Four months after the Great Email Scandal, Lizo received a phone call. Even from where they were sitting on the other side of the room, Bhuti and Laula could hear the bubbling happiness of Songezwa’s voice. Lizo stood listening, nodding, saying the occasional ‘yes’, or ‘okay’ or ‘sure’. Then he put down his phone, and stood quietly.
“Lizo,’ Mama asked, “what is it, my boy?”
“Nothing but the Truth – Mondli Makwena’s investigative TV show.”
“Yes?” Mama said. “What about it?”
“Songezwa. She’s organised for us … We’re going to be on Nothing but the Truth. All the members of TALC. Mondli says we have a perfect case. Songezwa says they’ve finished with everything, the forensics on the emails, all the leads those brought up, not just on Nyathi, but his son too. They’ve got more than enough to get them. That will be part of Nothing but the Truth too.”
“Oh wow!” Laula said. “That’s huge, Lizo. I love that show. I follow Mondli on Facebook and Twitter.”
“Me too,” Bhuti said. “Even if we can’t watch the show on TV, it’s great to hear what they have to say about all sorts of things.” He felt a weight lifting. Now the whole of South Africa could hear about how his brother had been falsely accused. Not that Bhuti and his family would be able to watch it, not at home, but Mma Tshabangu had DStv – she’d let them watch at her house.
*****
They all crammed into Mma Tshabangu’s small sitting room. Mr Dlodlo was there, and Songezwa. Mama was given pride of place. The only people who weren’t there were Lizo and the members of TALC. They were sitting across a desk from Mondli Makwena, nodding quietly, giving their side of the story.
“I hear the MEC for Finance is getting involved too?” said Mondli.
“Yes,” said Lizo, “and the office of the Public Protector.”
“Good. Good. It sounds like this is a story that won’t be buried.”
“No, I don’t think it will,” Dumisa said. “This sort of thing’s happening too often. And it’s affecting people really badly. Little guys like us. All we wanted was to go to an exhibition.”
“And that would have been good for you and your career?” Mondli said sympathetically.
“So good,” Zandile said, “I can’t tell you. But,” she shrugged, “it’s just something we have to put behind us. Keep going, you know …”
“Wait for the next big chance?”
Lizo sighed. “If there is one. If not, we’ll keep working, keep making art.”
“And keep on with art classes for the community?”
“Oh,” said Thandi, “you know about those?”
“We do,” said Mondli. “We hear the children love them so much that now their parents want classes too?”
Lizo smiled. “Yes. It looks like TALC’s going to be getting some really fantastic new members soon.”
“You know something, you guys?” Mondli asked. “You’re an inspiration. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. Look at this: Twitter’s going mad. It seems your story has struck a real chord. We’ve just checked in and the tweets are coming in thick and fast.”
And sure enough, when Laula opened Mondli’s Twitter page the notifications were buzzing in.
“Phew, Bhuti, TALC’s trending,” she said in awe. “Can you believe it?”
“Great!” said Songezwa. “That’s just what we were hoping for.”
“So Lizo, Ciki, Dumisa, Thandi, Zandile,” Mondli was asking, “now that you’ve shaken this scandal off, maybe you can tell us more about the work you were all going to take to New York?”
“Sure,” Ciki said.
“Actually,” said Mondli “I have a better idea …”
He turned to a screen and there they were: Lizo’s photographs, Dumi’s sculptures, Ciki’s miniature installations, Thandi’s gloomy skies and the bright happiness of Zandile’s story pots.
“That’s all we need to see,” said Mondli. “A picture is worth a thousand words, not so?”
The members of TALC burst out laughing.
“Hey, hey, share the joke,” said Mondli’s.
“It’s good to have a bit of Mr Dlodlo here with us, that’s all,” said Lizo.
“Ah yes, Mr Dlodlo,” said Mondli “your teacher. Great man. I had the pleasure of talking—”
He stopped, listened intently to his earpiece, then said, “Lizo, TALC … it would appear that there’s someone else who likes the sound of what you’re doing.”
A tweet rolled up on the screen.
“Do you see what I see, TALC?” Mondli asked, his voice jubilant.
And there they were, the tweets that would change their lives:
Museum of Modern Art @MuseumModernArt
So sorry TALC could not be part of YAWP. Think they need their own exhibition.
Followed by another tweet:
Museum of Modern Art @MuseumModernArt
TALC we will be in touch asap. Thinking of organising an American tour.
And then another:
TateVerified account
@Tate
Art galleries in UK; Tate Britain, Tate Modern, Tate Liverpool & Tate St Ives.
Let’s TALK TALC. New York, London? Come on European Galleries! The world needs to see TALC … Such Talent from Africa.
And finally,
Bauhaus Museum @Bauhaus_Museum Weimar, Germany
@MuseumModernArt @Tate Anonymous donor, very wealthy patron, will do everything needed for TALC.
Bauhaus Museum @Bauhaus_Museum Weimar, Germany
@MuseumModernArt @Tate Let’s get TALC on the road to recognition.
Bhuti leapt to his feet and pulled Laula up with him. “That’s my brother!” he shouted. “That’s Lizo. That’s TALC. What a team, babe, what a team.”
“Oh my word.” Songezwa looked stunned. “Seven hundred likes in the last three minutes. Oh my. I have to phone the office. TALC has all the phones ringing. Seems there are many, many more Nyathi-type stories like theirs out there.”
She stopped at the door, her eyes shining, and her voice soft. “He’s quite something, that boy of yours, Mrs Mabasa. Quite something.”
“He is!” Bhuti was still delirious with happiness. “And you know what? I think you should phone him and tell him that, Songezwa.”
The young woman smiled and then blushed. “Yes, yes. Good idea, but for now …” she stumbled slightly on the doorstep. “My phone, you know … messages. Office.”
Bhuti laughed. “I’m so happy, Lals,” he said. “I can’t tell you.”
Laula kissed his cheek. “Like I said, babe. Superhero. No cape required.”
***
Tell us: ‘Fight Corruption’ and ‘Nothing but the Truth’ are based on ‘Corruption Watch’ and ‘The Justice Factor’.
Why do you think it is so important to have organisations like Corruption Watch website and shows like The Justice Factor in our country?
Read more about the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York.
