Uthando Lwezandla Indawo kuseNtanzini kusadliwa ngoludala njengoba nentuthuko isagqozile nje. INtanzini lena yakhelene nendawo yaseZanyana, yona esithuthuke ngendlela eyisimanga uma uyiqhathanisa neNtanzini nje ivele ibe idolobha uqobo. INtanzini yonkana ishaqekile ngenxa yokushona ubuthaphuthaphu kwamadodana endawo; amanye
ngokubulawa
KukwaKubheka
amanye
isibongo,
ngokuzibulala
bekukuthangi
kodwa
uSandile
isizathu
ethe
bunyalala
kasaziwa. ngesisu
okhukhweni ngaphansi kwethunzi lendlu, elokhu ejike nalo kusukela ekuseni njengoba bese liyoshona nje. Lento kaSandile yokuzungeza ithunzi lendlu ibisiqhubeke isikhathi esiyisigamu sonyaka, emva kokuba besekuphele iminyaka eyisithupha engaziwa kubo, kanye nemali abeyisebenza. Bese begcina ngakho nje ukuxhumana ezingcingweni nakhona kuyibona abamfonelayo. Kwesinye isikhathi ubengatholakali kwakhona ocingweni lapho. Into ekade imangaza umndeni wakwaKubheka wukuthi uSandile ubehlala khona lana eNtanzini kodwa indlela abese bemufunga ngayo kubo bekungathi useGoli noma eKapa. Ngokwenkolo yethu thina ma-Afrika sikholelwa ekutheni umuntu wesifazane uyagana, ahambe ayohlala kubo kamkhwenyane abize nesibongo sakhona ngokunjalo. Kodwa okukaSandile kuvele kwahluka nje, phela ubethandana neqhalaqhala lephofukazi lentombi yakhona lana endaweni, uZinhle Shwabade. Le ntokazi wayikhuleliswa isafunda isikole yamtholela indodana abayiqamba bathi nguJabulani.
Emuva
kokukhulelwa,
uZinhle
akabange
esabuyela
esikoleni,
kunalokho wavele wazihlalela phansi wajoyina udadewabo naye owakhulelwa esesesikoleni wase eyeka akangabuyela ukuyoqhubeka. UZinhle wayesekhathulile nokho ngoba wayesesebangeni leshumi nanye. Uthando lwabo lwaluluhle kakhulu luhlobe kuhle kwembali ehlobo, behlale bezihambela bobabili emicimbini, emadilini, ngisho nasemaceceni. Babehlale bezihambela bobabili nje, wawusuke uneshwa elidinga isiguqo uma uthe usemcimbini wathola ukuthi uZinhle uzihambela yedwa okanye uSandile ohamba yedwa ngoba babehlale bebobabili kuhle kwamajuba. Emuva kweminyaka emithathu uJabulani ezelwe, uZinhle waphinde waba muhle futhi nokuyilapho bathola khona indodakazi, abayiqamba bathi nguZimbili. USandile ubezisebenzela ehhotela elidumile edolobheni lakulendawo (e-Sunderland Hotel),
lapho ebengunogada khona. Ngesikhathi engakathandani nalentokazi, imali beyifika kubo abathengele ukudla kanti nemfanisha ibingena ingenile ithengwa nguye belu. Kodwa izinto zagaya ngomunye umhlathi mzukwana ehlangana noZinhle, uZinhle wawafuna ngodli amakhadi kaSandile asebhange nama-pin akhona. USandile esegcina ngokuyisebenza nje imali bese iholwa nguZinhle. Emuva kokutholakala kukaZimbili, waqala wancipha kubo uSandile, babethi noma bembuza bethi “Yini inkinga yakho?” abaphendule ngokuthi “Ake nihlukane phansi nami; umuntu nomuntu akazinakele utwayi lakhe!” Emuva kwalokho wayelokhu ebuya nje kubo, afike
athathe
okwezikhwepha
zakhe
akuse
ekhweni
lakhe,
empeleni
nje
wayesesebenzela ekhweni ngoba nemali ayeyihleshulelwa nguZinhle wayethenga izinto ethengela bona abasekhweni. OBayakhuluma bendawo babehamba baye kumama kaSandile beyomhleka. Bafike bazenze abantu abazonana, athi uma elandula bese bethi “besesithembile ngoba sibone uSandile enyinyitheka noxhaxha lwama-plastiki edolobheni.” Asale edumele umama Kubheka. OBayakhuluma bansondo laba, babekuthokozela ukuhlupheka kukamakaSandile, bekujabulela ukumbona edla usizi ubusuku nemini, imimoya yabo yayikubona kuyinto emnandi ukuhlupheka kwakhe. Iminyaka eyisithupha uSandile ubehlala kwaShwabade kuhle komuntu osemendweni. UmakaSandile yena ethandaza ubusuku nemini ecela kuNkulunkulu ukuthi: uma lokhu kwenzeka ngenxa yezono zakhe usezicelela intethelelo kongaphezu konke. Sekukaningana nokho uSandile bemtshela eyokuthi ‘udlisiwe’ kodwa yena angakukholwa lokho. Uma beke bathinta indaba yokuthi udlisiwe avuke umbhejazana aze alibeke ngembaba elokuthi: “Banomona ngoba bebona yena noMaXaba bezihlalela kamnandi, bethembakele komunye nomunye.” Kulezi zinyanga eziyisithupha ezedlule izinto zishintshile azangahamba kahle phakathi kukaZinhle noSandile, abazinqanda ngamakhala bathi uZinhle ndini lona usezitholele ikhehlana elingusomabhizinisi. Lo somabhizinisi wansondo usemthembise izulu nomhlaba phela uthinte inkinobho yomshado, konke lokhu
abebekwenza
noSandile
emicimbini
usekwenza
nalo
somabhizinisi.
Okubuhlungu ukuthi nalento abeyenza uZinhle ubengayifihli kuSandile, eziphumela nje ngesikabhadakazi ashiye uSandile nezingane endlini elisha.
ahambe negugu lakhe
USandile ubeseyimpunzi edla yodwa nje, engasenabangani ngenxa kaZinhle owamphoqa ukuba akhethe ukuthi uthanda bani phakathi kwabangani bakhe naye. Hha lavele ladlala ikhubalo likaZinhle, ngoba uSandile akapholisanga maseko ekukhetheni, wavele wazikhethela uZinhle wakhe ngaphandle kokunanaza. Yize kunjalo, kodwa kukhona umngani kaSandile okwathi noma uSandile ethi buphelile ubungani kwatholakala ukuthi le ndoda ayiboni kanjalo. Le ndoda igama layo nguZulu, uZulu lona ubehlale ethintana noSandile ocingweni, yize kuSandile ubungani babo bese buphelile kodwa yena kuZulu ubesalokhu engumngani ongaconsi phansi. UZulu wake wayihlokoloza naye lendaba yokuthi unezinsolo zokuthi uZinhle wadlisa uSandile “ubhekaminangedwa”, uZulu waphoqeleka ukuba awothe ubomvu kwazise uSandile wavele wabhodla umlilo ngenxa yale nkulumo. Lendaba yabaxabanisa uZulu noSandile kwaze kwagcine ngokuthi kuphume izwi elaba libi emlonyeni kaSandile. Izwi elathi “wena Zulu ubulawa ngukudlala umhawu ngoba wena akekho umuntu ongubambo lwakho oluqondile; konke kufika kudlule nje.” Njengoba ebesebuye layikhaya nje uSandile akabuyanga ngokuthanda kwakhe kodwa nguZinhle othe “Ake ubuyele kini ngoba ngathi awusangithandi...” Wancenga encengile umfokaKhathide ezicelela intethelelo uma kukhona lapho one khona, ngebhadi kwatholakala ukuthi uZinhle wayengasazimisele ngokuzwa noluncane oluvela kuSandile. Ngesikhathi ebuya kubo wabuya nesikhwama sezingubo kuphela, omabonakude nakho konke okunye ayehambe nakho akwangabuya kona, ngoba namakhadi akhe asebhange imbala asala kuye uZinhle ndini lo. USandile wagcina ethathe isinqumo sokuyeka ukusebenza ngoba imali yakhe ibiphelela ezandleni zalembungulu enguZinhle. Nezingane zabo engazenzeli lutho uZinhle, zihlubule ekubeni yonke imali ifikela kuye; nezingane zibe zihleli naye futhi. Into amandla kuyo uZinhle, ukuzihlobisa, azithengele izingubo nezicathulo ezibizayo, alungise naleli khanda lakhe. Izolo uSandile uke wakhuluma noZinhle ocingweni ecela ukuba babonane, uSandile ubelokhu elindile esangweni lakwaShwabade kodwa lutho uZinhle ukuza kuye. Kube ngamahlandla amaningi uSandile eshaya ucingo encenga ukuba babonane. Kuthe uma kubumbana ihora lesine ntambama, uSandile waphinde washaya futhi kodwa kulokhu besekushintshile ukukhuluma, ngoba ucele ukubona izingane zakhe. Ubike ukuthi kunezinto afuna ukuzinika zona kodwa uzozibuyisa ngoba ‘kusasa ziya esikoleni’ ekhuluma izolo.
UZinhle uzivumelile izingane ukuya kuyise. USandile wehle njalo ngomgwaqo nezingane zakhe behambe bezixoxela kamnandi kodwa ebhocobele ebonakala ukuthi umoya wakhe ukhathazekile. Behle njalo-ke baze bayosithela kuleliyagquma eliseduze kwakaKubheka; nokuvele kwacaca ukuthi baya kubo kaSandile. Kuze kwahlwa izingane zingabuyile. Lokhu kwenze umndeni wakwaShwabade wathuka ngoba namhlanje bekumele ziye esikoleni izingane. UZinhle uzamile ukufonela uSandile ngehora lesishiyagalombili kodwa ucingo lukaSandile alungenanga. Kuze kwashaya ihora lesishumi nanye izingane zingabuyisiwe nocingo lungangeni, nokuholele ekutheni kuqale kube nezinsolo zokubi okubehlele ngoba le ndawo inababulali abaziwayo ukuthi wahlwelwa nje awube usadabula bakwenza isilo sengubo. UZinhle ufonele amaphoyisa wawalandisa ngalenkinga, ngenhlanhla lithe uma ligamanxa eleshumi nanye abesefikile amaphoyisa. Amaphoyisa afike athatha uZinhle ahamba naye belibangise kwaKubheka; kuyobhekwa uSandile nezingane. Iveni ifike yangena emagcekeni akwaKubheka aphuma amaphoyisa aya endlini uZinhle ayihlonze ngekaSandile. Amaphoyisa afike angqongqoza ngamandla impela kukhombisa ukuthi lento eze ngayo ayisomdlalo ibucayi kabi. Into exakile ukuthi bekukhanya ngaphakathi kulendlu kodwa engekho ophendulayo. Okunye okwenze izinsolo zokuthi uSandile ungaphakathi ukuthi bekukhiywe ngaphakathi kwazise lomshudo ongaphandle ubungashudiwe. Kuthe uma kushaya ihora lesibili kungqongqozwa kumenyezwa kodwa engekho ophendulayo sase siphela isineke sokulinda nokubekezela emaphoyiseni. Iphoyisa elilodwa livele lasebenzisa indlakadla liwungenela ngebhuzu umnyango, naleli elinye elibukeka liselincane lenza okufanayo. Bawugadlaza waze waphuka umnyango base besho phakathi. Kuqhume isililo kuZinhle ngesikhathi bezithela phezu kukaSandile eziphanyeke ngocingo oluhlabayo ebhalukweni lendlu. Bamuphuthumile bamqaqa kodwa
bekungasekho
ubesebanda kwabasele,
obekusangenziwa
umfokaKhathide, yena
esezithulele
eseyobhekana
nezithelo
ukubuyisa nezinsizi
umphefumulo zomhlaba
nemiphumela
ngoba
esezishiye
yakwelizayo
yona
engumphumela wezenzo zakuleli elimagade. UZinhle ubelokhu edazuluke njalo ethi “Ngaze ngaziyala kodwa... hhawu ngoKhathide wami. Hhi....” bebethi uma bembuza ukuthi ‘uziyale’ ngani ababhunyele ngemvula yezinyembezi.
Kusaqhuma isililo kunjalo kube sekungena umqhafazo efonini kaZinhle. Uthuke koma nasozwaneni uZinhle uma ebona ukuthi uvela kuye uSandile lona, ube esewuvula ewufunda: “Nkosazana enhle, ngisazikhumbula izikhathi zobumnandi esibe nazo NDAWONYE. Uthando ebenginalo ngawe belungachazeki, futhi lungafaniseki, lungalinganiseki nalutho lapha EMHLABENI. Ngqoma ukudela umndeni wami ngawe. Ngalambisa umama wami nezingane zakwethu NGAWE. Ngahlukanisa inhloko nesixhanti kubangani bami ngawe. Ngesikhathi sengibheke wena WEDWA, ubuso bakho ngibubone busuka kimi njengoMoya kaNkulunkulu udabuka eZulwini wehlela emhlabeni
uyisimo
ngingasakubona
sejuba;
kodwa
ngihlala
ziphele nawe.
golokoqo Noma
izinyanga
sengikumemeza
eziyisithupha izwi
lakho
bengingasalizwa lisabela, lize lazwakala selinkenteza kamnandi ngokuhlabayo lingixosha lithi ‘ake ubuyele kini’ emva kwalokho angiphindanga ngalizwa nanamuhla angilizwanga nasocingweni. Engikujabulelayo ukuthi emini ulizwile elami kodwa beselikucefezela okokugcina. SENGIQEDILE NGEZINGANE ZAMI. SENGIZOQEDA NGAMI MANJE. Usale kahle MaXaba.” UZinhle akhale kakhulu. “Hhawu... Hhawu... Ngaze ngawubulala umndeni wami... Hhi.. Hhi...” “Hhowu, ukhuluma ngani manje?” kubuza leli phoyisa eselikhulile. “Nezingane zami nazo zifi... Hhi...” uZinhle edazuluka. “Ukuthathaphi lokho?” kusabuza yona insizwa endala ididekile. “Lana efoni... Hhi...” uZinhle esikhihla kuduma indlu yonke enika iphoyisa elimbuzile ifoni. Iphoyisa liyithathe liyifunde maqede libuze “Ngubani uSandile?” “Ngub-aba wezingane za-mi. Hhi...” uZinhle ephendule samuntu osephelelwa ngumoya. “Uphi pho?” kubuza yona insizwa endala. “Nguye lona olele lana...” uZinhle ekhomba isidumbu. “Kanjani? Uyithumele kanjani imeseji ngoba ufile phela?” kubuza insizwa endala ikhombisa ukudideka okukhulu. “Ey... Cha unesicefe phoyisa mina ngizozithathaphi izimpendulo zaleyo mibuzo. Hhi...” uZinhle eqhubeka nokukhala. “Yehlisa umoya sisi.” Kungenelela elinye iphoyisa. “Kaputeni Mngoma, ngibona ukuthi umufi uyithumele esaphila lemeseji, okungenzeka ukuthi ayingenanga kusisi ngesikhathi ethunyelwe ngaso ngenxa ye-network, kwazise yiyona evumela ukungena nokuphuma kwemilazo nezingcingo.” Kuqhuba leliphoyisa eliselisha. “Cha wayilamula zakwethu, mina bese ngizidunguzela emswaneni.” Kubonga uMngoma.
UMngoma aphume endlini aye emotweni afike akhulume ku-ova. “SiseNtanzini lana besicela nisithumelele uphiko lwamaphoyisa asebenza ngezinja. Kunezingane ezimbili esezidukile okunezinsolo zokuthi zishonile lapho zikhona.” “Copy. I-dog unit isendleleni, sizozama ukuthumela nabatshuzi abayisithupha in-case kunemifula okanye amadamu enisolela kuwona.” Kuphendula umuntu ngalena. “Akusheshe.” Lowo nguMngoma. UMngoma aphume emotweni abuyele endlini. “Kukhona abanye ozakwethu abezayo abazosisiza
ekuthungatheni
izingane
zakho
nkosazane.
Ngizocela
umuntu
ozokubuyisela ekhaya uke uyophumula kancane, thina sizolokhu sikwazisa ngokwenzekayo.”
Kusho
uMngoma.
“Akunankinga
ba...ba.
hhi...”
uZinhle
esenesibibithwane. Emva kwesikhashana kuzwakale ama-sirens amaphoyisa, zingene
ezikadalawana
kube
ububhanyabhanya
kwaKubheka
kuze
kuvuke
nomakhelwane. UMngoma aphume endlini ahlangane nenkunzimalanga yebhunu elingusomaqhuzu elaliphuma evenini, bahlangane nalelibhunu baveteze isiNgisi bebhunga ngokuthile. Linqekuzise ikhanda leli bhunu likhombisa ukuvuma. UMngoma asuke lapho adidiyele amaphoyisa awahlukanise abe amaqembu amahlanu,
aklame
nezindawo
azothungatha
kuwo
lamaqembu
ngamanye
ngamanye. Emva kwalokho kuphume izimoto ezintathu ziyothungatha lapho kukhonjwe khona. Kusale izimoto ezintathu namaqembu amabili. Elilodwa iqembu kulana
asele
lizoqala
ukuthungatha
emagcekeni
akwaKubheka,
likhuphuke
liyothungatha nakulentatshana ekude buduze nekhaya. Kuzosukwa entabeni kwehliwe kubhekwe phansi enkundleni yezemidlalo behle ngohologo baze bayoshaya phansi emfuleni uMziyonke ohlukanisa iNtanzini neZanyana. UMngoma neqembu lakhe bawuqale umshikashika wokuthungatha, baqale khona egcekeni beholwa yizo belu izinja zomkhondo. Zibahole kubo lobu bumnyama bentathakusa kodwa sesibonga wona amathoshi lawa abawaphethe nakuba bayabona. Izinja zibadonse zibadonsele entabeni bathungathe entabeni kuze kushaye ihora lesithupha, kukhanye bha kuhambe nezithuthi zomphakathi. O-ova balokhu bekhale njalo entabeni bethola ama-updates kwamanye amaqembu athungatha kwezinye izindawo. Ihora lesikhombisa libashayele bebheke ezansi enkundleni yezemidlalo, zibadonse izinja zinqamule ngokushesha enkundleni bese zihamba ngendlela esuka lana enkundleni eya ngase mfuleni. Zizwakale sezikhonkotha kakhulu kanti sekukhona esezikutholile. Amaphoyisa aphuthume
kuleyo ndawo ezikhonkotha ngakuyo afike azithele phezulu kwezicathulo ezimbili eziphinki zibekwe ngesinono, okucacayo ukuthi ngeze ntombazane esencane. Bathi besadidwe yindaba yalezi zicathulo babone esinye isicathulo buqamama. Lesi siyithafisi yabafana emnyama esigugile impela. Bazithathe zonke lezi zicathulo bazifake ku-plastiki ocwebezelayo. Izinja zilokhu zibadonsile zize ziyofika osebeni lomfula uMziyonke, bathi besalindele ukuthi zizongena phakathi emfuleni izinja zivele zingangeni, zigudle khona osebeni lomfula nje. Besahambe ibangana nje kome amathe sebezithela phezulu kwezidumbu ezimbili ezifuthekile nje; esomfanyana olinganiselwa eminyakeni eyisikhombisa
kuya
kweyishumi
kanye
nesentombazanyana
engaphansana
komfana ngeminyaka. Umfanyana lona wabe egqoke isicathulo esisodwa esifana ncamashi
nalesi
esitholakale
sihamba
sodwa.
Ngakolunye
uhlangothi
intombazanyana yayingafake lutho ezinyaweni. Okudidayo ngalezi zingane yindlela ezilele kahle ngayo kulendawo kucaca nje ukuthi zibekwe kungajahwe ndawo. Okunye okube yisimanga ngalabantwana yizisu zabo eziqumbile nemilomo eluhlaza sabantu
abadle
ushevu.
UMngoma
athinte
amanye
amaphoyisa
ngo-over
“Kunezingane ezimbili esesizitholile uma ngicabanga yizona lezi ezifunwayo.” UMngoma afonele uZinhle ngokushesha emazisa ngezingane asebezitholile futhi emcela ukuthi azozihlonza ukuthi akuzona yini ezakhe. Ngempela afike azibheke uZinhle izingane. “Hhi... Hhi... Ngaze nga-zenza kodwa... Ningi-xole-le bantabami. Hhi...” uZinhle ebambe izingane zakhe eceleni kosebe. “Hawu! Kanti yini lena engaka owayenza ndodakazi?” uMngoma enyusa izintshwaqa. “Hhi... Hhi... ngicela ningibophe ngingu-mbula-li. Awu...” kusho uZinhle. “Ubabulale kanjani ngoba umkhwenyana
simthole
ezilengisile
kanti
nembangela
yokufa
kwezingane
ayikaziwa?” kubuza uMngoma edidekile. “USandile ngamthaka... Hhi... Hhi...” lowo nguZinhle. “Mana-ke. Wamthakathela ukuthi azibulale? Hhe?” uMngoma ehlehla kancane.
“Ngaya
komunye
umuntu
edolo-bheni
ngathenga
in-tando
‘ubhekaminangedwa’ ngase ngi-mdli-sa. Ngange-nzela ukuthi athande mina ngedwa angithande kakhulu, uma ehlukana nami avele aphe-lelwe ngamathemba bese ezibu-lala.” uZinhle adazuluke kakhulu esemi ngezinyawo ehlehlela kulomfula ami eduze kwawo. “Hhayi-bo, wenzani ndodakazi!” uMngoma ememeza.
IYAPHELA!!! Date: 17/01/14. Date: Siyabonga B. Buthelezi.