Umqeqeshi
Ingozi yathetha into yokuba kuphelile ngoLeonard emdlalweni webhola, ngonyaka ka1991 eseneminyaka engamashumi amathathu ananye. Emva kweminyaka elishumi elinesithathandathu engumdlali wenqanaba eliphezulu, uLeonard waye khubazekile.
Wathandaza, “Thixo ndiphe unyamezelo lokumelana nale meko undibeke kuyo.” ULeonard waziva esemandleni emva kokuba ethe wathandaza. Wagqiba kwelokuba abuyele emdlalweni webhola ekhatywayo, edlala indima eyahlukileyo.
“Soze ndiphinde ndidlale kwakhona,” utshilo ezithethela yedwa, “kodwa ndisenawo amehlo yaye ndisakwazi nokucinga. Ndiza kuba ngumqeqeshi.
Ndiza kuqala iqela elitsha lebhola, ndiqinisekile ukaba ndiza kulenza libe yimpumelelo!”
Ngaphandle kokuchitha ixesha uLeonard waqokelela, wadibanisa inani elivisayo lamakhwenkwe ekuhlaleni, waqalisa ukuqeqesha. Waqala iqela elibizwa ngeYoung Swallows elaliza kuncancisela iKokstad Swallows.
Wayecinga ukuba iYoung Swallows ingamila, iqinisekise ikamva leKokstad Swallows.
Iminyaka emininzi yamava kaLeonard edlala ibhola ekhatywayo yaba lunceda kakhulu, kwaye wafumanisa ukuba uya konwabela ukuqeqesha. Wayevana kakhulu nabadlali bakhe. Ongezeleka nangakumbi amakhwenkwe, kwathi kwakamsinyane uLeonard wabe sele eqeqesha amaqela amakhwenkwana asemancinci kananjalo.
ULeonard namakwenkwe asekuhlaleni ngethuba kuphononongwa kwabadlali abatsha kunye nokusekwa kwamaqela ayeza kukhuphela abadlali abanezakhono kwiKokstad Swallows (1996).
IYoung Swallows, yayiwalungele kakhulu amakhwenkwe kwisixeko sikaLeonard. Ibibafundisa ubuchule bokudlala ibhola, ukuzimisela, ukuba moya mnye njengeqela. Zonke ezi zinto zazibakha kwaye, zibakhupha ezitalatweni nasekwenzeni ubundlobongela.
Abadlali abaninzi bakaLeonard banekhono, abanye namhlanje badlalela izithili, amaphondo, abanye ababalaseleyo bangabadali.
Nangona uLeonard ebekuthanda ukuqeqesha iYoung Swallows, wafumanisa ukuba umdlalo webhola yenye yezinto ekufuneka ezenzile. Njengomntu okhubazekileyo, uLeonard waqonda ukuba ubizelwe ukusebenza nabantu abakhubazekileyo.
IKokstad Swallows kumcimbi owawuququzelwe yiMCDPO ngeHuman Rights Day wokwazisa uluntu ngamalungelo abantu abakhubazekileyo (1999).