Ndisandul‘ukudibana noSima kulo nyaka nje, kulo nyaka wethu weMatriki.
Mna nomama besingasoko sihlala eMonti. Safudukele apha ukuze abe kufutshane nomsebenzi. Umama wayekwafuna nokuba ndifunde iMatriki kwisikolo esinezixhobo zokufunda ezingaphezulu kunezo zeso sikolo endandifunda kuso eQoboqobo.
Ndafika kwangethuba esikolweni baze abafundi bakhetha iidesika zabo, mna ndakhetha ukuhlala ngemva. Isitulo sam sasingasefestileni, ndandinako ukubona abantu neemoto ezingaphandle. Abafundi balapha babehlukile kakhulu kwabo besikolo endandisuka kuso – babehluke ukusukela kwindlela ababeyinxiba ngayo iyunifom ukuya kwindlela ababethetha ngayo. Ndandingathethi kakhulu kuba ndandisoyika ukuba sihlekwe isitsotsi sam sasezilalini.
Abafundi babecotha behamba ngababini, abanye bengamaqelana ngeli lixa babesiya kungena eklasini, babebaliselana ngeeholide zabo zikaDisemba. Zonke izihlalo zazisele zithatyathiwe ngabafundi eklasini yam, ngaphandle kwesitulo sesibini esasikwidesika yam.
“Ndicela uxolo Mnumzana Jubana ngokuba ndifike emva kwexesha,” yatsho inkwenkwe eyafika emva kokuba kubethe intsimbi.
“Xolani, ungandixeleli ukuba uza kuqala le nto yakho yokusoloko ufika emva kwexesha kwakhona nakulo nyaka,” watsho uMnumzana Jubana ilizwi lakhe livakala linomsindo.
“Hayi Mnumzana. Asobe kwenzeke oku kwakhona,” watsho uXolani ephatha-phatha inkqayi yakhe eyayikhazimla.
“Hamba, uye kuzikhangelela indawo yokuhlala,” watsho uMnumzana Jubana.
“Heyi, Chief,” wandibulisa uXolani etsala eso situlo esasingenamntu kwidesika yam, watsho ehlala kuso.
“Mojo,” ndaphendula.
“Mna ndinguXolani, Chief.”
“Mna ndinguAyanda,” ndaphendula ngelitshoyo.
Utitshala waqhwaba izandla kathathu ukuze simamele kuye eklasini. Sayeka ukungxola, samamela kutitshala.
“Molweni, bantwana bam. Iiholide zikaDisemba zidlulile, ngoku sibuyele esikolweni. Ngaphaya koko, kutheni le nto ningakhe niziqhwabele izandla ngokuba nide nafikelela kweli Bakala le 12?” Watsho uMnumzana Jubana. Saziqhwabela izandla sade sabetha namakhwelo. Utitshala wabonisa ngesandla sakhe ukuba ngoku masipheze.
“Andazi nokuba niqaphele na ukuba sinomfundi omtsha apha eklasini yethu. Uza kuzazisa asixelele nokuba ufuna ukuya kufundela ntoni na xa esiya eyunivesithi kulo nyaka uzayo.”
Ndema ngeenyawo,ndineentloni. “Molweni nonke apha eklasini, igama lam nguAyanda, kwaye ndifuna ukufunda Iilwimi, i-Lingustics gabula makhumsha.
Ndandisele ndihleli phantsi xa abafundi beklasi yam babeqalisa ukundiqhwabela. Utitshala wathi wonke umntu makazazise kum. Ndaziva ndamkelekile kwisikolo sam esitsha, ndamamela abanye abafundi ngeli lixa bezazisa kum.
Kwiintsuku ezilandelayo mna noXolani saqhelana. Ndandimncedisa xa ehlulwa ngumsebenzi wakhe wesikolo naye wayendinceda endifundisa isitsotsi nezimbo zaseMonti.
Ngenye imini ngebhreyikhi yelantshi, mna noXolani sasincokola, soyame eludongeni.
“Khawutsho ke Chief, ndiyaqaphela ukuba xa ndithetha nawe ngamantombazana, akukho kwanto ingako wena oyitshoyo. Unaye phofu umntu ongowakho?” Wandibuza uXolani.
“Hayi andinaye,” ndaphendula ndatsho.
“Unyanisile, nyhani nyhani, Chief? NaseQoboqobo? Awunaye umntu naphaya?” Wabuza uXolani.
“Hayi, sohlukana maan. Ngubani laa ntombazana?” Ndambuza uXolani. Ndandiqwalasele intombaza eyayisiya e-tuckshop, eyayihamba nomhlobo wayo owayethetha kakhulu.
“Owu! NguAnathi lowa, Chief. Uyamfuna?” Wandibuza uXolani encumile.
“Hayi, andithethi yena lowa. Ndibuza lo ahamba naye.”
Ndiyafunga, ndabubona ubuso bukaXolani butshintsha kwangoko kodwa wakhawuleza wabutshintshela ekuncumeni.
“NguSimamkele kodwa uthanda ukubizwa ngoSima. Bakwiklasi yezifundo zeSayensi (zeNzululwazi), kwa 12a,” watsho uXolani engabonakalisi chulumanco olunje ngolu ebelubonakalise ngokuya wayecinga ukuba ndibuza ngoAnathi.
Amehlo am ayethe ntsho kuSima ndimjonge ngeli lixa wayesiya evenkileni nomhlobo wakhe. Intliziyo yam yayibetha kabuhlungu; kwakungaqhelekanga ukuba ndizive ngohlobo endandiziva ngalo ngentombi endingazanga ndithethe nokuthetha nayo.
“Awufuni nto evenkileni, Chief?” Ndabuza uXolani. Ndandingacebanga kuthenga nto mna e-tuckshop ngaloo mini, kodwa ndandifuna nje nantoni na eza kundenza ukuba ndiye kubuka ubuhle bukaSima ndikufutshane kuye.
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Khawusixelele: Zithini iingcinga zakho ngoXolani, ingaba ungumhlobo wenene?