Ukushona kukaZolile Mdaka
Ngo-Ephreli 13, 1976, impilo yami yashintsha unomphela. Ngesikhathi amadodana ami amabili, u-Anthony owayeneminyaka emithathu ubudala noLennox owayeseqede unyaka ezelwe, umyeni wami uZolile wadlula emhlabeni. Isitifiketi sakhe sokufa sathi wabulawa yisifo sezinso. NgangiseTsolo, e-Eastern Cape ngaleso sikhathi.
Nganginokuhlala khona izinyanga futhi ngaleso sikhathi zazingekhi izingcingo ezazingomakhalekhukhwini, kwakuxhunywana ngokubhalelana izincwadi kuphela. UZolile wayetha uphethroli egaraji elikuDurban Road, eBellville. Ngemuva kwamasonto ambalwa ngifikile eTsolo, umfowabo wangithumelela incwadi engitshela ukuthi kumele ngibuyele eKapa ngoba uZolile uyagula.
Washona ngalolu suku engangibuya ngalo eKapa. Ngesikhathi ngifika esibhedlela umama wami wayesengilindile nezindaba ezibuhlungu. Ngikhumbula kahle, kwakuyihora lesikhombisa ebusuku. Wayengilindile, nabanye omama, efuna ukungitshela ukuthi umyeni wami akasekho emhlabeni. Angikaze ngiphatheke kabuhlungu ngalolu hlobo empilweni yami.
Ukushonelwa Amadodana Ngenxa Yodlame
Ekuqaleni kuka-1978, nganginesoka, uJulius. Saba nendodana, uNathaniel, eyesibili kwaba wuSamuel. Bekhula kwakungabafana abalungile. UNathaniel wayesebenza ngompompi namapayipi amanzi, waqala wangakhela umuzi.
Langalimbe, uNathaniel wayesemzini kamngani wakhe, bephuza bezijabulisa. Ngesikhathi u-Anthony eyohlala nabo, uNathaniel wamthengela isiphuzo. Abangani bakhe base beqiwe yizinkamba zikaFaro, bamsola ngokubaziba, omunye wabo wamgwaza, washona eneminyaka engu-24 ubudala.
Ukubhekana Nesimo Sokushonelwa
UNathaniel wayejwayele ukwenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukungilekelela. Ngemuva kokushona kwakhe, okuningi akubange kusenzeka. Ngakho-ke namanje umuzi wami awukabi nawo usinki noma umpompi ekhishini.
Uma sifuna ukuwasha izitsha nezingubo kumele sisebenzise umpompi osemnyango. Nginosinki omkhulu oluhlaza sasibhakabhaka wokugezela, engawuthengelwa yindodakazi yami uPhyllis- kodwa angikaze ngiwusebenzise ngoba anginayo imali yokuwufaka. Uhleli nje egunjini lokugezela, udla indawo nje.
Kwaphinde Kwagadla Futhi Ukufa
Inhliziyo yami yabahlungu ngesikhathi kushona uNathaniel. Ngemuva kokushona kwakhe, kwaba wuSamuel kuphela owayesesebenza. Wayesebenza ezinkontilekeni zokwakha. “Ma, kungcono ukuthola okuncane kunokuthi ungatholi lutho,’’ wayejwayele ukungitshela lokho. “Ukhumbule, njengoba ngisebenza nje ngisebenzela ukusiza wena.
Ngesikhathi ezwa ukuthi izindleko zokungcwaba zizoba wu-R2900, uSamuel wangikhalisa ngo-R3000, wathi: “Kungcono ukhalele ukufa komfowethu. Angifuni ukhaliswe yizindleko zokumngcwaba.’’ Wayengazi ukuthi uyena owayeselandela. Ngemuva kwalokho, uSamuel, umagcino wami, naye wagwazwa eneminyaka engu-22 ubudala washona.
Yebo, amadodana ami amabili bagwazwa bashona. Kuyenzeka emabhungwini amaningi la elokishini. Kwenzeka kakhulu uma bephuza utshwala kuze kube sebusuku; okujwayelekile uma bebanga amantombazane. Iningi labo liphatha immese, ngakho-ke uma kuxatshanwa kuba khona olimalayo. Futhi kulezi zinsuku sebephatha nezibhamu.