NgoMsombuluko uNzwaki ufika esikoleni ecasukile, angakhulumisi muntu. Ucabanga ukungayi emsebenzini kodwa abone ukuthi ucasuke kakhulu, uzowushisa umuzi uma engayi esikoleni. Nabantu bayambuka ngoba bebona isibazi ebusweni lapho eshaywe khona uJoe. Kodwa uNzwaki akanandaba nokubukwa. Uma uJoe engenandaba nokubonakala ethintana nengane encane emphakathini, naye ngeke amvikele ngokufihla isibazi ambeke sona. Abantu kumele babone ukuthi uyindoda enjani, indoda eshaya umuntu wesifazane. Uyazi ukuthi kumele abonane nothishanhloko amxoxele ukuthi umfundi walapha esikoleni, u-Asanda, uthandana nomyeni wakhe. Kodwa okwamanje akanawo amandla okubhekana nothishanhloko.

“Ningakhohlwa ukuthi namhlanje, phakathi kwehora lokuqala nelesibili, sinezivakashi ezivela e-clinic yaseTsolongo ezizokhuluma nani bafundi. Ngilindele ukuba wonke umuntu abe esehleli phansi uma sekusondele ihora lokuqala,” kusho uthishanhloko ebakhumbuza.

UNzwaki ubesekhohliwe ukuthi kuza abantu base-clinic. Kanye noma kabili onyakeni bayafika abantu base-clinic bezokhuluma nabafundi ngezempilo nokuhlanzeka. Bakhuluma nangokunye okuthinta abantu abasha – ukukhulelwa, nezindlela zokuvimba ukukhulelwa. Namhlanje bazokhuluma nge-HIV ne-AIDS. UNzwaki wayecele i-counsellor laseTsolongo, uSiyabonga, ukuba azokhuluma nabafundi ngalolu daba.

Abafundi bayajabula bezwa lokhu ngoba kusho ukuthi isikole sizoshesha ukuphuma.

“Sanibonani nonke. NginguSiyabonga igama lami. Ngisebenza e-clinic yaseTsolongo. Namhlanje ngizokhuluma nani ngodaba olubalulekile. Emuva kokunixoxela ngalolu daba ngizojabula ukuphendula imibuzo eninayo.”

USiyabonga utshela abafundi ukuthi walithola kanjani igciwane le-HIV. Wehlukana nomuntu ayethandana naye isikhathi eside, waphuza utshwala ethi uthoba inhliziyo, wagcina eselale nomuntu angamazi.

Abafundi bachwaza bathi, “Yho! Yho! Yho!” Baqala ukubanga umsindo bekhuluma bodwa. “Njengoba nixoxa nje ngicabanga ukuthi ninemibuzo eninayo. Buzani,” kusho uSiyabonga.

“Unesiqiniseko sokuthi une-Z3? Mina ngizibonela ubhuti omuhle, o-fresh,” kusho intombazane esixukwini.

“Yebo, nginesiqiniseko sokuthi ngine-HIV. Kodwa ngibukeka ngi-… ngi-fresh ngoba ngikusebenzisa ngendlela lokhu okungelaphayo. Ngithatha amaphilisi kabili ngosuku, njalo ngosuku, ngesikhathi esifanayo. Ngaleyo ndlela igciwane liyavimbeka, ngibukeke ngi-fresh.”

“Tyo! Kabili ngosuku? Sengathi bangcono nabantu abane-high-high ngoba bona bawaphuza kanye ngosuku amaphilisi,” kusho omunye umfundi.

“Yebo, futhi akumnandi ukuma kulayini e-clinic njalo ngenyanga uyolanda amaphilisi. Ukube ngiyinina ngabe ngivele ngingalwenzi ucansi. Abstain. Uma ulwenza ucansi, qinisekisa ukuthi usebenzisa ikhondomu. Awuzivikeli wena kwi-HIV nokukhulelwa kuphela, kodwa uvikela nalowo muntu olala naye.”

“Mxim, umalume wami uthi i-clinic yethu ayinawo amaphilisi anele. Uzoyelani ukuyofuna amaphilisi uma engeke awathole? Angithi vele uzofa? Ninawo amaphilisi e-clinic yenu?” Kusho enye intombazane. Kukhona ukuvungama, abafundi bevumelana. USiyabonga acele behlise umsindo ukuze akwazi ukukhuluma.

“Yebo, kubalulekile ukuba angayeki ukuwaphuza amaphilisi ngoba usengaphila impilo ende noma enalo igciwane le-HIV. Sizothola ukuthi kwenziwa yini ashode amaphilisi e-clinic yenu lapha. Kodwa okwamanje umalume wakho ungamletha e-clinic yethu eTsolongo ukuze athole usizo.”

“Kukhona umuntu owantshontshayo amaphilisi e-clinic yethu. Ngeke avele anyamalale nje, kuphele kanjalo? Noma mhlawumbe bayahluleka ukwenza i-order lawo ngendlela efanele?” kubuza omunye uthisha.

NoNzwaki ucabanga lokhu okubuzwa uzakwabo.

“Sizama ukuthola ukuthi ngempela kwenzakalani e-clinic yalapha. Uma kukhona ocabanga ukuthi ayantshontshwa amaphilisi kumele asazise. Ungathumela u ‘please call me’ noma umlayezo we-WhatsApp kule nombolo ekule-poster engizoyishiya kuthisha wenu. Igama lakho ngeke lidalulwe uma usitshela umuntu omsolayo. Kunabantu abantshontsha ama-ARV bawadayisele ama-drug dealers. Bawahlanganisa nezinye izidakamizwa, kuphume lo mbulalazwe obizwa nge-wunga. Kumele babanjwe abantu abenza lokhu ngoba balimaza abantu abawadingayo ama-ARV, futhi balimaze nentsha egcina isi-addicted kwi-wunga.”

Uyaqeda ukukhuluma uSiyabonga, kudume ihlombe.