Nga dzi 13 Lambamai 1976,vhutshilo hanga ha shanduka lwa tshoṱhe. Musi ṅwananga wa mutukana Anthony ana makole mararu, Lennox a tshi tou vha na ṅwaha muthihi fhedzi, munna wanga Zolile a lovha. Kha certificate hupfi vho lovha nga malwadze asa fholiho. Ndo vha ndi Tsolo kha ḽa Eastern Cape nga tshifhinga tsha hone.
Ndo vha ndi tshi fhedza na miṅwedzi, ho vha hu saathu vha na dzi thingo thendeleki, nḓila ya u kona u amba na muthu ane avha kule ho vha hu u nwala vhurifhi. Zolile ovha tshi shuma u shela petrol Durban Road kha ḽa Bellville. Vhege dza u thoma ndi tshi swika Tsolo, mukomana wawe o rumela vhurifhi ha uri ndi fanela uvhuya Cape Town ngauri Zolile u khou lwala.
Ndi nga ḽeneḽo ḓuvha ḽe nda huma ngaḽo, ḽe Zolile a lovha. Musi ndi tshi swika sibadela, ndo wana mme anga vho lindela u mmbudza. Ho vha hu 7 ya madekwana, ndi kha ḓi tou humbula zwavhuḓi. Vho vha vho ima, na vhanwe vho makhadzi wanga, vho imela u mmbudza uri munna wanga o lovha. Hezwo zwo mmbavha vhukuma.
Mathomoni a nwaha wa 1978, ndo vha ndi na muthu ano pfi we nda vha ndi tshi khou funana nae, Julius, ri na ṅwana roṱhe wa mutukana, Nathaniel, nga murahu nda vha na munwe ṅwana wa mutukana hafhu, Samuel. Vho vha vha vhatukana vha vhuḓi nga maanḓa vha tshi pfa, musi vha tshi khou aluwa. Nathaniel avha muthu wa u plumber a thoma na u fhaṱa nnḓu yanga.
Ḽinwe ḓuvha, Nathaniel ovha a nḓuni ya mungana wawe, a tshi kho nwa halwa a tshi khou ḓiphina. Musi Anthony nae atshi mutevhela vha vha vha vhoṱhe, Nathaniel ovha o rengela mukomana wawe zwa unwa. Vhangana vhawe vho vha vho no kambiwa vha tshi khou mupomoka uri una tshikhetho, munwe wavho ambo ḓi muṱhavha nga lufhanga. A lovha. O vha ana minwaha ya 24.
Nathaniel ovha atshi thusa nga zwithu zwinzhi. Nga murahu ha musi ono lovha hezwi zwoṱhe azwo nga tsha dovha zwa itwa. nnḓu yanga na ṋamusi a ina sinki, kana zwinwe vho zwo no itwa nga dzi plumber.
Musi ri tshi ṱanzwa dzi thundu kana zwiambaro, ri fanela u tou ya bommbini nnḓa. Ndi na bafu lḽa u ṱambela– ḽine ṅwananga wa musidzana Phyllis o tou nthengela – fhedzi athina tshelede ya u ḽi pangisa, zwino ḽo sokou dzula henefho hune nda ṱambela hone, ḽi khou sokou ri ḽela vhudzulo.
Mbilu yanga yo vhavha nga maanḓa musi Nathaniel a tshi lovha. Nga murahu ha lufu lwa Nathaniel, Samuel ho vha hu ene o salaho atshi khou shuma. O vha atshi shuma u fhaṱa. 'Mma, hafu ya vhurotho ndi khwiṋe azwi fani na musi hu sina vhurotho,' ovha atshi funa uri kha nṋe. 'vha humbule uri ndi khou shuma ngauri ndi khou ṱoḓa uvha thusa.' Musi atshi pfa uri lufu lwa Nathaniel lu khou ḓo ita R2900, Samuel a mpha R3000 a mmbudza uri: 'kha vha lilele lufu lwa mukomana wanga.
A thi khou ṱoḓa vha tshi lilela u ḓura halwo.' O vha asa zwiḓivhi uri hu khou tevhela ene. Samuel, lupedzi lwanga, o mbo ḓi ṱhavhiwa nga lufhanga na ene a lovha ana minwaha ya 22. Ndi ngoho vhana vhanga vha vhatukana vho tou ṱhavhiwa nga phanga vha lovha. Zwo itea kha vhaṱhannga vhaṱuku vhanzhi hune nda dzula hone. Zwiitea musi vha tshi khou nwa vha tshi dzedza mahalwani; kanzhi hu vha hu tshi khou lwelwa vhasidzana. Vhanwe vha vha vha na dzi phanga, ha thoma nndwa fhedzi dzi phanga dzi abva. Haano maḓuvha vha fara na zwigidi.
Translated by Khalirendwe Nekhavhambe