“Lamakhwenkwe siwafumene ecaleni kwendlela apho abantu bafolela umsebenzi khona. Bangene apha eMzansi ngomgunyathi.

“Uqinisekile? Uyazi njani lonto?”

Ndifune ukumxelela ukuba ayeke umane ukuxhola uChino ngaledonki piri yakhe. UChino undiphathe njengomhlobo ndifika apha kusasa.

Kodwa utat’ upolisa akandihoyanga. Omnye utsale ngentamo umfana owakhuphe onke amehlo. “Lena ithi inawo amaphepha, sizenaye. Ukuba ayiyonyani leyo …”

“Yiza, khawuleza!” umngxamele watsho utat’ upolisa. “Uthi unawo amaphepha. Aphi ke? Sibonise.”

“Yes. My name is Chenzira. I … I … I … came here in 2000,” utsho ngelizwi elingcangcazelayo.

“Andikhathali. Ukuba akunamaphepha uzokuhamba.”

Ndive ndifuna ukudubula elipolisa ngesigidi seebhulethi zerabha. Ukuba izinto zinje apha eKapa, andiqondi ukuba ndizakuyithanda lendawo.

UChenzira wenze umtsi ongena eyadini. Nanko ebuya ephethe amaphepha ngesandla. Utat’ upolisa uwathathile ethukisela.

“Kodwa le ihamba nathi.” Uphinde wahlaba ledoni piri yakhe efestileni kuChino.

“But I have papers. If you let me out I will call my sister. She has them …” utshilo kuloomapolisa uChino. Kodwa bathe besangena emotweni bezakuhamba, “Yimani! mzuzu …” uChenzira ubaleke wangena evenkileni. Ubuye nesonka esimhlophe. Amapolisa ayakumnika xa ethe avula ngemva. Phakathi kwezontsimbi zefestile unike uChino amaphepha aluhlaza amabini. Undijongile uChino. Uyathetha ngamehlo akhe. Uthetha izinto ezininzi. Andimva kodwa. Endiyivayo yeyokuba, yintlungu, yintlungu le. Suke iinyembezi zehle kuye.

Ndingene ngaphakathi endlwini ndahlala ixesha elide. Andiyithandi ke le ndiyibonayo. Ndiyazi ngaphakathi entliziyweni ukuba andiyithandi.

Besele ndingqengqe ebhedini ngelixesha ndisiva ilizwi likadadethu phandle. Ndibaleke ndayokuma emnyango. Ubambene nendoda phambi kweheke. Imsondezele kuyo. Yeka ke ukummunxuza emlonyeni. Ulwimi layo ndilubona kulendawo sendime kuyo.

“Sis!” ndizive ndisitsho. Bangathini ukumuncana imilomo ngaphakathi ngolwahlobo?

“Sisi, yintoni le ubuyenza nalandoda phaya phambi

kweheke?” yinto yokuqala endiyibuze udadethu ukungena kwakhe endlwini. Phambi kokuba ndimbulise ndifune ukwazi. Andikwazanga ukuzibamba ndingambuzi.

“One, khawume ngeheke, yi-gate Nana. Two, kufuneka ufunde ukuvala amehlo akho wena,” uphendule watsho endanga. Ndiyavuya ukuyazi loonto, ngenye imi ndizakuvala amehlo.

“Ufuna ukubamhle?” undibuzile ephuma esiya kulanda ivaskom phandle. Ndizakwenza iinwele zam. Emva kwemini ndizakhe ndiphume ndiyokuzimamela kancinci.”

“Uzakuhamba nalamfana?”

Usuke wahleka. “Kufuneka ufunde izinto ezininzi ezintsha.Kusedolophini apha.This is Cape Town dear!”

Ndimbukele ethambisa umgubo ebusweni bakhe. Utsho wangathi ukwifoto lakudala. Utshutshuze i-spray esitsarhayo ezinweleni. Umakhulu into adlangokucoca ngayo inuka kanye ngoluhlobo. Usondeze i-hairdryer kwintlonze yakhe. Uphinde wafaka i-spray kwakhona.

Kulebhotile kubhalwe ‘Keep below 25° C’. Ndizive ndizibuza ukuba xa ubushushu belanga bunyuke badlula kwinqondo lamashumi amathathu ananye kuzakwenzeka ntoni na. Ngoku undijongile. Ngalendlela endibonayo ukuba ufuna ndithethe.

“Umhle dadethu.” Ndinyanzele loomagama aphuma emlonyeni wam.

“Owu, enkosi,” uphendule watsho. “Nawe ndiza kukwenza ufane nam.”

Hayi enkosi, nditsho ngaphakathi. Andifuni ukubanjengaye. Andifuni ndoda ithile ifaka ulwimi layo emlonyeni kum.