UBeauty Skefile
Ngemva kwenyanga ezimbalwa ngihlangene no Victor, lokha ngineminyaka eyi-20,satjhada.Kwakumtjhado omhlophe, begodu boke abantu bemphakathini wekhethu beza, amakhulu wabo. Kwakumnandi khulu. Iminyakeni yokuthoma elisumi yomtjhadwethu sasinemali elingeneko begodu sithabile.
UVictor waye thengela abentwana kanye nami izembatho, begodu asondla asenzela koke esikutlhogago. Ngangihlumbana bona izinto zizakuhlala zinjalo unomphela. Kodwana wabeka phasi iintambo emsebenzini, ngombana afuna ukubuyela eQunu, esiphandeni sange -Eastern Cape,lapha abelethelwa khona. Kulapho umiraro yathoma khona.
Iskhatjhana izinto zaziraga kuhle, kunganamroro eQunu. Besihlala emzini owakhiwe ngentina begodu silima, emasimini wethu,besivuna khona isiphila nomgade. Sasitjale ukudla okunengi begodu sasingalambi. Kodwana uVictor gade angasasebenzi,begodu lokho mhlamunye kwamenza bona agandeleleke ngokomkhumbulo.
Kulapho athoma khona, ukungibeka isandla Ngelinye ilanga wafika ekhaya adakiwe,wathi angibona ngihlezi nabantwana, wangibuza ngokungikgarameja, 'Kuphi ukudla kwami?' Wathoma wanghanghisana nami, angibuza imibuzo enetjhele, enzelela ukuthoma ipi, kusukela lapho wayesele angibetha.
Ngemva kwalokho, wathatha isiphetho sokobana atjhade umfazi wesibili, nobekumfazi wakamfowabo owalalako, nebekuyisiko lesiXhosa, lokuqinisikisa bona, abafelokazi nabentwababo bayatlhogonyelwa. Kodwana, kimi, isenzo lesi sangizwisa ubuhlungu khulu. Kwakuthi lokha nangimphendulako, angibethe.
Ithando lasele, liphelile emtjhadwenethu, begodu ingasekho into ehle kimi ngendawo yeQunu. Ngapaka izembatho zami, ngabona kubhedere bona, ngitlhagele endaweni yekhethu iKapa kunalapho.
UFelicia Mfamana
Umfowabo lendodami uMilton, abodadwabo, kanye nommakhe kwakubantu abalungileko, kodwana yena wayeyivila, begodu angitlhorisa. Wayethola imali ngokobana alungise izindlu zabanye abantu, kodwana mina wayengangiphi noPeni onzima. Umamazalami waye mazi bona unjani, begodu angakhambelani nendlela aye ziphatha ngayo leyo nakancani. Wayengipha ukudla, nemali yabentwana.
UNomanani, umntwanethu wokuthoma wabelethwa, kweza uNoxolo,Nonkosi kanye noPhumla,nanyana kunjalo uMilton besolokho angasondli. Waye sela khulu, abuye ekhaya phakathi kobusuku, adakiwe, asivuse soke ngetjhada, ’Nenzani nilala? Kuphi ukudla kwami?’ Wathoma ukungibeka isandla kokuthoma, lokha umntwanethu wesibili, uNoxolo asesemncani.
Ngemva kweminyaka elithoba, ngathatha isiphetho sokobana, ngimtjhiye. Waye khambe ilanga loke, nobusuku boke, wathi mhlana abuyako phakathi kobusuku njengenjwayelo, wafika wakokoda ebadini. ‘Ngilambile’ Kuphi ukudla kwami? Wangibuza. ‘Akukho, ukudla ngombana awukanginikeli imali yokobana, ngikuthenge,’ ngatjho ngimphendula. ‘Ungaleyi amala. Uthengisa amaswidi begodu imali unayo,’ wangiphendula.
‘Imali leyo, ngeyokuthengela abentwana ukudla’, ‘Ngamphendula, akusiyo yakho’. Wangibetha ngokubuyelelweko, zange ajame. Wangibetha ebusweni, kwathi lokha ngiwela esamendeni, wathoma, wangiraga. ‘Ngizokubulala’, warhuwelela. Udadwethu uNeliswa gade ahlala nathi, wathoma, walila warhuwelela, azama ukusilamula, amsunduza.’Awa bulala mina mantanzi’, wamrhuwelela. ’Bulala mina ngaphambi kobana ubulale udade’.
Abomakhelwani bethu boke, balizwa itjhadeli, beza bagijima. ’Jama’, lo, mfazakho! ’Warhuwelela umakhelwani adosa uMilton amsusa kimi. Wabiza amapholisa. Zange eze, kodwana uMilton, adakwe njalo wangilisa. Ngelanga elilandelako ekuseni, ngamtjhiya.
Translated by Busisiwe Skhosana