Ubomi bam ngaphandle kukaLizo babungento. Yonke into yayindenzela isizungu. Ukuba wayekho umntu endandinokuthetha naye, ngeyingasindwa intliziyo yam. Kodwa yayi yimfihlo yam le, ihlebo lamahlebo. Nditsho nomama imbala wayengazi nto ngam noLizo.

Kwaba kudlula iminyaka emihlanu ndizula enkampini, ndinethemba lokumbona kwakhona uLizo. Ndandibuya nelize rhoqo.

Kulo minyaka mihlanu ndiye ndaqhuba nezifundo zam, ndaba yititshala emva kwenyanga ezimbini ndithweswe isidanga. Ndawuthanda umsebenzi wam, ngawo ndafumana ukuphumla, ndakha ndalibala ngoLizo. Yayisithi iqala imini ndiye kwezo ntsana ndidloba ngokusemdleni. Abafundi bam babendibiza ‘titshala’, bathi xa bendahlula kwabanye ootitshala bandibize, ‘titshal’ uNtsinde’, ifani yam.

Ngenye imini ndaba nephupha. Iphupha elalizele zizo zonke izinto ezigcobisayo. Kodwa ndandingakhumbuli ukuba ndandiphuphe ni, lalimfiliba kum. Ndavuka umzimba wam udubekile. Mhlawumbi yayileli phupha livuyisa intliziyo yam, ndacinga.

Ndafika ndirhuq’ iinyawo esikolweni, ndibenedyudyu. Ngomthandazo wasekuseni ndandiba ndizakuwa phantsi kukungcangcazela. Ndakukhangela imbangi yoku, andifumananga nto ibambekayo.

Abantwana bangene egumbini elalithe tha ingqathane, kukuzigigqi emgagathweni, ndiphicotha umqulu wezibalo. Ndandingakhumbuli nento le. Ndakuzibuza isifundo sayizolo, zisuke zandithi ntsho ndanesazela. Ndiqole phantsi, ndaphica. Ngokuva umntu onkqonkqozayo, ndeve ndidikiwe. Iyakwaba yile nqununu ingenambono ebomini, nditsho ndicinga.

Ndakonyusa amehlo ndihlangane nento endandingayilindelanga. Yayingumfo owayenoncumo olungayiwayo, uncumo olwandikhumbuza nto.

Ndasondela kuye ndakube ndimbizile engasondeli.

Lizo! Ndatsho ngomothuko.

“Ntanga, unjani ntanga?” Undibulise ngobubele.

Ndisuke andazi ukuba ndithini. Ewe, ndandifuna ukumanga phambi kwabafundi, ndikwafuna nokumtsicela ebusweni. Ekugqibeleni, ndaliva ilizwi likaLizo endandilinxanelwe iminyaka.

“Iminyaka eminganga.” Kwaba kukuphela kwento endayithethayo, iinyembezi ndizibambe ngeenkophe.

Saya kuthethela bucala, ndishiya ezo ntsana zihlohlwa yintengu.

“Mfo kaNtsinde,” utshilo emva kwethuba sithe cwaka. “Kunjani, ntanga.”

Wahleka okokuba ndibone uvuyo analo, wasanga isandla sam. Owu! Kwanga ndihluthukelwa ziinwele, ndagevelisa amadolo phambi kwakhe.

Ndakumbuza imvelaphi, wandigxamela wathi, “Yeka, maan. Ndikuphathele iindaba ezimnandi.”

Ndathi nta iindlebe ndilindele ukuba athi waphumelela, wangumpondo-zihlanjiwe womfoti.”NgoMgqibelo ndiyatshata,” utshilo isandla sakhe sisegxalabeni lam. “Kodwa ndingathanda wena ufike ngoLwesihlanu.”

Ndazihleka-hlekisa ndiba uyadlala. Kodwa lwasuka kamsinya umncumo kum akudlulisa iphepha lesimemo kum.

“Ndifuna ube ngumkhaphi obekekilelo. Ndikucela ngentliziyo yam yonke, ntanga.”

“Lizo!” Ndafumana ndisitsho, kodwa ndabe ndisazi ngaphakathi ukuba akukho nto ndizakuyenza.

Ngaba bethu uLizo wayetshata ngokuthanda kukayise okanye uzithandele? Ndazibuza.

Kwabuya kwathi qatha kum, mhla sibuya esuthwini, mhla uyise wamyala esithi, “Inkosi ithi ukuze ibe yinkosi ibe nomfazi.” Wayigxininisa le nto ndeva ndichekrekile. Kwakubalulekile kuye ukubona inzala kaLizo esaphila. Zavakala neendaba ezithi inkos’ ibonele uLizo umfazi, intombi enguThobeka. Kodwa yayilulwimi lakwamagobhozi olo. Ndakumbuza uLizo, wabhebhetha esithi akayikuthatha mfazi ndisekho.

Ndithe ndakumbuza apho wayekho kule minyaka mihlanu, wandixelela ukuba wayesebenzela imali yelobola emgodini, eRhawutini.

Ndafane ndanentloni ndaya kulo mtshato kuba ndandingafuni kuphoxa mntu. Ndeva intsholo ndixele kude ndaqonda ukuba umntu mninzi. Ndingene kubuhlanti ababuqhuma umsi, eziko kunombengo ovuzisa izingcwe. Ndahlala ecaleni kukaLizo owayethe fohle ekoneni, nje ngomkhaphi obekekileyo.

Lo yayingumtshato wesintu, uninzi lwabantu lwaluvathe isintu. Sakubulisana ivakele intswahla yomtshayelelo ixela ukuza komtshakazi ebuhlanti. Kwathi cwaka ebuhlanti akungena, amadoda ayeka yonke into ayenzayo, betyebis’ amehlo.

“Tsi! Mhl’ uThobeka, ntanga.” Utshilo uLizo endithe khamfu ngesandla.

“Ewe, mhle ntanga umfazi wakho.” La ayephuma engaphumi, ndiyindindi.

“Ayikabingomfazi wam, ntanga. Ngokuhlwanje ndizakumenza umfazi ngokusesikweni.” Ndambona onwabile ukuthetha kwakhe oku, ndayinyama kukukhathazeka.

Andazi ukuba ndasuka njani, nini, ebuhlanti. Kodwa ndaqabuka ndisosula iinyembezi emehleni ndizifihle emva kweezindlu apho kwakungekho bani unokubona.

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Sixele ukuba ucinga ntoni: Ingaba uLizo uzokutshata?