Le ‘Ndlu ye Aids’
Ngemnyaka wa 1964 nganginemntfwana libito lakhe kwakungu Olive. Nga 1966 lomunye wefika – Phyllis, lona nyalo losaneminyaka lelishumi nesihlanu aneHIV/Aids. Kenneth watalwa nga 169 bese Prudence, lowashona nge Aids, njenga Olive, watalwa muva kweminyaka lemibili.
Umtukulu wami wentfombatana, Zizipho, watalwa aneHIV ngoba make wakhe, Prudence, bekaHIV. Ngemuva kwami bomakhelwane bebabita indlu yami ngekutsi ‘yindlu ye Aids’. Umtukulu wami wentfombatana Juliette wabeva bakhuluma wase uyangitjela ngako. Laba bomakhelwane batsite kubatukulu bami, ʹAsifuni wena udlale nebantfwabetfu. Endlini yakini kune Aids leningi, utobese utselela bantfwabetfu.'
Nguleso sikhatsi lapho khona bantfu bebanelwati loluncane nge Aids futsi wonkhe muntfu bekesaba kakhulu. Nyalo, tintfo tijikile. Sonkhe siyabati bantfu labashonile, ikakhulu kumindeni yetfu. Kulawa malanga, uma lilunga lemndeni wakho ligula, ngisho nange Aids, labosisi basesontfweni lami bayeta batongibona, bangiletsele isuphu kanye nekudla baphindze bakhulume nami ngayo. Akusekho kuba wedvwa njengakucala.
Nyalo sinalabasisekele. Iminyaka lelishumi nesihlanu, indvodzakati yami Phyllis bekanguloku alwa naleligciwane le Aids. Kube sikhatsi lesidze solo angavunywa ngulamaphilisi ekukhwehlela futsi bekasesibhedlela tinyanga. Nyalo bodokotela batsi ulaphekile kule TB, kepha unesifo samdlavusa (cancer) wasesiswini nasesibindzini.
Tinyanga letimbalwa lapho angitjele khona kutsi 'angeke atsatsa sikhatsi kulomhlabaʹ. Kwangenta ngancipha noma ngashabalala futsi.
Translated by Phindile Malotana