“Kwathi kaloku ngantsomi,” watsho uMakhulu kuZanda noZimbini abazukulwana bakhe, ehleli ezantsi kweebhedi zabo, kwisithulo sakhe esigungqayo. UMakhulu wayezisongile izandla zakhe nje ngesiqhelo, etshatise namaqhatha akhe ayevame ukudumba aqaqambe, esiya emva naphambili, emva, phambili, emva, phambili, nesitulo sakhe. Nje ngoko wayesenza yonke imihla.
“Chosi ntsomi!” Zatsho ezoontwazana ngentsholo enye, zibonakala ukuba ziyalivuyela eli siko lokubaliselwa intsomi ngumakhulu wabo xa kufike ixesha lokulala. “Kwakukho intwazana ethile, ihlala notata wayo kwilali yaseQhetseba. Intwazana le yayiseyintombana efikisayo, intle kakhuulu izogqitha zonke iintombi zaseQhetseba ngobuhle nokumila. Intwazana le yayinebala elifana nekofu xa uyithe chatha nje ubisi, ingemhlophe, ingentsundu. Utata wayo ke wayesokola kakhulu, kodwa eyithanda kakhulu intombi yakhe, kodwa eguge kakhulu engasenawo amandla okuba ayise esikolweni okanye aye emasimini ukuyokuyivunela umbona nezinye izityalo neziqhamo ezisentsimini.”
UMakhulu wakhumbula ngamini ithile egqibelisa ukuya esikolweni, utata wakhe engakwazanga kuya kufumana ukutya emasimini, kuba wayengakwazanga kuphakama emandlalweni owayelusizi kunene. Babengenalo nobisi lokuphunga loo-kofana babenayo, kuba inkomo enye ababeshiyeke nayo bayithengisa kuba befuna ukuthenga iimpahla zakhe zesikolo zaloo nyaka, kunye nokutya okwakusele kuphela nako.
“Le ntwazana ke yabona ukuba utata wayo akanampilo, yaye indlala ayiyincedisi imeko akuyo, yagqiba ukuba ingayi esikolweni loo mini yathi kutata wayo, “Tata, bamba nantsi ikomityi yekofu, ndiyabuya,” waphuma utata wakhe engekafumani nethuba lokumbuza ukuba uyaphi na, okanye kutheni engayi sikolweni kuba ixesha lixhatshwe yinja. Kodwa ke le ntwazana yayisele isithathile isigqibo sokuba iye kufuna ityala evenkileni yomlungu eyayikwenye ilali.”
Babemamele bengashukumi nokushukuma abazukulwana bakaMakhulu, bede bemjonge apha emlonyeni, amehlo abo egcwele ubuntwana benyaniso enga angaciphiza iinyembezi ukuba uMakhulu angangayigqibi le ntsomi. Babede beneendawo ezilandela uMakhulu nesitulo sakhe ukuya emva na phambili. “Kwathini kengoku ‘Khulu? Yafika intwazana evenkileni?”, wabuza ngokungxama uZanda, ephelelwa ngumonde kuba kaloku uMakhulu wayebalisa esima okungathi uman’ elibala ukuba le ntsomi yayisithini xa iqhubekeka.
“Intwazana le yahamba yade yaqina imini, igxanya apha endleleni kuba inombono katata wayo owayephelelwa ngamandla. Nokubuyela kwayo ekhaya yayisagxanya njalo, ihamba ingathi ityhalwa ngumoya ophephezela emva kwayo.”
“Zaqengqeleka ke iintsuku, le ntwazana imana ukuvukela emasimini kunye noomama belali isiya kusebenzela ukuba utata wayo ade aphile, izokude ibuyele esikolweni. Kanti ke zona iintsuku zaba ziiveki, neeveki zazinyanga.” UMakhulu eneneni kulelilixa kwenzeka into engaqhelekanga, wasuke akashukuma nesitulo sakhe. Amaqatha ohlukana. Iinyawo zazinza phantsi kungathi zikhule iingcambu.
“Intwazana yathi ngemini eyayiselwe ngayo, ingxame kanobomu ukuya emasimini, iphephetheka ngesasantya sakhe saziwayo, ishiya umhlaba uxambulisana nomoya emva kwayo… Khulukuhlu! Bhum! Cwaka! Cwaka. Zole. Tu, noMakhulu.
Babangathi bacofwe ngeqosha abazukulwana ukukhupha kwabo amehlo, bebuncuma. Kaloku babesele besiqhelile isimbo sikaMakhulu wabo wokubalisa, beyazi ukuba bebesebeqalisa ukubiwa bubuthongo, obona buncwane bebali babusele bufikile, kwakufuneka banyamezele nje ithutyana… “Intwazana,” watsho eqhubekeka uMakhulu, “kwakuthe kanti ikhubeke, yangqubeka yayokuwa ecaleni kwendlela eyayizixela ukuba yayihanjwa ukususela mandulo. “Uyakuthini ungawi ke xa uhamba ingathi uleqwa ngamaphepha? Phakama. Utheni uselwe namhlanje? Ndiqhele ukuba sewusentsimini elixesha, ufanele nokuwa nje.” Suke wabona isandla siphambi kwakhe, weva nentsini ebungqokola, ecacayo ukuba umntu wayo sele enazo neentshetyana. Zange iphose nelinye loo ntwazana, yaziphakamela yazivuthulula. “Ukanti ke andilumi, futhi bendikwenzela ububele ngoba kaloku nguwe
ongene kum ugaleleka,” watsho lomfo wayesele esonge izandla eyithe ntsho le ntwazana. “Uxolo,” yanela nje ukuba itsho loo intwazana yabe kanti sele iphinde yaphephetheka.
UZethu waba ngowokuqala ukushukuma, ebonisa amazinyo amhlophe qhwa, agqibakuhlanjwa x’ ancumayo. Wayezithanda kakhulu iintsomi ezingathi zinothando phakathi, kwaye noMakhulu wayeyazi loo nto…
“Le ntwazana yaqinisekisa ukuba izakuvuka kwangethuba ngosuku olulandelayo, kanti ayiqhashanga. Yathi isasondela emasimini ngaloo ntseni, yafika loo mfo ehleli eyilindile, iphethe iipesika ezintle kakhulu, zibonakala ukuba zisanda kuhlanjwa zasuswa noboya obu.” UMakhulu wayenga usalikhumbula nevumba lezoopesika awayezinikiwe… zivuthwe nje kakuhle, kodwa engenamdla wazo tu. Intwenayo ke
yona intwazana yasentsomini inene yayingenguye uMakhulu, izirhalele iipesika ezi, indlala yakusasa imbambile kuba ke wayesele engaphungi, kuphunga utata wayo kuphela kuba wayesithi wonga ikofu leyo, kodwa exokile kuyise wathi usuke akayirhalela mva nje.
UMakhulu wazikhumbuza ukuba akayiyo le ntwazana, okanye akaseyiyo. Phofu ke zange wayiyo. Waqhuba nentsomi yakhe ke esithi: “Yathatha igaqa elalikufitshane nalo mfo, lashiya eli laliphambi kwakhe yabuza ukuba umnika eli igaqa kuba litheni lona, suke loo mfo wahleka akaphendula. Nangengomso ke benje njalo ukukhaphana ukuya emasimini, bengathethi kusityiwa iipesika, amapere nezinye iziqhamo ekwakucaba zikhula ekhaya kulo mfo egadini.”
Wakhe wema umakhulu, akazazi nokuba ubindiwe, okanye kukho igaqa lepesika elisuke laxinga kuye emqaleni. Wakhumbula intsokolo yakhe noyise, nendlala yakusasa xa awayesiya entsimini ngentseni. Wakhumbula ivumba leepesika ezazinuka kude kufuphi negunjana elimnyama awayefakwe kulo. Naloo magaqa ayegityiselwe ngawo ukuba awatye. Endaweni yokuba angene nzulu kwezi ngcinga
wabona uMakhulu ukuba aqhubekeke nentsomi, ezibona phofu iintombana awayezibalisela ukuba sele ubuthongo busebeza kuzo.
“Loo mfo wasuke ngenye imini wabonakala eyikhawulela le ntwazana,
engasayilindanga apho bebadla ngokudibana khona. Kwaye ngale mini yayiphethe ipesika enye, kwaye sele eyilumile kabini, okanye kathathu. Nentwazana yangafuni kubonakala idanile, kuba kaloku ezaa pesika ndini yayisele iziqhela, kwaye nomfo lo wayesele eqalisa ukumcacela kuba embona ukuba umkhathalele.”
“Namhlanje inye ipesika endinayo, sisi wam,” watsho lo mfo edlala ngentshetyana akwathi kanti nyani unayo, “Ndifun’, gxebe man, ndicela undifake kaloku mntwana-mntwana,” yatsho nje ngoko iqhele ukutsho xa imbiza, imthe ntsho emehlweni ngathi ikhangela impendulo emehlweni ayo. “Yhini mntwan’ omntu, ndikhuphe kolusizi man sisi wam, ndiyakucela,” watsho umfo kuloo ntwazana ngaloo mhla awayengawazi usisi lowo ngabula yena, ukuba yayisuke ivukwe yintoni.”
UMakhulu waziqaphela ngaloo mzuzu ukuba eneneni ukhathazekile ukuba eli bali lomendo wakhe azange lilandele ukuhamba kwale ntsomi. Wathi akujonga abazukulwana bakhe wabona ukuba sebenxanelwe isiphelo esizakubalalisa kamnandi kakhulu kuba ke babeqhele ukwenjenjalo kakade. “Loo mini zange isebenze kamnandi tu loo ntwazana, ingazazi nokuba ityiwa sisazela okanye ngumvandedwa, okanye zizo zombini. Eneneni wayesele eqala ukuyithanda le tyhagi yayimncekelele, kodwa ke wayengasoze akwazi ukuthandana nayo ngoba utata wayo wayezakuhoywa ngubani xa elibele kukuyantaza esithubeni nomfo lowo? Wathi esaziqhekeza ubuchopho ecingana nalematha yayimomele, suke weva ekhwazwa ngabanye ababelima nje ngaye… xa aphakamisa amehlo, wee-ntla ngoyise.”
Enyanisweni ke uMakhulu azange elakhe ibali libemtyibilizi nje ngeli lalentwazana, kwaye loo nkumbulo yayimgwantyisa ngeenyembezi, kodwa wathi kuba ebebalisela abantwana bomntwana wakhe, phofu owayesahleli kubo inguZanda, sele erhonela ezantsi uZimbini… “Bathini kaloku Makhulu? Yavuma intwazana?” watsho sele ebuthongwarha naye uZanda, wahlekela phantsi uMakhulu, waphinda wathathisa. “Kwathi kanti utata wale ntwazana noko impilo yayisele imfikela inene, Zanda. Ukanti ngengomso, xa intwazana ivuka izakuya emasimini yavuka utata wayo engekho, embekele ikofu eyayisele ibanda, imayinele neempahla zayo zesikolo.” Uncumo lukaZanda lwaluvuyisa eli xhewukazi, kuba nangona intliziyo yalo yayilihlwili, wayengenazo iinjongo zokumphoxa umzukulwana wakhe. “Yavuka yancuma laa ntwazana, yasuke yathi hlasi loo komityi xa isingisa entsimini. Yathi ingekahambi na kakhulu wabe umfo enxunguphele, kucaca ukuba sekulithuba elide ilinde isithandwa sayo.”
“Mntwan’ abantu, yintoni ukuselwa oluhlobo namhlanj-”, yathi ingekaligqibi elo, intwazana yajonga ingxowa eyayithe khunubembe enyaweni lwaloo mfo yambuza ukuba uyaphi na. Yazibika la ndoda ukuba iya eKapa, umzala wayo uyibizile ukuba iye kusebenza khona. Bajongana kalusizana bobabini, kungekho wumbi uthethayo inoba imizuzu embalwa. Yasuke yathi laa ndoda,”Imali endinayo yanela amatikiti amabini kaloliwe, masambe kunye, sishiye le mpilo yalapha. Ungandiphoxi kaloku mnta’ kwethu. Khawushiye sambe sana. Enyanisweni, loo ntwazana azange iphendule. Yathi krwaqu ngakowayo, suke yajonga phantsi. Yayimthanda lo mfo, kwaye ke notata wayo wayesele ebhetele, nako evukele emasimini… zange icinge kuyaphi emva koko, yafaka isandlana sayo phakathi kwesandla salo mfo.
Bobabini zange bathethe, suke la mfo wachola ityasi yakhe, basingisa etheni bengakhange baxelele mntu, bengakhange bajonge mva. Ingulowo uthe cwaka, kukhala izihlangu zibetha umhlaba. Inye into ababeyazi, kukuba bayathandana, kwaye bengenamsebenzi nayo enye nenye.”
Wathi akuzipha ithuba lokuphefumla uMakhulu weva ukuba izandla zakhe zibilile. Wazosula emathangeni elokhwe yakhe yokulala awayeyinxibile. Kaloku le yayiyintsomi, kodwa wasuka uMakhulu waziva enomona ngebali lalentwazana… Wakhumbula loo mini ngathi bekuyizolo, eleqa evenkileni, utata wakhe eyithume ukuba iye kuthenga iphepha. Yamothusa ke loo nto kuba utata wakhe wayengakwazi
ukufunda, engananzanga nasikolo na kakade.
Kwakuyiloo mini awathi ebuya, ehambela phezulu neso ’Sigidimi suke wazibona engqungwe ngamadoda amathathu, enye yawo yambuza ukuba iphepha ulisaphi. Wathi x’ eqalikuzama ukugqitha ngapha kwabo omnye wambamba isihlahla ngezoozandla zigadalala. Wayiqonda ukuba ukho undonakele. Wathi xa ezihluthula omnye wamthi nqaku wamxwaya egxeni, nabanye bemthe nqi. Wayengakwazi
nokuthini, ukuba uyayazi inkukhu xa sele ibanjwe ngamaphikho izakuxhelwa… Wagqushalaza yonke loo ndlela, de adikwa la madoda amgrogrisa ngokumbetha, waziqonda ukuba akuncedi nto. Kwenjenjwe eQhetseba. Intombi entle ibekwa egxeni ngumfo ozivayo.
Kwakusele kuphele iyure egqibakudlwengulwa nguloo mfana wayemxwayile indlela leyo. Wakhala wada wadinwa, ilizwi litshothoze lada laphela emqaleni. Wagityiselwa ngamadakhi, ikhetshemiya emnyama kunye nezihlangu ezazibonakala ukuba zintsha, eqikelela ukuba zingamlingana, ukuphakama kwaloo ndedeba eyayizibonele yena. Zange ashukume. Zange aphinde akhale. Wathi sele ejonga loofestile yelogumbi wayibona ukuba inene incinci kakhulu ukuba angaphuma kuyo, kwaye nokuba angayiqhekeza atye kwabanentsente weva ukuba intlungu ephakathi kwamathanga akhe yayingasoze imvumele. Yangena loondoda esacinga njalo, iphethe isitya esitsha senkcenkce esasineepesika ezibini. Amagaqa amabini avuthwe kunene, nekomityi yamanzi. Yamjonga nje, yathi yakufika ekhedamile kwelokhuko, engqiyame ngodonga, yasuke yabeka phantsi isitya nekomityi yaphuma yahamba.
UMakhulu kaZanda noZimbini weva into eshushu isehla ngesidlele wayiqonda ukuba yinyembezi. Ngexhala lokuba ubonwe ngabazukulwana bakhe elila, wakhawuleza ukuyirhutyula ngomva wesandla. Ngethamsanqa lakhe, zabe zombini ezoontwazana zilele cum. Intomb’endala yakhe yazipha umzuzwana. Emva koko yaphakama, yaphinda yosula ezoozandla sele zishwabene elokhweni yayo, yavula ucango sele ithethela ezantsi, “phela phela ngantsomi.”
