Khethiwe is getting ready for work in the morning. Her mother calls as she is deciding on an outfit.
“Hello, Ma. How are you?”
“I’m well, my child. How are you?”
“I’m also good. Why are you calling so early in the morning? Is everything okay?”
“I just wanted to let you know that Sisanda’s boyfriend, Njabulo, has asked that his uncles come to meet the family to start lobola negotiations. They want to get things done as soon as possible. Did she tell you anything about this?”
“Yes, Mama, she told me a bit about it on Sunday. I’m so happy for Sisanda!”
“Your father is ecstatic! Let’s talk later after work. I know you are probably still choosing what to wear.”
“Bye, have a great day, Ma.”
It is dead silent in the boardroom as Khethiwe and her colleagues wait for the manager. Mrs Moodley walks in and gets straight to business.
“As you all know that Mr Gumede recently retired. We need someone to fill his position. I fought with the directors because they wanted to bring someone from outside. I told them we needed to promote from within and I won.”
All the people in the board room nod and smile.
“I see the talent and enthusiasm you have for the job. All of you deserve this position but unfortunately I have to pick only one of you. And I have to be fair. So this is how the next forensic audit manager will be chosen: I will give all of you the same fraud case. You will have to look through the numbers and tell me how this business is laundering money. You will present your findings in front of everyone. Whoever gets this right will be the new forensic audit manager,” says Mrs Moodley.
She explains the project even further. She asks if they have any further questions. At the end she smiles and wishes all of them well.
“Why did Mrs Moodley smile when she looked at Khethiwe? Is she planning to give this position to her?” Nonhle whispers to her colleague Noxolo as people leave the boardroom.
“I didn’t see that, Nonhle,” says Noxolo.
This position is mine. I’ll get it by any means necessary, Nonhle thinks. A mean look has come over her face as she walks down the office corridor.
***
For the past week Khethiwe has been feeling lonely. Most people around her are in relationships, engaged to be married or married. Always returning to an empty flat after a long day at work is starting to affect her badly.
She thinks of downloading a dating app on her cell phone, but she is not sure.
“Let me at least try. I don’t want my parents to die before I get married,” she whispers.
She takes her cell phone and stretches out on the bed. She downloads the Meet Your Soul Mate dating app. She enters her details.
“Let me add that I work a good job so that men can see I won’t be a burden financially,” she says.
She uploads her photo. Her profile is up for less than ten minutes but she is getting a flood of texts from men on the site. She opens the messages and is amazed that men of all races are showing an interest in her. She is amused by a few guys but it takes a while for her to find a guy she genuinely likes.
Two weeks later she has found someone interesting. Sandiso Dludla is a handsome teacher from Adams Mission. From their conversations he seems like a caring man. They chat every day and Khethiwe looks forward to coming back from work because she will spend a lot of time chatting or video calling with Sandiso.
She decides to let her friend, Senzo, know about the latest development in her life.
“I have recently met someone, my friend,” says Khethiwe.
“Really?” Senzo’s reply is lacking in enthusiasm.
“Why don’t you sound happy?”
“It’s just work-related stress. How can I not be happy for my friend when she has found love? Tell me all about this guy. Where did you meet?”
“We met on a dating app. Tomorrow we are going out on a date. It will be the first time we meet in person. I’m a bit nervous, I won’t lie. Give me pointers on how I should act on my first date. I need your point of view as a man.”
“Khethiwe, you have never met this guy? You don’t know him at all?”
“I’ll be meeting him for the first time tomorrow.”
“I don’t think this is a good idea. What if this guy is a serial killer?”
“Don’t worry, Senzo, I know how to take care of myself. And besides that, we will meet in a public area.”
Tell us: Khetiwe is a forensic auditor – that means she checks the trail left by financial transactions to make sure that nothing illegal has been happening. She clearly loves her job. Do you see this kind of work as interesting? Why or why not.