Ukusweleka kuka Zolile Mdaka
Ngomhla weshumi elinesithathu kweyeTshazimpunzi ngonyaka u-1976 (13 April 1976), ubomi bam batshintsha ngonaphakade. Unyana wam u-Anthony wayeneminyaka emithathu, yena u-Lennox enonyaka omnye, umyeni wam uZolile wasweleka. Isitifiketi sakhe sokufa sachaza ukuba usweleke ngenxa yesifo esingapheleliyo sezintso.
Ngeloxesha ndandi kwidoluphu yase Tsolo, e-Mpuma Koloni. Bendihlala ixesha elingange nyanga, phambi kwemveliso yonomyayi, ngoko unxibelelwano lwethu ibikubhalelana iileta kuphela. u-Zolile wayesebenza njengomtheli wepetroli pha eThekwini (Durban Road) e-Bellville. Pha kwiveki ezimbalwa nje ndifikile e-Tsolo, ubhuti wakhe wathumela ileta ethi mandibuyele eKapa kuba uZolile wayegula.
Ngalemini ndabuyela ngayo, uZolile wasishiya. Xa ndifika esibhedlela, umama wam waye pha, elindele ukundixelela iindaba. Ixesha ibiyintsimbi yesixhenxe ebusuku, ndiwukhumbula cacileyo lomhla. Nanko umama, kunye nabanye oo-makazi, belindele ukundixelela ukuba umyeni wam usishiyile. Yho, zandivisa ubuhlungu ezondaba.
Ukulahlekelwa Ngoonyana bam Ngenxa Yodlame
Ekuqaleni konyaka u-1978, ndandithandana no-Julius, kwaye sabanonyana ogama lingu Nathaniel, emva koko unyana wesibini, obizwe ngo-Samuel. Bayebakhula babangabantwana abalungileyo. U-Nathaniel uyewasebenza njengomtywini kwaye waqala nondakhela indlu.
Ngenye imini, Nathaniel wayesendlini yetshomi yakhe, esela kwaye ezivela ubumnandi. Ekufikeni kuka Anthony, uNathaniel umnike into yokusela naye. Iitshomi zazinxile udaka kwaye zamtyhola zisithi akabahoyanga bona, kulapho omnye wabo wamhlaba ngemela, wabhubha. Wayeneminyaka engamashumi amabini anesine (24) qha.
Imiphumela Yokufa
uNathaniel wayesenza noba yintoni esemandleni akhe ukundincendisa. Emva kokufa kwakhe, ezinye izinto azikwazanga ukuqhubeleka phambili. Indlu yam ayina-sinki okanye impompi yamanzi, okanye imibhobho yotywini, pha ekhitshini.
Ukuhlamba izitya okanye iimpahla, kufuneka sisebenzise impompi yangaphandle. Ndinebhafu ebhulowu- lendayithengelwa yintombi yam uPhyllis – kodwa ngenxa yokungabinamali andikayifaki, ngoku ihleli nje pha kwigumbi langesese, njengendlovu ebhulowu, igqibe indawo.
Intlekele Yehla Futhi
Intliziyo yam yayibuhlungu kakhulu ngexesha lokubhubha kuka Nathaniel. Emva kokufa kwakhe, uSamuel yayinguye qha owayesebenza. Wayesebenza endaweni yokwakha. ‘Mama, kungcono ihafu yesonka kuno ngabinasonka,’ ebethanda ukutsho kum. ‘Khumbula, ndisebenza kuba ndifuna ukunceda wena.’ Uthe esova ukuba umgcwabo ka Nathaniel uzobiza i-R2900, uSamuel wandiphathela i-R3000 endixelela ukuba ‘Mama ungalila ngenxa yokubhubha kuka Nathaniel.
Andifuni ukuba ulile nangenxa yexabiso lokumgcwaba.’ Wayengazi ukuba kuzakwenzeka ntoni. Ngoko uSamuel, igqibelo lam, naye wagwaza wabhubha eneminyaka engamashumi amabini anesibini (22). Ewe, oonyana bam ababini bafe ngenxa yokugwazwa. Lonto yenzeka kakhulu kubafana abancinci abahlala elokishini. Yenzeka kakhulu xa behleli besela ebusuku, ngamaxesha amaninzi balwela amantombazane. Uninzi lwabo luphatha iimela, ngoko xakusilwa kubakhona udlame. Futhi kulemihla banayo nemipu.
Translated by Aviwe Damane