Amafu ayahlangana adedele ukukhemezela uBathandwa usendleleni eqonde emtholampilo. Ucasha ngaphansi kompheme wesitobhu sebhasi ayilinde idlule. Ubona ingapheli imvula angene kuyona aqhubeke nendlela. Emtholampilo unika abantu amapheshana bakhombise ukuheheka.

“Umuntu kumele aphatheni ukuze athole lemali ebolikiswayo?” kubuza abantu.

“Uphatha ipasi nekhadi lomholo kahulumeni,” kumemeza uBathandwa ukuze bazwe bonke abantu.

“Ithatha ixesha elingakanani eyomali? Ndiyidinga kwangoku,” kusho intombazane esancane encelisa ingane.

“Uma uphethe lezozinto ezimbili ungayithola ngokushesha imali.”

Endaweni yezitolo uBathandwa mayamnqabela ukuthi anike abantu amapheshana. Unogada uyawabona esandleni sikaBathandwa acele ukubona elilodwa. “Awuvumelekile ukwenza lento ozama ukuyenza la. Nathi sinenkampani yethu ebolekisa ngemali,” kusho unogada.

“Leli izwe lawo wonke umuntu futhi noma ubani angathengisa,” kusho uBathandwa.

“Uma ngikudedela unike abantu amapheshana ngizoxoshwa emsebenzini. Ngakho hamba nezwe lakho wonke umuntu kwenye indawo.”

UBathandwa uqalaza abone ihhovisi elibhalwe ukuthi ‘People’s Loans’ esicabheni. Uhamba ibanga elincane asithele emehlweni kanogada, aphonse amapheshana emoyeni abaleke. Ubuka ebuqamama abone abantu bewacosha. Bayawafunda babuzane indlela. Uyazibona izandla zichaza zikhomba ngasemahhovisi we-EasyLoans.

Ungena esangweni azitshele ukuthi ulayini omude ongaphandle ungowabantu abaya emahhovisi we-SASSA. Ubona eseqedile ukunyuka izitebhisi ukuthi lolayini ungena ehhovisi labo e-EasyLoans. Iningi labantu abakulayini baphethe lama pheshana asakazwe uBathandwa.

Umphathi wakhe, uAndy, umbingelela ngokumanga.

“Kade ngizama ukukufonela kodwa ucingo lwakho kade lucishiwe,” kusho uAndy.

“Yebo, Andy. Mnumzane, ifoni yami ivele yaquleka, isiyahlupha. Kufanele ngithole entsha.”

“Ungakhathazeki ngendaba yefoni ngoba ngekhomishini ozoyithola uzokwazi ukuthenga entsha kusasa lokhu okusayo. Wonke umuntu ombonayo kulo layini uzothatha imali-mboleko!” kusho uAndy ukujabula kubhalwe emehlweni, izindebe zicishe ukujuza amathe ehaliswa imali abazoyenza ngalabantu.

“Okwamanje sibabalile sathola ukuthi bangu 400. Uma ubasayinisa isivumelwano ungakhohlwa ukubakhombisa inombholo yesikhungo samakhasimende. Izobhalwa nasemuva kwamakhadi uma sebewathola.”

UBathandwa ungenela umsebenzi. Uyakubala ukunyuka kwekhomishini yakhe ngomuntu ngamunye othatha imali-mbolekho. Ubhalisa umuntu wesi-300 injabulo igcwele ebusweni. Umuntu wokugcina umbhalisa ngo-9 ebusuku. Uyazi ukuthi wenze izinkulungwane eziyisishiyagalolunye zamarandi zekhomishini! Ungqongqoza ehhovisi likaAndy ephethe zonke izivumelwano.

“Ngena uhlale, Bathandwa,” kusho u-Andy esukuma evula isefu esemuva kwesithombe esipendiwe.

“Nayoke, njengesivumelwano. Ikhomishini yakho.” Unika uBathandwa imvilophu egcwele imali.

“Ngiyabonga, Mnzumane. Andy, ngiyabonga kakhulu,” kusho uBathandwa.

“Kunganjani siphume siyozijabulisa ngeziphuzo, mina nawe?” kusho uAndy eshintsha izwi elenza liphole.

“Angikholwa ukuthi kuzofaneleka lokho. Nginesoka.”

“Oh, unalo kanti isoka?” liyanyamalala izwi elipholile.

“Yebo,” kusho uBathandwa.

“Oh.” UAndy uzwakala ngathi uphuke umphefumulo. “Waze wanenhlanhla lowo.”

UBathandwa ufica uChe emlindile ngaphandle kwamahhovisi.

“Ubukeka ujabulile,” kusho uChe.

“Kunjalo. Namhlanje ngenze imali yangempela, ngizogoduka nemali.”

***

Sitshele ukuthi ubona kanjani: Abantu bayafuna ukuboleka imali, uBathandwa naye uyayidinga imali, ikhona inkinga oyibonayo ngalokhu?