Читать книгу Yihlathi Leli - Bhekisigcino D Khawula - Страница 3

Bha-bha! Nse-nse! Eshaqekile enjalo wayimisa imoto, wavula isicabha. Ngqibilishi! Qala-qala, yonke indawo uMchithwa Ncokwane, emva kokuqhuma kwesondo langemuva leveni yakubo.

Waba isikhomololo njalo nje, lutho usizo, izimoto ziyedlula. Uvalo nalo aluzibekile neze phansi kuMchithwa. Lumshaya kufanele ngoba le moto ayishayelayo akazange neze ayicele kunina, kanti futhi izincwadi zokushayela akanazo.

Wabheka idosha lakhe uMchithwa wabona sekuyihora lesihlanu. Njalo nje uma ezimisa izimoto, aziyingeni lokhu kwangempela eyokumsiza. Uma ebheka izulu wabona lizona noma inini ngendlela eliyiyo.

Abangani bakhe laba okufanele abalande, usebona kahle ukuthi nabo sebeyabona ukuthi ngeke esafika. Uvalo lwadlala ngaye manje ngoba la emise khona imoto yakubo kusehlane, uma engase abanjwe abantu abathile inkunzi bese bembulala, aphoswe phakathi ehlathini eseyisidumbu angeke abonwe muntu, angaze abolele khona.

Imvula yaqala ukuna kodwa hhayi kakhulu. Wabona kumele angene phakathi evenini. Uma ecabangisisa kahle uMchithwa, wathola kufanele ukuthi zonke izimfanelo zokufaka isondo zikhona emotini. Yathi uma ithi nqamu imvula, waphumela phandle futhi umntakaNcokwane, okunguye yedwa umfana kwabo, olama intombazane nayo okungukuphela kwayo. Kusenjalo kwakhala ucingo.

“Sawubona mfana!” Kubingelela uMaMsomi ocingweni.

“Yebo Mama.”

“Iphi imoto na?”

“Ngi-hle-zi kuyo.”

“Ukuphi Mchithwa?”

“NgingakwaJanolintshi, nginephantshi.”

“Buya mfana, kade ngikugcinile.”

“Uma sengithole usizo ngizobuya, Mama.”

“Awukalambi nje?”

“Mama angikalambi,” kusho inkosi yengane eneminyaka eyishumi nesihlanu nje vo.

Bavalelisana kodwa uMaMsomi engemnandi ngoba ebona kuhlwa, ingane yakhe ingekho ekhaya, kanti naye uyazi ukuthi uMchithwa akahlwelwa ngaphandle.

Kwathi uma sekuyihora lesishiyagalombili izimoto sezikhanyisa impela, uMchithwa wabona imoto eyitekisi ima ngaphambi kwakhe. Wehla umshayeli weza kule moto ehamba uMchithwa.

“Mchithwa kwenzenjani?” ebuza umshayeli.

“Kuqhume isondo manje angikwazi ukulifaka, ” esho ngezwi losizi uMchithwa.

“Zikhona nje izinto zokulifaka?”

“Zikhona,” esho egwajaza, ehla naye emotini uMchithwa. Ngaleso sikhathi uNtondolo Dlamini wangazihlupha ngokuzwa impendulo, waqonda kweyakhe imoto. Wabuya esebuya nojeke kanye nesipanela sokuqaqa nokubopha amabhawodi esondo.

Uthe uNtondolo uma ebuka isipele sesondo eze esibhampisa, wathola sigcwele ngokwanele, ngokukhulu ukushesha lokhu wabe esekhipha leli sondo eliphantshile, wafaka leli eliyisipele omdala.

Lokhu uNtondolo ukwenza nje, uMchithwa useziqalazela izintaba zakwaGantshintshi, akazihluphi nokuzihlupha nje ukuthi kwenziwa njani uma uphantshelwe isondo usufaka elinye. UNtondolo naye wakuqaphela lokho, kodwa waqonda ukuthi ukwenziswa ubungane uMchithwa, okudliwa izambane likapondo laphaya kubo, kwaDumisa. UNtondolo wakuthola kuyinhlanhla ukuthi ehlelwe isehlo esinje uMchithwa, batholane engajahe ndawo.

Bangena emotini yakubo kaMchithwa ligamanxa ihora lesishiyagalombili kusihlwa. UNtondolo walayitha iwunga yakhe wabhema kabili kathathu, wase enika uMchithwa. Waqala wenqaba ukubhema, kodwa ngoba uNtondolo uyamncenga wagcina evumile.

“Mchithwa, uyawuzwa ukuthi umnandi kanjani lo gwayi?”

“Umnandi kakhulu,” evuma uMchithwa.

“Lo gwayi ubizwa ngewunga, wenza umfana abe umqemane, abe namandla amaningi, aphinde abe nesibindi,” kusho uNtondolo.

“Ngizwa kahle Dlamini.”

“Ngicela ungisize nawe Mchithwa.”

“Ngikusize ngani?”

“Izandla ingani uyazi ukuthi ziyagezana.”

“Yebo kunjalo,” kuvuma uMchithwa, inhliziyo yakhe isisekhaya ngoba uyazi ukuthi unina ujahe ukumbona.

“Uyabona ukuthi le wunga yohlobo oluphambili ukuthi imnandi kanjani? Yingoba yakhiwa ngezithako ezithize, okuhlanganisa ama-ARVs. Manje inkinga esivame ukuhlangabezana nayo ukudingeka kwawo ama-ARVs. Lokhu okunye kutholakala kalula, mfo kaNcokwane.

“Uqonde ukuthini?”

“Ngiqonde ukuthi wena ngisize ngama-ARVs.”

“Kanjani?”

“Ungiphe ama-ARVs njalo nje. Mina ngizokupha iwunga le emnandi kanje.”

Uma ezwa la mazwi kaNtondolo uMchithwa, wafunda kwezakhe ukuthi yindlela akhokhiswa ngayo ngoba usiziwe ephantshelwe isondo, kodwa wadideka ukuthi ama-ARVs uzowathathaphi. UNtondolo wanika uMchithwa inqwaba yewunga. Waphinda wamtshela ukuthi uzomfonela uma esewadinga ama-ARVs.

UMchithwa wavuma ukuthi uzowazama ama-ARVs uma nje ezothola mahhala iwunga emnandi kangaka. Behlukana kanjalo oMchithwa noNtondolo ngoba ngaleso sikhathi kwabe sekuyihora lesishiyagalolunye ebusuku.

Endleleni uMchithwa wacabanga ukuthi ngeke babe nayo inkinga abangani bakhe uma ebacela ukuthi bamzamise indaba yokuthola ama-ARVs lawa afunwa uNtondolo. Kwadla khona ukuthi unewunga, futhi uzobabhemisa bezwe nabo ukuthi imnandi kanjani.

Wafika ekhaya bengakalali oMaMsomi kanye nodadewabo kaMchithwa. Wapaka imoto wayikhiya kahle ngaphambi kokungena la okuhlezi khona umndeni wakhe. Wathi angangena endlini uMchithwa, unina wacela kuthandazwe.

“Egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelikaMoya Ocwebileyo. Baba ongumnini mandla onke, ngibonga ngiyanconcoza kuwe ekutheni uhlenge ingane yami, ukuthi ifike lapha ekhaya iphephile. Ngicela le ngane yami ukuthi ikhule ibe indoda eqotho. Konke lokhu ngikucela kuwe ophila izikhathi ngezikhathi. Amen.”

Emva kwalokho uMchithwa waqonda ngqo emabhodweni la afika khona washaya wavala. Wakwenza lokho ngaphambi kokuthi aye kolala omdala.

Ngesikhathi esembhedeni uMchithwa, owazi kahle ukuthi konke lokhu okwashiywa uyise uQobolwakhe Ncokwane okwakhe, wacabanga ngabangani bakhe uFahlaza kanye noNsonsothela.

Namuhla sekungusuku olusha, uMchithwa wabona kufanele avuke. Nguye lowaya elayitha iwunga eyibhema. Emva kwalokho waya kokwenza ukudla kwasekuseni, bheka nje, akakagezi ngisho ukugeza.

Gubhubhu uMaMsomi emva kokuvuswa yiqanda lakhe elinguMchithwa. UMaMsomi ubengalindele ukuthi usengavuswa ngovivi kangaka. Phela kwabe sekulungile okuya ngasethunjini, ukudla okuphekwe uMchithwa, iphalishi walifaka ithathalikhi.

“Mntanami, upheka kamnandi kangaka!” Wabheka iwashi lakhe. Wathola kuyihora lesihlanu ekuseni. UMaMsomi kwamangalisa nje ukuthi yini kudliwe ngovivi, kube kungakagezwa ngisho ukugezwa kodwa lokhu lapha ekhaya. Nokho uMaMsomi wasale esekhuleka ngaphambi kokuba adle ngokujwayelekile.

Waqeda ngokushesha uMchithwa ede eqalaza yonke indawo kube sengathi kukhona akubonayo. UMaMsomi ingane yakhe wayibona ukuthi sengathi kukhona ekubonayo, yena nina ebe engaboni lutho.

Lacu uMchithwa ebeka amanzi esitofini. Lawo manzi kwabe sekungawetiye. Unina waya emsamo, wathola amabhodwe abepheke ngawo ntambama esomile. Wagqolozela emehlweni ingane yakhe uMaMsomi elokhu enikina ikhanda. Unikina ikhanda kufanele ngoba uvuke kungakabi isikhathi avuka ngaso, kodwa unqene ukuphoxa indodana yakhe. Yabe isimlethela itiye ngaleso sikhathi. Washaya uphawu lwesiphambano kuphela uMaMsomi ngaphambi kokuliphuza.

“Konje wathi imuphi umsebenzi owuthandayo?”

“Ngifisa ukuba uthisha.”

“Ngizwa kahle mntanami. Asethembe ukuthi kuzokwenzeka.”

“Impela Mama, ngifuna ukufundisa izwe,” esho egqolozela unina ngamehlo abomvu, kodwa unina wangakunaka lokho.

“Uyabona Mchithwa, kumele uzibambe ziqine emfundweni, ngoba uwe ithemba lalapha ekhaya. Nobaba wakho lapho ekhona wethembele kuwe.”

“Ngiyajabula Mama uma kunjalo,” esho ephakamisa izwi kanti umthetho wakhe uMchithwa ukhulumela phansi, futhi nomuntu omdala akambheki neze emehlweni. Manje kushintshile.

UMaMsomi uma eyibona ikuleso simo ingane yakhe, wacabanga ukuthi yenziwa ukukhula: phela uMaMsomi ufuna ingane yakhe ibe nomakoti kusasa. Wazizwa ejabula ngenhliziyo uma eyibona ingasenawo amahloni.

“Mfana wami, khululeka nje, imali lapha ekhaya ikhona, ungafunda ufike lapho ufisa ukufika khona. Nansi nengadikazi ikhiqiza kahle kakhulu.”

“Mama, kuyezwakala,” esho ngekho nje nalapho uMchithwa kodwa ecabanga indaba yama-ARVs lawa afunwa uNtondolo.

Unina kaMchithwa obungakapheli kahle kuye ubuthongo, waphuma ukuze ayolala laphaya ekamelweni. UMaMsomi wazi kahle ukuthi uNtombi uzokuya kosebenza engadinikazi nabasebenzi balapha ekhaya. UMaMsomi wakha amathuba omsebenzi ngale ngadikazi. UMchithwa naye uma kuyimpelasonto uyaya ukuyobamba iqhaza kuyo belu ingadikazi.

Waphinda walayitha iwunga yakhe umfo kaNcokwane. Wayibhema qede waya emotini, wazihlalela kuyo ngoba kuyimanje akazi ukuthi kufanele aye kuphi. Phela akafuni kwenzeke esayizolo kade ethi uyolanda abafana adlala nabo ibhola. Njengoba namhlanje kunguMgqibelo nje, wabona uzoshaya ngokushesha uMsombuluko ukuze axoxe kahle nabangani bakhe. Uma kukhona umuntu onake zonke izinto ezenziwa uMchithwa Ncokwane, angabona ukuthi uyahlanya lokhu kwangempela. Uma umbuka nje, uyisigaxa sensizwa kufanele ngoba udla yonke into ayithandayo kulo muzi, futhi noma eya esikoleni unina akamniki imali engaphansi kuka-R100.00. Abangani bakhe basizakala kuye.

Wazizwa elunywa wonke umzimba lo uMchithwa. Wathi uzama ukubekezela, kodwa lutho. Ngenhlanhla kwanqamuka lokho kubaba. Nguye lowaya eqonda ekamelweni lakhe ukuya kophumula. Ngaleso sikhathi wabona engadini abasebenzi besebenza, noNtombi ephakathi kwabo. Wathi uma ebuka iwunga yakhe wathola iseningi, kwamjabulisa lokho ngoba abangani bakhe esikoleni ngoMsombuluko bazojabulela ukubhema. Wathi uma ecabangisisa kahle indaba yesikole ngoMsombuluko, wafikelwa ukwenqena, kodwa wabona kufanele aye ngoba abangani bakhe bayafunda. Wazitshela ukuthi ukuba akanabo abangani ngabe akawubeki umcondo wakhe esikoleni, ecabangisa okwengane ekhasela eziko umfo kaNcokwane.

Washaya ngonyawo lonwabu eqonde laphaya engadinikazi enomshini wokuzichelela. Ukuthi alini akusho lutho, kodwa konke okutshaliwe kuyo kuvuma kakhulu. Kukhona iklabishi, ukhelothi, amazambane, utamatisi, isipinashi, amadumbe kanye nobhatata, kodwa akuthanda kakhulu uMchithwa okulapha engadini isipinashi.

Wabe esethelekile engadinikazi yakubo uMchithwa. Wephuca omunye usisi igeja wahlakula, kanti akazitsheli ukuthi lo ngumhlaba wokusebenza umfo kaNcokwane. Walilahla phansi esahlakule kabili kathathu. Wephuca omunye futhi umama, wahlakula kakhudlwana kunakuloya sisi, kodwa walilahla phansi igeja.

Bonke abalapha engadini basola ukuthi kukhona okushaya amanzi lapha kuMchithwa. Waqalaza yonke indawo. Waqonda ngqo kuleya ntombazane ayephuce igeja okokuqala, wafike wayiqabula wabe eseyiphathaphatha khona esidlangalaleni. UNtombi wakhuza umhlola ebona uMchithwa ezoboshwa.