15/05/2026
iLifa Lezithutha Lidliwa Yizihlakaniphi
Pascar Ncube
Isahluko 1
Impi kamalokazana loninazala.
Uthi nje engena endlini yakhe, ahle ethuke uMbali lapho ebona abantu ababili behleli ngasendlini yokuphumulela, khepha ubengalindelanga izethekeli ngalelolanga.
“Kungabe kungobani-ke laba Nkosi yami?” Azibuze aswele impendulo, aqhubeke ekhuluma yedwa, “Hawu! Kodwa yini le abayilandileyo bengazange bangazise ngokuza kwabo?” Adineke manje acobeke lamathambo, uvele ubephansi umoya wakhe. Okwamanje usebabonile kodwa kufuneka angabonisi emehlweni ukuthi akasa jabulanga. Avele ababingelele emile ebambe iqolo lakhe. Kuyamehlula ukuzenza yena othokozileyo emoyeni yena engathokozanga ngitsho lakancane. Umoya wakhe usudungekile. Omunye avume ngezwi eliphansi omunye avele amthaphe nje ngamehlo angatsho lutho.
“M-h-h-h-h, kukhulu okuza lalaba abantu, bayimpi.” Avele aphikelele ngasekamelweni lakhe angabanaki. Lukhale ucingo lwakhe aludobhe akhulume kulo khepha ukhulumela phansi fune bamuzwe.
“Kambe ngumhlolo wami lo, ngifika lapha endlini ngithola umamazala ukhona angazi ubekwa yini? Khona nje akasengumamazala wami angithi umntanakhe sewaya kwelamathongo. Abake bahlukane lami,” alubeke phansi ngamandla manje ucingo, esecaphukile. Avele adunyelwe likhanda nje acabange izinto ezinengi ezakhulunywa ngumkakhe ngesikhathi esaphila. Usezidla izibindi okofudu ngomcabango. Uzama ukubuyisa umqondo ukuthi kambe yini le laba abantu abayilandileyo kwazise selokhu umkakhe waphangalalayo ngomnyaka ka2012 bayaqala ukulugxoba lapha ekhaya. Kwenzeka lokhu nje sekwedlule phose iminyaka emihlanu umyeni wakhe wayakwelamathongo. Sebezomthutshela engalindelanga ngenyanga kaMbimbitho ngomnyaka ka2017. Athathe isithombe somuyi, umyeni wakhe esilengisiweyo laphaya emdulini asibuke zehle ezimathonsi. Akhale eyedwa. Konke lokhu kwenzakala ngokuphazima kweso oninazala balokhu bebodwa ngale endlini yokuphumulela.
“Woza lapha mfana wami Mzo,” kubiza uninazala uMaKheswa, ebiza umzukulu wakhe, umntakaMbali. Kufike kusondele kuye okuMzobololo.
“Akubize unyoko abuye lapha,” kuqhuba uMaKheswa. Avele awuhambise unjalo umbiko kunina umfana.
“Batshele ukuthi ngikhathele ngisaphumula!” Avele aphendule ngokukhulu ukuthukuthela uMbali.
“Umama uthi usadiniwe gogo. Usaphumula uzabuya.” Kwaba lokuthulisela kancane laphaya endlini akekho owayekhuluma lomunye. Bathaphana ngamehlo laba bobabili kwangathi badinga icebo lokuthi benze njani? Kwaphuma okumfanyana kwayadlala phandle le labanye.
“Angikaze ngiyibone indelelo engaka selokhu ngathw- etshulwa yingwe! Lumntwana ugila imikhuba. Kadeleli uqhuba intwala ngewisa. Angazi kodwa wayeboneni umntanami ezithela odakeni olunje,” kutsho uMaKheswa ngentukuthelo. Wabeseyihlanyethele emsileni, waphuma esegane unwabu uMbali, wena owabona imamba yamafusi isizondile; isiphakamise ikhanda selivuvuke lakhukhumala laba mnyama, isihaluzela ifuna ukugamula umuntu.
“Hawu mama! Uthini, kawungihloleli kodwa wena?” Esitsho edumela uninazala ngesibhakela. Kwathi akavele amhlanganise amcobodise ikhanda leli uninazala kodwa bamalela ubuntu bakhe. Wayesezondile umntwana wako Zikhali. Ubuso lobu basebubomvu gebhu bugcwele ulaka lentukuthelo.
“Lisuka emzini yenu lilanda ukuzengiphoxa endaweni yami? Angisoze ngiyendawo futhi khohlwani, le yindlu yami. Angeke ngiyitshiye ngiyofela lapha lomntanani liyezwa.” Watsho lamazwi uMaZikhali esehleli uninazala idundulu emklinya intamo. EsiNakaConjwayo sasesimi ngezinyawo sizama ukulamula laba ababili.
“Hawu! Kodwa umhlolo wami lo! Yini engiyibonayo? Kuyazila lokhu okwenzayo mntanami liyokufulathela idlozi ngiqinisile. Asilandanga ukuzokulwa lawe thina lapha.” Kazange esawaqeda lawo mazwi. Baphuma bobabili betshayana lomnyango usujike waba mncane. Akula owatshela omunye ukuthi akuhanjwe. Baphuma imikhono isisekhanda. Lavela ngokuphazima kweso icebo bakubona sekuqondile ukuthi babhekise amabombo endlini kaConjwayo eyayise Pumula South. ESelborne Park kwakungeke kusalaleka, ngalokhu abasebehlangane lakho. Babehlangane lembila zithutha.
Babengakulindelanga lokhu noma nje babesazi ukuthi kwakungeke kube lula ukulwethula udaba lwabo, kwazise lomakoti wabo babemazi ukuthi uluhlaza. Leyondawo yasemayadini babengayijwayelanga ngitsho lakancane, futhi nje base belesikhathi bacina ukufika kuyo.
“Zona imota eziya edolobheni sizazithola ngaphi khonapha?” Kubuza uNakaConjwayo.
“Hawu! Mina ngikubona uhamba phambili ngithi ulolwazi.” Kutsho uMaKheswa ngelizwi elivevezayo.
Aqede akhafule igazi.
“Hawu! Kanti ulimele kangaka, ukulimazile kakhulu lumgulukudu. Uzawukhomba umuzi olotshwala ngiqinis-ile,” akhuphe ilenjana esikhwameni sakhe esincane aphe unkosikazi kamnewabo ukuthi esule igazi. Bafika bama kwenye yezilindo zamabhasi bedinga izimota, kwazise kwasekumnyama, lendawo bengayijwayelanga lemota zasezibakhanyisa ngezibane ezihlabayo. Wafika omunye ehamba ngemota encane yohlobo lweHonda Fit wababuza ukuba bayangaphi. Baphendula kanyekanye bathi bafuna ukuya eGodini ukuze bayegada imitshova eya ePumula South. Bathi sebephakathi umtshayeli wababuza ukuthi ngabe behlelwe yingozi yini ebona indunduma ebunzini legazi elaligcwele kuMaKheswa. Bathula kancane ngoba babengezwani kuhle lalowomuntu phela wayesikiliza isiNdebele lesi, wayezikhulumela isiShona sakhe, pho babeyabe besazelaphi oMaKheswa bezivelela eDibutibu eTsholotsho.
“Uwile unyokozala mntanami sisiza lapha,” kutsho uyisekazi kaKhumbulani. Kwaba lokukhulu ukungezwani sebefikile eGodini ngoba lowo mtshayeli wayesefuna imali ababengakaze bayizwe.
“Le yithekisi mamazala, ubhadala ngama khilomitha,” kuqhuba umtshayeli. Kwaba lenkulu ingxabano ngoba bona babengelayo leyo tshumi lanhlanu yamadola eyayisifunwa ngulowo mtshayeli. Kwaze kwasiza labo abetshayela izimota ezazisiya ngase malokitshini, bethi wayephambanisile lowo mtshayeli bekumele abatshele bengakagadi kwazise, babebonakala ukuthi bavela ekhaya njalo babengazi lutho. Bacina bezikhwathaza baze bacina bekhupha itshumi lamadola. Lwaba lubi kakhulu uhambo lwabo.
Bafika ePumula bathola uConjwayo ekhona endlini. Wamangala laye wankema owangezansi ebona indlela umalumekazi wakhe ayelimele ngayo. Wavele wathatha amanzi aqandayo wamthoba, kwazise uConjwayo waye ngumongikazi kanti njalo babesebenza bonke loMbali kwesinye sezibhedlela koBulawayo. Kwathi kadobhe ucingo lwakhe amtshele zigcwale uMbali kodwa unina wamkhuza esithi abake bame udaba luzalungiswa ngabadala. Kwamalela uConjwayo waludobha ucingo wamtshayela uMbali kodwa lwakhala lwahawula ucingo, aluzange ludojwe muntu.
NgaseSelborne Park uMbali laye wasala ehlulukelwe ngalesisiga ayesenze uninazala. Okwasala kumthinta kakhulu yikuthi uMzobololo wathi nje efika wavele wambuza ukuthi ogogo basebeyengaphi. Kwamehlula ukuwuphendula lowo mbuzo wathi bayelala koyisekazi ePumula bazabuya ekuseni. Wavala ngokumhwabhela esithi kungani ebuya ilanga selitshonile, uzageza nini phela osebenza lapha endlini wayecele ukuyabona ijaha lakhe ekhaya. Wazisola kakhulu ngento ayeyenzile ngoba lokho kwenza wangabe esazi ukuthi laba babelandeni. Wazibona ubuwula, umsindo wavuka uNakaKhumbulani engakalulandi udaba lwakhe. Noma kunjalo waziduduza ngokuthi babevele bezombangisa indlu yomntanabo.
“Kanti bebevele belandeni kimi?” Waze waphumisela ngesikhathi egezisa uMzobololo.
