Lembula  Ingubo  Lingene  

Kusendaweni yaseMahhukwini engaphansi kwesizwe sabaNtungwakholwa

eMnambithi. Le ndawo ivamise ukuhlaselwa wubugebengu obunzima ngendlela

exakayo uma sekusondele izikhathi zePhasika (March/April) kanye nangezikhathi

zamaholide kaNcibijane. Into esuke isematheni ngalezi zikhathi ukulahleka

kwemfuyo. Into ekhungatha umphakathi kulendawo wukuthi, yize ilahleka ngapha

nangapha imfuyo yabo kodwa akekho oke aphume esidlangalaleni athi ‘izinkomo

zami zintshontshwe nguSibanibani.’ Kodwa ngaso sonke isikhathi abalahlekelwe

bahlale bethi ‘Imfuyo yami ilahlekile ngisola uSibanibani.’ Uma unegazana elithi

malibe libana igama lakho kuhlezi kudlalwa kulo.

Namuhla ziyishumi izinsuku kuZibandlela, lana kukwaMaMkhize kwaXulu isibongo,

uMaMkhize uhlala nomzukulwana wakhe uSiyanda ophothule izifundo zakhe

zikaMatikuletsheni ngonyaka ofile eMagwababa. USiyanda akakwazanga

ukuqhubeka nezifundo zakhe abenephupho lokuyozenza eNyuvesi yaKwaZulu

(UNIZUL) ngenxa yezezimali, kodwa amaphuzu abemuvumela ukuthi azenze

izifundo zokuba nguSonhlalakahle, kwazise uyazifela ngalomkhakha. UMaMkhize

usegugile impela ngoba usesebenzisa udondolo ngisho ehamba, kanti futhi

akasakwazi nokushesha. Kusemini bebade ilanga linsizwa likhipha umkhovu etsheni

uMaMkhize uzihlalele phansi kwesihlahla okulokhu kuheleza umoya opholile kuso,

uzilukela amacansi, osekuyiwona asizayo kuleli khaya ukuthi imbiza igcine ifike

eziko, kwazise uMaMkhize wanqatshelwa impesheni ngezizathu ezingaziwanga yize

iminyaka ikhomba ukuthi kumele engabe waqala ukuyitamuza eminyakeni eyishumi

nanye eyadlulayo. Intombi endala iluka lamacansi ayivalile emlonyeni; ikhuluma

yodwa yize kudlala umdlalo womoya emsakazweni. Kuyazicacela nje ukuthi lento

ayikhulumayo ayiwuphethe kahle umphefumulo wakhe.

“Hhayi ngeke, angimbize u-Ayanda phela lendaba akuyona eyami, ngeyakhe. Uma

izolokhu ihlukumeza mina ngedwa ngeke kulunge.” kubalisa ukhulu kaSiyanda.

“WeSiya-nda! Siyanda! WeSiya-ndo!” lowo nguMaMkhize ehoshoza ememeza.

“Akobe sekuphinde kwahamba lokhu nalomnganyana wako onguKhangelani.”

Kuqhuba intombi endala izithamundela yodwa. Ukhulu kaSiyanda ukhuluma

 

 

lamazwi-nje okunguSiyanda kumile emuva kwakhe kumulalele. UMaMkhize

aphenduke, “Hawu kodwa Siyanda mzukulu, sekwabiza imali yini ukusabela?

Awusabeli ngani ngempela? Sengimemeze kwaze kwasha izwi kodwa wena

uzithulele nje.” uMaMkhize efudumala. “Ngisabelile khulu wami, okungenzeka ukuthi

ukhulu akangizwanga.” uSiyanda esho ngomoya ophansi nokhombisa inhlonipho

maqede athathe icansi eduze kukaMaMkhize alindlale bese ehlala ezotha,

kubonakala nje ukuthi lomtwana uhlonipha ngendlela emangazayo. UMaMkhize

aphumule. “Ngikubizele indaba yokulahleka kwemfuyo kamakhelwana wami.”

uMaMkhize akhokhe umoya. “Mzukulu, uMlaba akakufuni nalapho uhambe khona

ngoba ukholelwa ekutheni nguwe kunye nomhlobo wakho enizitshontshile.”

uSiyanda ashaqeke.

“Awu, ubaba uXimba usengaze angicabangele into enjena kodwa?” kubuza

uSiyanda ekhombisa ukuthi akalindele mpendulo kanti nale nkulumo uyayeshwama.

“Uthi-ke uMlaba, wena uzenza umuntu olungile kanti ngaphakathi kuwe unosathane

nomhobholo, ufana nempisi embethe isikhumba semvu.” kuqhuba uMaMkhize.

Zivele zizehlele zilakanyana izinyembezi kuSiyanda uma ezwa lamazwi afana

nenkemba evutha amalangabi engena ejula enhliziyweni yakhe. “Kodwa Siyanda,

kukangaki ngikuxwayisa ngokuthi hlukana phansi nalomhlobo wakho

onguKhangelani buka manje usuzulelwa ngamanqe?” kubuza uMaMkhize. “Khulu,

senginezinyanga ezintathu ngingabonani noKhangelani. Lokhu bengikwenzela

ukuvika zona izimo ezifana nalezi; bengizama ukuvika ukubhecwa ngobubende

inyama ngingayithanga mbibi.” uSiyanda ekhala.

“Hhayi cha, iyangidida-ke manje le ndaba, ngoba izinkomo zikaMlaba zilahleke

ngesonto eledlule, kodwa wena uthi uKhangelani lona enizintshontshe naye

izinkomo zikaXimba ezingamashumi amathathu wamgcina ezinyangeni ezintathu

ezedlule. Ngapha uXimba ubhodla umlilo umlilo futhi ufunga uyagomela ukuthi

nguwena noKhangelani enizithathile.” intombi endala iyiqede le nkulumo isijuluke

imanzi nte kwazise vele i-hypertensive ngokwendalo. USiyanda athi uma ebona lesi

simo kugogo wakhe aphuthume endlini abuye nojeke onamanzi abandayo

nethawula elimanzi. Afike akunike ugogo wakhe. UMaMkhize aphuze lamanzi

maqede azisule umjuluko sakuzithoba ehefuzela. Into exakayo manje ukuthi

usehefuzela samuntu ovukwe yiphika. Yonke lento eyenzekayo iwudle kakhulu

umoya kaSiyanda agcine engasazi nokuthi athatheni ahlanganise nani.

 

 

Kusenjalo ezwe abantu besilisa bequbula ngasemgwaqeni bekhuza izaga

namakhwela eqhuma phezulu. Phakathi kwezinye izaga ezazikhuzwa yilezi ezithi:

Isela lemfuyo lifa kabahlungu

Lingazwelwa ngumuntu.

USiyanda kuvele kumkhanyele ukuthi leli qulu njengoba likhuza izaga lize lana

kwaXulu; lize kuye. Athi esadideke kanjalo uSiyanda, ngokuphazima kweso alizwe

ukuthi leli qulu selisesangweni lakubo elalivuliwe, selishintshe nesaga selithi:

Uyayivubela!

Uyayivubela impi, uyayivubela!

Zithi zisasizwa ngaphakathi lesi saga izinsizwa sekushisa negazi kwezinye, sivele

sishintshwe ngokushesha kuthiwe:

Niyamesaba na?

Asimesabi!

Nina Mbabazane,

Somuqonda ngqo,

Nizodlula kuphi?

Sizodlula kuye lona esiqondene naye! (bekhomba uSiyanda)

USiyanda aphakamise ikhanda amehlo akhe agcwele izinyembezi awaphose kuleli

qulu, athuke kome nasozwaneni lapho ebona izikhali ekuhlonywe ngazo; kukhona

izimbazo, izagila, ocelemba, amasikela, imphini yamapiki, amafosholo, izingcingo

ezinameva, isigubhu esino-petrol, intambo yokubopha izinkomo, amathayi,

amabhawodi, izando ngisho nesiphambano imbala. Esamangele enjalo uSiyanda

lisho phakathi emagcekeni akoXabhashe leli qulu sekukhala amakhwela kuphela

liholwa nguye kanye umfokaXimba (uMlaba). UMlaba alidonse eze nalo leli qulu

lakhe lize lifike lithi shaye phansi kwesihlahla. Lezi zinsizwa zifike phansi kwesihlahla

bese eyathula amakhwela. “Kodwa Mlaba, noma ngabe umzukulwana wami

ubekonile kodwa usungaze umhlomele ngalendlela enihlome ngayo?” uMaMkhize

 

 

ekhala futhi ephefumulela phezulu. “Wesalukazi, mina bengingazimisele ngokwenza

lokhu okwenzekayo manje kodwa ngiphoqwe ngamaphoyisa! NgoMsombuluko

ngaya kuwo ngiyobika lolu daba lokulahleka kwezinkomo zami, ngithe uma

ngiwabikela usizi lwami avele angibuza umbuzo othi ‘kungani sidlala izingane

sibadala, asizibambi ngani ngoba yizo ezebayo?’

Ngithe uma ngiphuma esizindeni samaphoyisa ngoba ngibona ukuthi sengiphenduke

inhlekisa awangisizi ngalutho ngase ngihlangana noMpanza ozichaze ngokuthi

ungowaseDriefontein. UThabekhulu uvele walubona ebusweni bami usizi. Ngibe

sengimlandisa ngokulahlekelwa kwami nangokuphoxeka engikuthole emaphoyiseni.

UMpanza ukhombise ukuzwelana kakhulu nami nokuyilapho angichathazele

kwelengane ngeNkangala Forum; okungamalunga omphakathi waseDriefontein alwa

nobugebengu ngokuzithathela umthetho ngezandla zawo. Nami ngibe sengihlala

phansi ngadla amathambo engqondo mayelana nale ndaba engiyitshelwe

nguThabekhulu, kangangokuba ngigcine ngifinyelele esinqumweni sokuthi nalana

kule ndawo siyayidinga nathi into enjengaleyo ezolwa nobugebengu. Yiyona-ke lena

eniyibonayo” uMlaba ekhomba leli qulu. “Pho, seningaze nizombulala

umtanomtanami?” kubuza uMaMkhize. “Yewena gogo, ubani othe sizowubulala

lomgodoyi wakho? Musa ukuphapha salukazi!” uMlaba esho ngolaka esefudumele.

“Akekho mtanami othe nizombulala kodwa ngibona izikhali eniziphethe ziyixoxa

yonke indaba.” uMaMkhize ebubula ngezwi elinosizi. “Angeke silibulale leli sela

olifuyile kodwa sifuna ukulizwisa ubuhlungu obukhulu. Silifundise isifundo

silifundisele nabanye, nothing less nothing more.” uMlaba emoyizela. “Zinsizwa,

ngicela ababili badonse lesi salukazi bayosifaka kuleyandlu kalawondi basivalele

ngaphakathi bese beshuda ngaphandle.” uMlaba akhulume maqede kunyomuke

izinsizwa ezimbili kuleli qulu, zidonse uMaMkhize ngendlakadla kuze kudabuke

iphinifa lakhe lisale phansi. Aphatheke kabuhlungu uSiyanda uma ebona ugogo

wakhe esehambaze, uSiyanda asukume ngenhloso yokuyosiza ugogo wakhe,

zigxume zihlale kuyena izinsizwa zimvimba kuze kudabuke isikibha sakhe kuqhume

nempama kube njeyaya.

“Mufaseni izandla nezinyawo lo mfana, nimuhlanganise nalesi sihlahla uyedelela

lodoti.” kukhomba uMlaba edla imihlathi. “Boss, umagriza sesimvalele kanjalo.”

Kukhuluma enye yalezi zinsizwa ebezidonsa uMaMkhize. “Ngiyabonga bafowethu

ngalokho. Ndoda, wena ophethe upetrol hamba uyofafaza kuleyandlu enogogo

 

 

maqede uyokhele.” uMlaba ehleka kuvela elomhlathi. “Singadlala abantu,

sizagidagidwa yinhlabathi.” ”Awu kodwa bab’ uMlaba ungayenza kanjani into

ebuhlungu kanjena?” uSiyanda ebubula ebona indoda ka-petrol iwafafaza wonke

amalitha amahlanu ka-petrol maqede ikhiphe umentshisi ephaketheni bese ihleke

kakhulu bese yokhela. Lushe lunqonqe uphahla lukalawondi luze luwele

ngaphakathi. UMaMkhize ekhala ngaphakathi engena kusizwa ngumuntu. Ngapha

noSiyanda akamile ekukhaleni, ulokhu ekhale njalo ngenxa yalesi sihluku ugogo

wakhe azokufa ngaso.uMaMkhize azwakale ekhala kakhulu kushintshe nezwi,

emuva kwalokho kukhala okukhulu bese kuzwakale ukuqhuma okukhulu okufana

nokwesikhali senyuzi. Emuva kokuqhuma kuvele kuphele nya nokukhala

kukaMaMkhize, uSiyanda azibonele ukuthi bekuqhuma ikhanda likagogo wakhe,

adazuluke kakhulu.

Leli qulu livele lishaye ihlombe namakhwela umalizwa loku kuqhuma. Abantu sebemi

phezulu kwezindlu emizini yabo babuka lo mshophi; babodwa abashuthayo,

babodwa abazibuzayo ukuthi ‘ingabe umndeni olunge kangaka wone ngani kodwa?’

“Madoda, nali isela lingelenu akubenjalo!” Kukhuluma uMlaba ebonakala nje ukuthi

iyamthokozisa lento eyenzakalayo. Izinsizwa ziphendule ngokuthi “Elethuuu!”

Babodwa ababemvambabula ngamawisa lapho bethanda khona, nabamabhawodi

nabo babemqhumisa lapho abathanda khona, nomphini wepiki wawukhala eqolo,

ezimbanjweni, emadolweni, emahlombe, emankankeni, ngisho nasentanyeni imbala.

Emva komzumzwana wayesebomvu tebhu uSiyanda, singamile nesililo belu. Kodwa

yathi enye indoda ingamsakaza ngesando entanyeni akangabe esakhala wavele

wadlikiza, kwashintsha umuzwa endaweni sekubonakala ukuthi kuthinteke

umgogodla phecelezi i-spinal cord. “Akenime zinsizwa! Ake nime kancane!” kukhuza

uMlaba ephakamisa izandla. Ngempela ziyeke lezi zinsizwa ukushaya. UMlaba

asondele kancane kuSiyanda, esasondela kanjalo kuqhamuke uStix kuleli qulu

ephethe u-2 litre webhakede eline-chemical angabe esabuza alibhunyele lonke

kuSiyanda. Leli khemikhali lavele lasiyocula isikhumba sikaSiyanda ngaso leso

sikhathi. Lamyocula umlomo, nesikhumba sasemahlombe nasekhanda lageleza

njalo lehla ngozimba lidlula nesikhumba.

Kuwo lowo mnyama kwaqhamuka iveni nemoto enkulu yamaphoyisa zilandelwa i-

ambulensi. Amaphoyisa afika ayimisa iveni ayivula ngemuva kwaphuma

uKhangelani elila kakhulu. “Hhawu kodwa seningase nimubulale kabuhlungu

 

 

kanjena uSiyanda engone lutho? Izinkomo zakwaMlaba zathathwa imina noStix lona

ophethe ibhakede.” Kube azilizwanga lelozwi izinsizwa kunqamuke izingcingo

zibaleka.

UMlaba azizwe exegelwa ngamadolo, afikelwe isiyezi esihambisana nesivuvu bese

ebubula ebheke ulawondi osushe waphela “Kodwa umkami ube-shilo ukuthi

ngiyasukela uSiya-nda.”

IYAPHELA!!!