Ayishaywa Ingede Ngetshe Sekuphele iminyaka emine uNqobani egadla zephukela kulentokazi azifela ngayo yaphesheya komfula uMziyonke esigodini saseZanyana esithuthukile. Igama laleli phofukazi elisho ngehwanqana elingathi libazwa zonke izinsuku nguNobuhle Biyela, akuqhalaqhala inkinga yomuntu kanti nakubo kukhonjwa ngophakathi njengoba kukhona izifundiswa nosomabhizinisi nje. Ohlangothini lukaNqobani kuthanda ukuba madolo nzima ngoba nezindlu zakubo sezaba neminkenke zabamifantufantu ngenxa yokuswela kanti futhi zakhiwe ngodaka. Nalendawo abakhe kuyona kukwantuthuko kayibonwa njengoba namanzi besawabanga nemfuyo nje. UNqobani noNobuhle basebangeni leshumi manje bobabili bahlukene ngokwemikhakha. UNqobani waqala ukuyithanda lentokazi eminyakeni eminingi eyadlulayo emva kokuyibona kade ehambe nomgcagco owawusuka eNtanzini uya eZanyana. Amehlo kaNqobani athi angabona lobuya buso base maBiyeleni indoda yashaywa wuvalo olalungakaze luyihlasele selokhu yazalwa. Kuphele iminyaka emibili yonke uNqobani ehleli nalolu sizi lokuthanda umuntu kodwa engazi yena. Wamudla kakhulu lomzwangedwa uNqobani, wayeke asuke eNtanzini ngezinyawo ashone eZanyana ngethemba lokuthi uzofike abone uNobuhle kodwa kwakuvele kube inqina kamabuyaze. Ngemuva kweminyaka emibili uNobuhle ushintshe isikole ibanga lesiphica munwe munye wabuya wazolenzela esikoleni sikaNqobani, bafunda nasekilasini linye. Kwakuboshelwe ngempela kuleli kilasi ngoba kwakuke kuthi nxa kubizwa abafundi abayishumi abenze kahle ezifundweni zabo bavele baqhamuke kulo bonke. UNqobani kwakuhlale kunguye obahudula phambili ngenqwaba yemiklomelo ezifundweni zakhe futhi engumuntu ozithulelayo futhi elungile, isibili sasibanjwa iqhalaqhala lakoBiyela uNobuhle. Babethi uma sebemisiwe esiteji ngokwezinombolo zokuphumelela kwabo uNqobani amoyizele into engapheli emi eduze kwesithandwa senhliziyo yakhe, lapho-ke uNobuhle kwakusuke sekuthe xhifi kuyena ukuba seduze kwalomfana ohlale ebukana naye angazi noma uqabuka ukubona abantu ngaye yini. Kuthe ngawo lowo nyaka kuzovalelwa ikhefu laphakathi nonyaka uNqobani wawuphinda lomkhuba wakhe wokubukana noNobuhle owayehleli ngaphesheya kwakhe ekilasini ezixoxela nabakhozi bakhe. Yaphenduka njengenhlwathi intokazi yakoBiyela ibheka uNqobani lapho-ke wavele waswela umgodi wokucasha, waqhaqhazela umzimba wonke ingakasho lutho nje enguNobuhle. “Kanti wena yini ngawe ngempela, ulokhu wabukana nami nje?” uNobuhle ememeza eqhalazela
ngaphesheya. UNqobani wake wafikelwa umuzwa wokuthi asukume bese emuthi hlwi uNobuhle ayophumela naye ngaphandle njengoba ikilasi lase lithule lithe cwaka lilale iziqengqe zekilasi. “Hheyi, ukuthi ngiyakuthanda nkosazana kodwa inkinga yami ngiyakwesaba. Indlela omuhle ngayo ngathi wazibaza wena qobo lakho.” uNqobani ekhulumela phansi enamahloni. Zabuzana zodwa izingane zithi utheni ngoba zingamuzwanga lombhemu waseNtanzini; lapho-ke nomunye wayesho lokhuya nomunye asho lokhuya. “Niyamuzwa ukuthi uthini kilasi?” uNobuhle emi ngezinyawo emoyizela. Zasho zonke izingane zathi. “Uthini?! Uthini?!” zimemeza ngokushiyana. UNobuhle wahleka kancane, uNqobani wazizwa eba nethemba. “Uthi umadabudabu uyangithand…” akabange esakwazi nokuqedela uNobuhle ngenxa yohleko olwase luqhuma phezulu sekuhleka nabantu esingakaze sabezwa nangelilodwa ilanga bethi vu. Abanye babehleka baze babhampe ezihlalweni, kulapho-ke okwahleka enye intombazana yaze yaquleka kwasala utiki ishiye umhlaba. Abanye babenganakile ukuthi sekunomonakalo njengoba kwase kunakwe labomaphaphiyose babafana baseZanyana abeza kuNqobani bamhleka baze bamgaxa besulela ehembeni lakhe elalidabuke emhlane izinyembezi zabo. UNqobani wadabuka kakhulu njengoba aphenduka inhlekisa isikole sonke sebefafaze indaba yakhe baze bayinonga abafundi basekilasini lakhe. Kwaze kwaphela amaholide esaba nokuphuma endlini ngenxa yalokhuya kuphoxeka akuthola, kodwa-ke uthando lokuthanda uNobuhle lwaqina kakhulu enhliziyweni yakhe. Izinsika zalo zafana nezikhonkwane eziqinise zasekela izulu nomhlaba. Zavulwa izikole kwabuyelwa ensimini. Zagadulisana madoda kwakuncane indawo ilapho-ke umonakalo owadaleka emqondweni nasenhliziyweni kaNqobani owacaca khona ngoba kwathi nxa kuvalelwa ingxenye yesithathu yonyaka waphuma isikhombisa, phambili beholwa intokazi yaseZanyana eyayimoyizela ingaqedi, inhliziyo kaNqobani yayidabuke kakhulu ngokuqhelelelana kwakhe ngebanga elingaka
noNobuhle
ngokuphumelela
kodwa
kukaNobuhle.
ingxenye
eningi
Akaphelanga
yayo
moya
yayeneme
lomfokazi
kakhulu
waseNtanzini
waqhubeka walubika usizi lwakhe kuNobuhle ukuze lungene emqondweni wakhe nasenhliziyweni yakhe. Kodwa-ke kwakufana nokuthi uthela amanzi emhlane wedada ngoba uNobuhle wayesemenyanya kakhulu kunakuqala emva kokuba
izinhloli zakhe uNobuhle zimuthumelele izithombe zezindlu zakhaboNqobani ezase zingavuma phansi noma kunini. Kuthe ngonyaka ophelile uNqobani wazimisela kakhulu ezifundweni zakhe, nangapha
kulesi
sikweledu
sakhe
esingakuNobuhle
akangaxegisa.
Kwaze
kwadabuka umngani kaNobuhle wanxenxa uNobuhle ukuthi akasale eseyizwela lemvu yeNkosi ngoba kusobala ukuthi ayizenzi ngempela. Izinto ziqale ukuxega mhla kufika ibhungu eselingudokotela elingumakhelwane kaNqobani, lezwa ukuxoxozela esizweni sonkana ngentombi yaseZanyana enhle sengathi yazibaza yona. Leli bhungu lase lazi kamhlophe ukuthi umuntu oseqhulwini kuzo zonke izesheli zikaNobuhle kwakunguNqobani. Leli bhungu elinguSazi igama lalo lakhumbula
izenzo
zikamnewabo
kaNqobani
owalimuka
iqatha
emlonyeni
ngokulithathela intombi afike ayithatha kalula nje, ngoba lingenamali. Kuphele unyaka uSazi eyinyobela lentokazi enguNobuhle efuna ukuyichoboza. Bese kungazathi isiyazi nayo ukuthi khona okusemvakwayo ngendlela ebisichiliza ngayo futhi-ke uNqobani ibingasamuzwa ngempela isimuhlinzela ezililini. Kuthe ngenye imini uNqobani engakalilahli ithemba esalubeka lolu daba laphambilini memfu uSazi ehamba nge-VW Golf R afike ayimise eceleni kwabo. Avule isicabha sakhe kuphume ulozolo lwamaphimbo nezinsimbi ezipholile ze-Boyz-2-Men lapho bethi khona End of the road. USazi avule umnyango wangemuva. “Asambeni.” Kusho uSazi. “Hhowu, siyaphi?” uNqobani edidekile. UNobuhle asho phakathi avale umnyango uSazi maqede abhambathe uNqobani ehlombe. Kwakuthi akabulale umuntu uNqobani uma ezwa lezi zinhlamvu ezase zilokhu ziphindaphindekile nje emsakazweni walemoto ezithi ‘We belong together…’ Wasala enkemile wababuka njalo baze bayosithela, bathi mabesithela kwadilika izinyembezi emehlweni akhe, wakhala
waze
wayozihlalela
yedwa
entabeni
iNtabalibombo
eselahlekelwe
ngamathemba. Kuthe sekuntambama wehlela ezansi kwentaba amehlo ebomvu tebhu esebuyela kubo, esekucabangisise kahle azokwenza ukuze ahlukane nalolu sizi. Esazihambela kanjalo wabona insizwa esiqinile impela iza nganeno igqoke isudu emnyama nezicathulo ezimnyama izinwele zayo sezimpunga zonke kodwa ibonakala ukuthi ayigugile yona. UNqobani avele agoba indlela w\ayohlala etsheni eliphansi komtholo azenze samuntu obopha imichilo yezicathulo, ukuze lobaba ezodlula bese eziqhubekela naye nohambo lakhe. Lobaba kube sengathi uyadlula ngempela bese
eyigoba indlela eza kuNqobani. “Lahlala lodwa leli bhungu, elakwabani isibongo?” kubuza lobaba ngezwi elihlabayo. Azizwe ecikeka nje uNqobani. “Uzokwenzani ngalokho?”
uNqobani
efudumala.
“O,
ngiyajabula
ukukwazi.
Igama
lami
nginguLungisani Kunene.” uKunene eletha isandla kuNqobani emoyizela. Livele lizehlele
lona
igwebu
esifubeni
sikaNqobani,
alethe
isandla
sakhe
naye.
“NginguNqobani Zulu.” Bexawulana. “Malandela! Hhowu, insizwa ibikhala yini amehlo abheja igazi nje?” uKunene ebukisisa amehlo kaNqobani. “C-ha cha Mtimande, ukuthi nje ngi-nenkinga yawo am-ehlo.” uNqobani ephefumula kuzwakale isibibithwane
kancane.
“Ngiyezwa
mnewethu,
kodwa
manje
sengixakwa
yisibibithwane-ke. Unenkinga yaso naso?” uKunene ekhipha izibuko ezimnyama ekhukhwini enika uNqobani. UNqobani abindwe isidwa. “Uyangazi mina Mageba?” “Cha ngiyakwe-shwama Malambule.” uNqobani ebhekisisa uKunene. “Kufanele Malandela,
angiyena
owakulelizwe.
Ibuyaphi
insizwa
yakoMalandela?”
“O,
bengisaqalaza izinkomo zakithi Malambule njengoba sengibona nali nelanga lishona nje.” uNqobani ngeliphansi. “Nangalesikhathi uzinze lapha esicongweni sentaba ubusabheka zona?” uKunene efulathele. Athule uNqobani. “Mnewethu khuluma ngizokulalela ngikululeke lapho engingaluleka khona.” “Wee, angi-boni.” uNqobani enikina ikhanda ehla izinyembezi. “Kufanele lokho, amehlo akho abheje igazi nje.” uKunene ehlala phansi. Aphumule uNqobani. “Yini ekwenza ucabange ukuthi ungangisiza nje?” uNqobani esula izinyembezi ngejezi lakhe. “Ngithe ukuba mdadlana kunawe.” uKunene emoyizela kancane. “Uyabona Malandela, nami bengilingana nawe nje kuleminyakana, konke ozodlula kukho nosudlule kukho ngikwazi kahle. Ngikwazi kahle ukuhlupheka kokukhula, ungizwe kahle Malandela angisho ukuthi sengimdala nami; kodwa sengithe ukukhula kancane. Khuluma-ke uhlushwa yini mnewethu?” uKunene elungisa uNqobani izibuko azibeke esiphongweni. “Uxole Malambule, angiboni ukuthi uzo-yizwa lenda-ba.” uNqobani ekhulumela phansi. “Mhlambe nalapho uqinisile
wena
ngihlukunyezwa yayikuhlupha
wasenhla, yintombi ngani?
hheyi
ngike
ebengiyithanda
Wenzenjani
ngahlukumezeka kabi
ukulu-ngisa
emoyeni
wami,
ngisengangawe.”
“Hhawu,
leyo-nkinga?”
uNqobani
enesibibithwane. “O-O, ngayithola inkinga. Yini inkinga phakathi kwakho nale ntombi oyithandayo?” uNqobani agwinye amathe into engapheli eshaqwe ilombuzo. Aphumule. “Ayingi-tha-ndi Mtimande, sengizame iminyaka ukutshala lembewu
ekhuliswa ngokulekelelana kuyo kodwa kayiqhumi.” “O, manje? Usucabanga ukwenzenjani mnewethu?” uKunene ephefumula samuntu ovimbene. “Asengiphelele amathemba manje Sgweje, senginqume ukuzibulala ngoba vele nale ntombi isiqome umakhelwane wami ongudokotela ngoba enemali.” uNqobani ekhala. “Nasi isibhamu mi! Zibulale manje lwabishi!” uKunene ekhipha inhlokohlela eyishintsha. Kugijime amanzi emgogodleni wonke kuNqobani. “Sithathe phela uzibulale manje! Ulindeni doti?! Azishe busakazeke manje ubuchopho!” uKunene esefudumele ehlokoloza uNqobani ngaso isibhamu. UKunene asukume azishaye amakhala ashone lena nalena, agcwale izinyembezi emehlweni. “Uzobulawa iminake manje!” uKunene ekhomba uNqobani ngesibhamu. “Ngi-yaxolisa mnu-mzana, unga-kwenzi
lo-kho.
Ngeke
ngi-phinde.”
uNqobani
eselele
phansi
ekhala
enesibibithwane. ‘Gqo’ kuduma isibhamu. Kundize izinyoni ezihlahleni, kudume amakhwela isigodi sonke bezwa lomsindo; kuhlokome izintaba zinanela. UNqobani avuke athalaze izwe lonke engakholwa. “Usafuna ukushiya ummbila namanje, hhe?” uKunene evutha. “C-ha cha cha mnu-mzane, hhawu ngisindile. Hhawu ngisindile nge-mpela.” uNqobani engakholwa. “Lalela-ke. Hlukana phansi nale ntombi oyithandayo!” “Ini?” “Ungizwe kahle. Uyolandelana nomuntu ongakuthandi kuze kube nini? Buka nje, uyibhungu elihle kanjani? Uke ucabange nje ukuthi bangaki abantu abakuthandayo langaphandle njengoba uchitha isikhathi sakho ulandelana nalomuntu omlandelayo kuhle kwesimaku sebhunu?!” uKunene evutha. “Kodwa kuhle ukuthandana nomuntu omthandayo…” “Ehhe. Kanti kubi-ke ukuthandana nomuntu ongakuthandi ngoba uyaye ufune ukuzibulala. Uzibulalele umuntu ongenandaba nawe!” uKunene ephula uNqobani ulimi. “Malandela angilwi nawe, ngilwa nenkinga eyacishe yangibulala nami. Nsizwa yakithi, uma ufa nje ucabanga ukuthi lomuntu wakho uzokuthanda, noma uzoqhubeka azicathukele kamnandi engasenasicefe?” uKunene athule. “Mina ngithi isicefe asiqhubeke siphile, sigwinye kubaba kunjalo sisebenze kanzima siziphendlele indlela eya empumelelweni. Ngiyazi akulula ukukhohlwa ngomuntu, kodwa kuyenzeka nami ngakwenza. Ukuba ngavumela ukucatshangelwa yinhliziyo ngabe angikho kumanje. Uzobona-ke mhla waphumelela Malandela, kophosa wena sebekulandela. Thatha nali ibhantshi lami ngoba angiboni ukuthi sisayophinde sibonane. Igama lakho unguNqobani njalo, nqoba-ke.” uKunene ekhumula ibhantshi elimbesa uNqobani maqede amshiye kanjalo aqhubeke nohambo lakhe. “Lomuntu
akayazi lento engiyizwayo, phela luyangibulala uthando lukaNobuhl...” “Luyambulala na olwakho yena?” uKunene efaka isibhamu sakhe enqulwini eqhubeka ehamba. UNqobani abuyele esikoleni engasadle nkobe zamuntu, ashaye adume ngazo. Uphele unyaka aphume ephepheni kulenga nje eceleni kwegama lakhe izifundo aziphumelele
ngamalengiso,
adumale
nxa
engaliboni
nangokhalo
igama
likaNobuhle. ****
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Lithatha osemsamu limbeke emnyango inkos’ impela, buka ngoba emva kweminyaka emine umuzi wakwaZulu uNqobani ubesewuvuse wama qingqo uma ukade wagcina ubusungafika udlule kodwa uze khona. UNobuhle akasahlali nakubo useyinto nje ehamba ihlala, lapho-ke izintombi seziziphonsa ngenye indlela kulesi silomo esinguMdidiyeli nombhali wamafilimu uNqobani kudle kona-ke ukuthi lensizwa inokhakhaya oluqinile; zibuyele emuva sezihlehla. Kuvungame isizwe sonke
mhla
kuzwakala
ukuthi
umfokazi
wakwaZulu
useqonywe
yintombi
yakwaBiyela obese kuyiyona ebisimlandela manje. Izintombi ebese zithembile ukuthi nanku umendo sezizowuthola kuNqobani zithwale izandla emakhanda uma zizwa ukuthi usevele walobola nokulobola kwaBiyela zizowushaya kungekudala. Babodwa ababekhuza ichilo mhla uNqobani egcagcelwa nguNobuhle owashadela ngaphansi kwemigomo yokuthi kumele ayeke utshwala lobu abesebudla nogwayi lona abesewubhema,
ngenxa
yokuthi
ubesengundingasithebeni
ukuvume
konke
okuqhamuka kulomsamariya olungileyo onguNqobani. UNqobani usanda kudidiyela ifilimi elotshwe nguye uqobo emayelana nezingqinamba zothando, asebeke bayibona abawuvali umlomo ngenxa yobuciko nendlela ayididiyele ngayo. Indlela abahlalisene kahle ngayo ayikhombisi ukuthi kuke kwabakhona ohlakaniphe okudlula omunye phambilini. Kodwa kulezi zinsukwana kubukeka sengathi buqale phansi ubuqhalaqhala kuNobuhle. Ilanga seliya kokhothama, uNobuhle uzibhemela umndweza wakhe ngemuva kwendlu ulele ubheke phezulu kwazise noNqobani uqeda kuphuma nje. “Ake ngisheshe nje angaze abuye uMageba.” uNobuhle eziqhenya edonsa intuthu. “Sheshisa uqoqe onke amasakana akho uphume uphele kulomuzi kababa! Kunini kwasa ngikukhuza ngalokubhema kwakho kanti ubungenza isilima?!” UNqobani evutha bhe. UNobuhle athuke ize imxhile lentuthu yalomdweza
asevele wawufumbatha. “Lokhu akukhona okucabangayo Mageba?” uNobuhle esondela kuNqobani. UNqobani ahleke usulu. “O, bengicabanga ini njengoba kungekona lokhu engikucabangayo?” “Bengi-ngabhe-mi mina.” uNobuhle engingiza. “Ubuwenzani? Ubushunqa? Njengoba amehlo akho ebhalwe igudu nje kusuka kwesemfene kuya kwesokuphosa.” “Bengilele n…” “Hhowu, ngokuphuma kwami nje imizuzwana usulale amehlo aze aba bomvu? Obunjani bona lobo buthongo?” uNqobani eqinisa amehlo. “Ukuthi nje Mageba…” “Angisafune kuzwa lutho Menziwa, phuma uphele kulo muzi.” uNqobani ekhulumela phansi. “Hha! Angiyindawo mina. Ungakhohlwa ukuthi uyangisaba njalo.” uNobuhle ekhuluma aze anyazise izandla sakuqhosha. “O, ilokho kanti okwenza ungeyise, uphinde ubehlaza njengoba uhlaza nje. Asizwane-ke ntokazi, ukukwesaba kwami kungokokuhlonipha hhayi kokuthobela umbhedo. Awuphume-ke kuleli khaya, ngingaze ngikuntshinge mina.” uNqobani ngeliphansi. “Hha! Kungamane kuphume wena!” uNobuhle ephakamisa izwi. UNqobani aphumule, avume ngekhanda. Abuyisele izibuko emehlweni akhe. Angene endlini avathe isudu yakhe kanokusho aziqhole maqede athathe izikhwama zakhe azihudule ayozifaka emotweni. Angene emotweni ayihlehlise, abheke isibuko abone uNobuhle emi phakathi nesango ekhala. Ashaye ihutha. “Ngizohamba kanjani manje uma usunqwahe nendlela? Suka lapho bo hawu! Ufuna ukubona mhlolo muni ngempela?” uNqobani evele ngewindi. “Angiyindawo, uyaphi ungi-shi-ya ngedwa?” uNobuhle ekhala. UNqobani azizwe edabuka kancane. “Suka bo ngidlule!” uNqobani ememeza. “Nx! Ngizokushayisa-ke!” uNqobani ethetha edinekile. “Ngishayise!” uNobuhle edazuluka kakhulu.
IYAPHELA!!!