Ukubhubha kuka Zolile Mdaka
Ngenyanga kaSihlabantangana ngezi 13 zonyaka ka-1976, ipilo yami yatjhuguluka unomphela, lokha amadodana wami amabili uAntony egade aneminyaka emithathu, kanye no Lennox egade kungasikade aqede unyaka, noZolile ubabawakwami babhubha. Isitifikedi sakhe sokufa sithi wabulawa yi-chronic renal failure.
Gade ngiseTsolo e Eastern Cape ngeskhatheso. Ngilapho isikhathi esingaba zinyanga ezintathu, begodu ngesikhatheso aboma liledinini gade bangakabi ukuba khona, njeke besitlolelana iincwadi. UZolile begade asebenza njengomtheli wePetroli eDurban Road eBellville. Ngemva kwemveke ezimbalwa ngifike eTsolo, Umnakwabo wangithumela incwadi ethi,ngize eKapa ngombana uyagula.Kwakulilanga ekwakufanele ngibuye ngalo, lokha uZolile abhubhako.
Kwathi nangifika esbhedlela, umma gade alapho alinde ukungibikela. Kwakunguli iri lekhomba ebusuku, ngikhumbula kuhle. Ngathola umma alapho, naboboke abokgari, bangilindile, balinde ukungazisa bona ubabakwami ubhubhile. Maye! Ngezwa ubuhlungu.
Ukuloba Indodana yami Epini
Ekuthomeni konyaka ka-1978, nganginesokona engithandana nalo, uJulius begodu sinendodana, uNathaniel, ngemva kwalokho saba nendodana yesibili uSamuel. Kwakubasana abalungileko, kwathi nabakhulako uNathaniel waba yi-Plumber, wathoma nokungakhela indlu. Ngelinye ilanga, uNathaniel gade esekhabo mnganakhe, azithabisa begodu asela.
Lokha u Anthony amlandela. uNathaniel wamthengela isiselo. Abangani bakhe gade badakiwe, bamsola ngokungabanaki, omunye wabo wamgwaza, wabhubha, gade aneminyaka eyi-24.
Indlela Engazizwa Ngayo, Ngemva Kokobana Babhubhe
UNathanie gade enza koke, angakgona ukukwenza ukungikgelebha. Ngemva kokobana abhubhe, izinto gade sele zingasenzeki. Njeke indlwami solo ayinayo ipompi, namkhana izinki, nanyana e-plumbing nanyana ngiyiphi ekumbeni yokudlela.
Lokha nafanele bona sihlambe izitja, nezambatho zethu, kufanele siye epompini yangaphandle ebadini langaphambili Nginebhadi ekulu yokuhlambela yombala ohlaza kwesibhakabhaka engayithengelwa yindodakazi yami uPhyllis, kodwana anginayo imali yokuyifaka, njenge isihlezi nje ekumbeni yokuhlambela, iqeda indawo, njengendlovu ekulu ehlaza kwesibhakabhaka.
Ihlekelele Iyahlasela Godu
Ihlizwayami gade ibuhlungu, lokha uNathaniel abhubhako. Ngemva kokubhubha kwakhe, ngasala noSamuel kwaphela egade angisebenzela. Gade anomsebenzi wegontraga yokwakha. ’Ma, incenye yoburotho, ibhedere kunokobana kungabi noburotho,’ watjho njalo kimi. ’Khumbula, ngisebenza ngombana ngifuna ukukgelebha wena’.
Wathi nakezwa bona ukubulungwa kwamnwakwabo kuzothatha i-R2900, uSamuel weza angiphathele imali engange -R3000 wathi kimi, ’lilela ukubhubha kwakamfowethu, ma. Angifuni bona ulilele bona ukumbulunga kuzokudla malini.’ Begade angazi bona, naye uyalandela. Kwase uSamuel Ithunjana lami. Naye bamgwaza wabhubha lokha aneminyaka eyi-22.
Iye amadodana wami womabili bawagwaza abhubha. Kwenzeka emasokaneni amanengi emalokitjhini wethu. Kwenzeka lokha nabaselako, bahlale etjwaleni kuze kuse, eskhathini esinengi balwelwa abantazana. Abanengi babo benemikhwa, njeke lokha bathoma ipi kubane nturhu. Begodu amalanga la bananengidi.
Translated by Busisiwe Skhosana