Alicia Mdaka
Oomakazi bam uRobina kunye noTheresa bebehlala nathi kwindlu yodaka kamakhulu, nabantwana babo. Yonke imihla bebendithethisa, bendiqhwabela zonke izinto ezingalunganga ebendizenza. Abantwana babo bona bebengasoze bayenze into engalunganga, kodwa mna bendikhange ndiyenze into entle emehlweni abo, nangona ndandisebenza nzima ndisenza umsebenzi wam wasekhaya, ndisenga iinkomo okanye ukuncedisa ukuhlakula emasimini.
Kukho isiganeko esinye esindenza ndihleke, ndiyasikhumbula ngoku. Ndandithunywe evenkileni ndaze ndaphazamiseka endleleni ebuyayo, ndadlala ibhola. Xa ndifika endlini umakhulu wandithethisa ngokubuya kade. Amanye amagama wakhe ahlala apha kum. ‘Uyazi yintoni mzukulwana? Intaka evuka ekuseni ifumana isongololo elityebileyo,’ wandixelela njalo. Ndawathatha amagama wakhe ndawabeka entliziyweni yam, futhi xa abantu bengajonganga, bendimane ndigrumba emhlabeni ndifunana nesongololo elityebileyo.
Inyaniso yile, ndandingayazi ukuba uthetha ngantoni. Kodwa yonke lominyaka yayimbi kwaye ndandingonwabanga. Into emane yandenza ndizibuze umbuzo othi ‘ Abanye abantwana bonwabile noomakhulu wabo. Kutheni mna ndingonwabanga nje?’ Ndamane ndizibuza. ‘Kukho into engalunganga ngam? Yintoni intsingiselo yobomi bam? Ndandizalelwa ntoni futhi?’
Nothando Kubukeli
Ndakhula ndolusa iibhokwe zikatata, iigusha kunye neenkomo ezintabeni, kwifama yakhe eKleinplaas, ecaleni kwase Cradock eMpuma Koloni. Ibiyifama enkulu, igcwele amakhulu ezilwanyana. Mna nosisi wam besizigada kwaye besonwabile. Kum, ubuntwana bam ibilixesha elimyoli. Utata wam ubeyindoda enemali kakhulu kuba enemfuyo eninzi kakhulu.
Ubhuti wam wahamba waya eRhawutini ukuyo funa umsebenzi, kwaze kwashiyeka mna nosisi wam ekwaluseni izilwanyana. Utata wandikhupha esikolweni ndikwibanga lesithathu, ukuba ndimncende. Umama wam zange ayonwabele lonto. Wathi, ‘Kufuneka uye esikolweni kuba uzakuyidinga imfundo ebomini bakho.’ Kodwa utata, owayendithanda kakhulu, zange avume, wayefuna nje ukuba ndimgadile izilwanyana zakhe.
Tenjiwe Tutu
Xa ningabantwana abaphuma kwiintsaphu ezahlukileyo, nihlala nonke, xa kukho into emoshakeleyo kukhonjwa kuwe. Xa ungumtana awuyiqondi nokuyiqonda lonto. Umakazi wam wayenonyana owaye mdala kunosisi wam, kwaye wayegeza kakhulu. Xa bedlala bonke ebembetha, kuba wayemncinci kunaye.
Ebelila aye kumakazi, kodwa umakazi zange afune ukuyiqaphele. Ndandimsizela uNothemba. Kwakukhona nomnye umtana oyintombazana owaye mdala kunam, owayethanda ukuxoka kakhulu. Ebexelela umakazi wam ukuba mna ndithethe amagama amabi futhi ndisoloko ndihleli namakhwenkwe. Umakazi wam wathatha uswazi wandibetha ngalo, wandibetha kakhulu ndade ndawa phantsi.