophakathi kwezitini awunikwa isikhathi esanele sokuba uqine.
UZamani uhamba afike kumakhi kweminye yemizi eyakhiwayo. Akakukholwa konke lokhu akubukayo. Isikafula asebenzela kusona umakhi sakhiwe ngezinkuni futhi siyantenga. Umakhi, njengabo bonke abanye abantu abasebenzayo kule ndawo, akazigqokile izingubo zokuzivikela; abanye abasebenzi bazigqokele ophaqa. Akekho noyedwa umsebenzi ogqoke umakalabha.
“Sawubona,” uZamani umemeza umakhi.
“Yebo,” kusho umakhi ebuka uZamani phansi, umjuluko unetha usuka ebusweni bakhe.
“Ikuphi i-site manager?”
“I-site manager?” kubuza umakhi.
“Yebo, i-site manager. Umuntu okunguye obheke le-site.”
“Ayikho i-site manager kule-site,” kusho umakhi.
UZamani uthukuthele ugane unwabu njengoba ephindela kuMlambo. Ufica uMlambo enabile esihlalweni esilalisiwe emotweni, ezibukela umakhalekhukhwini wakhe.
“Kufanele siyivale njengamanje le-site!” kusho uZamani.
“Yini kufanele siyivale le-site?” kubuza uMlambo, eqhubeka nokuzibukela umakhalekhukhwini wakhe.
“Ayiphephile neze! Kunezinto eziningi ezingalungile. Izingane zidlala khona, abantu badabula khona uma behamba. Ukhonkolo awenziwanga ngendlela ekahle, izindonga zizoqhekeka ingakapheli inyanga eyodwa. Imisele yokuhambisa amanzi ngendlela efanele ayikho, angiboni ukuthi izokwakhiwa ngoba kufanele ngabe kuqalwe ngayo. Amanzi akuyo yonke le mizi,” uZamani ukhomba yonke imizi esentabeni lapha ePower, “kufanele aluswe kahle angene emfuleni ukuze angadali umonakalo!”
“Akuve nihlupha nina bantu abafundile nale mithetho yenu,” uMlambo unikina ikhanda. “Uyababona bonke labantu abasebenza kule-site?”
“Yebo, ngiyababona” uZamani uphendula ngokudideka.
“Ucabanga ukuthi bangaki abantu abasebenzayo la?”
“Angazi. Ukube ikhona i-site manager ngabe sibuza yona kodwa ayikho. Enye into leyo okufa-”
“Ngizokutshela mina ukuthi bangaki,” kusho uMlambo. “125 abantu abasebenzayo la.”
“Manje?”
“Bonke banabantu ababondlayo. Imindeni yabo izolamba uma siyivala i-site.”
“Kodwa abantu bazolimala uma besebenza esimweni esinjena. Abantu bazofa! Nomsebenzi awugculisi!”
UMlambo unikina ikhanda. “Uzoyibhala i-report, Zamani?”
“I-report engizoyibhala eyokuba ivalwe i-site kuqalwe kabusha ukusebenza. Asiphephile neze isimo abasebenza kuso. Ukube ukubonile lokhu engikubonile nawe ubu-”
UMlambo uhlwitha i-file ephethwe uZamani.
“Ima la unganyakazi!” uMlambo usuka edlwathuzela.
UZamani uyabuka njengoba uMlambo ebuka ngokushesha umsebenzi, ebhala akubonayo kwi-file. Unikina ikhanda uZamani njengoba uMlambo evumela ukuba umsebenzi uqhubeke. Amehlo kaZamani awela umfudlana owaphenduka umfula ogcwele walimaza imizi kule ndawo yasePower ngesikhathi kunezikhukhula emasontweni ambalwa adlule. Abantu bakha kabusha kuzona iziza lapho umfula owawugeleza khona. Amehlo kaZamani agijima agcine emile ezinganeni zamantombazane ezingamawele ezinhle komunye umuzi owakhiwa kabusha. Kukhona into ayibonayo ebusweni bamawele, into ebukeka sengathi ukukhazimula. UZamani namawele baphakamisa izandla babingelelane kanye kanye.
“Wamamatheka nje, kwenzenjani?” kubhavumula uMlambo. “Ungalokhu umamatheka ngoba isikhathi sokuhamba manje. Kufanele ngiyolanda izingane zami esikoleni.”
“Angithi sizoqala ehhovisi? Ngifile indlala futhi into ezongilapha i-boerewors roll edayiswa ngaphesheya kwasehhovisi emsebenzini.”
“Hhayi ke uzothi ukulinda kancane ngaphambi kokumamfuza leyo boerewors roll ngoba sizoqala ngokulanda izingane zami.”
“Sivumelekile ukuthi senze lokho? Ukuthi sisebenzise imoto yasemsebenzini uma sihamba izindlela ezingaqondene nomsebenzi?”
“Nina bantu abafundile nale mithetho yenu eminingi,” uMlambo uxova igiya, afake elihlehlayo, anikine ikhanda. “Yini engenza ngisebenzise imoto yami ngimoshe u-petrol wami kodwa ukhona u-petrol wamahhala emotweni kahulumeni? Awukho umqondo kulento oyikhulumayo.”
Kukhala ithayi njengoba isuka imoto.
***
Sitshele: Uhulumeni uyithola kuphi imali? Empeleni ubani okhokhayo ukuze uMlambo alande izingane zakhe esikoleni?