Tenjiwe Tutu
sNdandibana nomyeni wam ndifunda ibanga lesine. Imini yethu yokuqala sincokola, zange ibeyimpumelelo. Iqaqobana lethu elingamantombazana lalifunda ngexesha lekhefu, liqwalasele incwadi yezibalo. Abanye abafana bona babezihamba hambela, bade bafika nakuthi befuna ukusiphazamisa.
Ndabangxolisa ndisithi ‘Naxa nina ningafuni ukupasa, mna ndiyafuna, ngoko ke hambani apha kuba thina sihoyene neencwadi zethu.’ Ndaxelela omnye wabo uMzwandile Tutu ukuba umdala noko ngeminyaka kwaye makahambe ayosebenzela abazali bakhe. Ndandiqhula kodwa yena wayecaphukile kakhulu efuna nokundibetha. Emveni koko ndabanovelwano kuba ndandibona ukuba ubomi khange bubelula kuye. Iingxaki zakhe zazifana nezam.
Ndahamba ndaya kuye ndaxolisa. Wathi kulungile. ‘Bendingazami ukukuphazamisa, bendizidlalela qha,’ watsho. Kulapho ndiqale ukumthanda khona. Wayengumfana omhle kakhulu. Ndandiphuma eKapa kwaye abafana baseKapa bebengenasimilo, kodwa ndabona ukuba yena ebengekho njalo. Ebebahlonipha abanye abantu. Wayesebenza kufuphi kwaye lonto yayimenza ukuba agqithe pha ngasekhaya xa egodukayo. Waqala naye ngeziqhulo xa ezigqithela.
Intloko yam ibipopana, ngoko ebemane endibulisa athi ‘Molo Miss Pannekoek.’ ‘Kutheni lento undibiza nge-pannekoek nje?’ ndambuza ndidinekile. ‘Zimnandi i-Pannekoeks,’ watsho. ‘Ndiyazithanda i-pannekoeks, kungako ndikubiza i-pannekoek.’ Emva koko wabhala ileta endixelela ukuba uyandithanda.
Wandinika loleta ndihleli neetshomi zam. Ndambhalela nam ndimxelela ukuuba ndiyamthanda, yaphelela apho. Sasifuna ukutshata kodwa kwafuneka ayosebenza kwimigodi yase Rhawutini kuqala,ukwenzela imali yelobola. Ndandithanda ukumbhalela iileta pha e-Earthworks. Ekugqibeleni ngonyaka ka 1964, satshata. Ekugqibeleni, sasisobabini.
Alicia Mdaka
Ndadibana nomyeni wam, isithandwa sam uZolile Edwin Mdaka, ngexesha umama wayehlala kwisitalato i-Upper Constitution pha e-District Six. Ngamanye amaxesha bendihamba ngesitalato ekuthiwa yi-Orange xa ndisiya kwimbutho yamantombazana pha ecaweni yethu, kwaye ngenye imini umfanan omhle waza apha kum wathi, ‘Ndicela ukuthetha nawe?’ Waye ncumile, kwaye ngoncumo lwakhe oluhle, ndabona kwangoko ukuba luza kubayingxaki. ‘Uxolo, ndibethwa lixesha.
Kufuneka ndihambe, ‘ ndatsho kuye ndihamba. ‘Ok, watsho, ‘kodwa mhlawumbi singathethe xa ubuyayo.’ Ndaqhubeka ndingamnaki uZolile, kodwa yena zange ayeke ukuthetha nam. Ngamanye amaxesha ebendikhapha, andincokolise. Kodwa ngenye imini, wandothusa kakhulu. Ndandineminyaka eyi-19 qha. ‘Alicia, ndiyakuthanda,’ watsho.
‘Kwaye ndiyakuthembisa ukuba andizodlala ngawe. Ndifuna ukukutshata.’ Imini zilandelelana ebemane endiqinisekisa ngothando lwakhe nokuba ngumntu othembekileyo. Ndatsho ndaqala ukuva amehlo wakhe apha emqolo xa ndisehla ngendlela, ndaqala ndabona ukuba nam ndiyamthanda lomfana.
Ekugqibeleni iinzame zakhe ziye zaphumelela. uZolile wacela ubhuti wakhe omdala ukuba ayothetha nomama malunga nokunditshata. Sahamba ke sayotshata, kwafuneka ukuba ndishiye indlu kamama, ndihlale ngaphandle kwakhe. Kodwa ubomi babumnandi ngoko. Kulominyaka yam yomtshato, ndandonwabe kakhulu futhi uZolile wayandikhathalele.
Ukuba ndiseMpuma Koloni ngaphandle kwakhe, ebendithumela imali kunye neleta andibhalele zona, endibuza ukuba mna nanabantwana sinjani na, ebuza ukuba singakwazi ukubuyela kuye sonke na. Wayendithanda kakhulu. Kwaye ebengongomntu wamantombazana, ebezithandela umfazi wakhe qha.
Translated by Aviwe Damane