uMhlonitshwa
uTata waye hlonipheke kakhulu ekuhlaleni, kuba waye ngu titshala esenza okuninzi ukunceda abanye. Wayenikeza eminye imifuno esuka kwigadini yethu kwaba hluphekileyo, abahlolokazi elalini yethu nabafazi abayeni babo ababengekho, besebenza ezimayini eRhawutini.
Waqeqesha amakhwenkwe nama ntombazana, wafundisa nomdaniso kwisikolo esikufuphi. Rhoqo xakukho umdaniso eholweni lasekuhlaleni, yayingu tata ne “gramophone” yakhe enkulu ebomvu na luhlaza yomculo.
Kwintsuku ezidlulileyo, ndabane ncoko emnandi, nokuhleka no Mandisa Mendi, omnye wabafazi abahamba iGrandmothers Against Poverty and Aids. Wakhula kwilali enye nam ekhumbula indlela awaye yibetha ngayo I”gramophone”, esenzela utata edanisa.
uMfundisi uWeaver
uTata waye yintloko kwi cawe yethu yase kuhlaleni i-Anglican Church, iSt Marks. Yayi sinikeza inxaso ebomini bethu ekuhlaleni. Yayi ngekho enye icawe efana nayo. kwaye ilali yethu yabizwa ngayo. Indoda emhlophe uMfundisi uWeaver, waye mfundisi wakwa lizwi, waye mana ukusindwendwela ekhwele ihashe, ezokushumayela.
uTata wayenceda umfundisi aqokelele abantu ebumnyameni, ebathundeza okokuba beze ecaweni bazokuva amabali ebhayibhile, kwaye bakhulule abantwana kwimisebenzi yase ndlini ukuze beze esikolweni bafumane imfundo. Babehamba elalini bethetha nabantu, kunye nabantwana xa bebabona.
Rhoqo xa umfundisi uWeaver wayezokushumayela eSt. Marks, wayefikela ekhaya ehamba nge hashe ahlale nathi. Waqala ukuza ndine minyaka elishumi elinesibini. Waye mncinci emde, ene nwele ezi mnyama, indoda elungileyo, wayendichaza kakhulu. Ngezo mini abantu abamnyama babenga baboni abelungu kuba babengezi kwilalini zethu, kwakunga qhelekanga xa lomntu umhlophe ezisa endlwini yethu.
Abantu babe buza, ‘nimvumele lantoni alale kwi khaya lenu? Ikhona ihotele kubantu abamhlophe. Kutheni engayi khona?’ kodwa umfundisi uWeaver wayeqhele ukuthi kutata,’ andikwazi ukuya ehotele. Ndifuna ukuzinikela kubantu abamnyama, yiyolonto ndifuna ukulala kwakho.’ Kwakumnandi.
iNxalenye yo Sapho
uMfundisi uWeaver wayene gumbi lakhe ekhaya, elikalikwe mhlophe, nebhedi entsha nomdiyadiya omtsha. sasinga lali kulo, nangona wayezisa eSt Marks Kanye enyangeni. Igumbi lalibekelwe yena yedwa. Rhoqo xa ekhona utata wayesithuma evenkileni ngamaqegu ethu ukuba siyokuthenga inyama sizokubhiyoza, siyitye ne mifuno esuka kwi gadi yethu. Wayesitya nathi kwitafile yesidlo.
Eli yayi lelona xesha esasibenzisa itafile yesidlo njengoko yayigcinelwe amaxesha akhethekileyo. Xa umfundisi uWeaver engekho ekhaya, mna noo dadewethu sasityela esityeni, siyidlulise kwisangqa sama ntombazana, namakhwenkwe enze ngoku njalo, ngokwe sintu.
Xa sigqibe isidlo sango kuhlwa, abantwana babe qokelela izitya nee playiti zokutyela bengacelwanga, bazivase batshayele. Xa kufuneka ipolishi phantsi babe polisha. Isizathu soku yayikokuba xa abantwana ungabanikezi umsebenzi bazakuhamba ilali bakwenzele iingxaki. uMfundisi wayefunda isiXhosa, kwaye ukumka kwakhe wayesele esithetha kakuhle, kodwa xa sisetafileni sasithetha isingesi.
Wayethetha nomntu wonke kuquka nabantwana. Waye bathanda kakhulu abantwana. Ekuhambeni kwexesha yabanguye otshatisa mna nomyeni wam eSt Marks, kwaye utata wayengena ngxaki no mfundisi uWeaver kuba sasibaqhelile abantu abamhlophe. uMnumzana uGroenewald, owaye nesitolo iDeckerts Hill Trading Store, yayingomnye wabo babekhona.