Ingozi, 8 Februari, 1991
Ngonyaka ka1991 uLeonard waye engumphathi wevenkile ethengisa impahla yendlu, kwidolophana yaseMount Frere eseMpuma Koloni. Yonke imihla ube eziqhubela inqwelo mafutha yakhe ukuya emsebenzini eMount Frere esuka ekhayeni lakhe eliseKokstad.
Ngokuhlwa nangempela veki waye abe ngumdlali webhola eKokstad.
Ngemini obathi batshintsha ngayo ubomi bakhe, yayingumhla we 8 Februari, 1991, wavuka ngonyenzi uLeonard elungiselela ukuya emsebenzini njengesiqhelo. Waye abe sele esendleleni ngentsimbi yesixhenxe. Waye zibethela umlozi unkabi esahamba kakuhle. ”Iza kubetha intsimbi yesibhozo sendifikile eMount Frere,” watsho uLeonard ngaphakathi ezithethela yedwa. Yayixakekile indlela, wonke umntu emaxhaphetshu, kwaye zimshiya ezinye inqwelo.
Esaqhuba njalo uthe ngephanyazo ejika igophe wehluleka ukuyilawula inqwelo yakhe. “Thixo wam!” sele othukile unkabi wakhwaza. “Kwenzeka ntoni ngoku? Ndincedeni, ndiyacela ndincedeni, ndiza kufa!”
ULeonard umphathi wevenkile yakwa Dan Hands Furnishers eMount Frere (1990).
Yabhukuqa inqwelo yaphuma ngaphaya komzila wendlela. Ibe yinto yokugqibela ayikhumbulayo yena leyo weva umntu emshukumisa, esithi kuye, “Vuka! Usuka phi? Ungubani?” Wawavula amehlo akhe. Umqhubi weloli wayeme phezu kwakhe emjongile. “Kwenzeke ntoni?” ULeonard wabuza enxunguphele. “Susa le nqwelo phezu kwam.”
Waphendula umqhubi weloli, “Akukho nqwelo ihleli phezu kwakho. Size kukunika uncedo. Ungubani igama lakho?”
”Ngubani lo uhleli ezinyaweni zam ukuba akukho nqwelo mafutha phezu kwam? Khona, liphuma phi igazi elininzi kangaka?” ubuzile uLeonard esiya enxunguphala.
”Yima njalo wena. Yeka ukuxhalaba, nyana,” watsho umqhubi weloli. ”Siza kubizela inqwelo yezigulana, ayizi kuthatha thuba lide noko. Yonke into iza kulunga nyana.”
Kwakusele kugxalathelene inginginya yabantu apho kwindawo yentlekele. Wonke ubani efuna ukuqonda ukuba kwenzeke ntoni na. Bafike abagcini bomthetho bayalela ukuba abantu basuke kwindawo yentlekele.
”Yintoni unobangela wale ngozi?” libuzile ipolisa.
”Ngubani obandanyekayo kule ntlekele?”
”Ndim ingqina,” waphendula umqhubi weloli. ”Le ndoda yenzakele kakhulu. Andilazi igama layo.”
Lasondela ipolisa kuLeonard.
“Nyana, usaphila?” labuza ipolisa. “Uyandiva? Ungubani igama lakho?”
“Ewe ndisaphila,” uphendule uLeonard, esitsholo ezantsi ngelizwi eliphantsi kunzima ukuthetha.
“Ndingu Leonard Gregory. Nceda ndibalekisele esibhedlele, ndiyafa.”
ULeonard uve amakhosikazi apho kuloo nginginya emthandazela. Kuthe kanye ngelo thuba kwafika inqwelo mafutha yezigulana yambalekisela esibhedlele saseMount Frere.
Kwakukho umngcelele omde esibhedlele. Abanye belele phantsi, abanye behleli kwizantyalantyala zegazi. ULeonard wabeva bencwina ziintlungu.
Umongikazi wamjonga wanikina intloko. Wayesopha kakhulu, kodwa bengakwazi ukumnceda ngenxa yenani elikhula labantu ababe sele belindele uncedo.
“Ingakwazi ukundisa kwesinye isibhedlele inqwelo yezigulana?” wacenga ngelizwi elitshothozayo. Umongikazi wanikina intloko emjongile. Iinqwelo mafutha zaseTranskei zazingavumelekanga ukuthatha izigulana zizise kwezinye izibhedlele ezingaphandle kweTranskei.
Ngethamsanqa abongikazi bakwazile ukufumana inqwelo mafutha eyambalekisela Esibhedlele saseGrey’s ePietermaritzburg. Esibhedlele eGrey’s oogqirha bamxilonga. Kwakucaca gca ukuba wonzakele ngokumasikizi walaliswa ngokukhawuleza.