UMakhelwane NguMthakathi KuseMnambithi endaweni yezimpunyela eyaziwa ngokuthi kuseMkhamba. Nokho zikhona ezinye izindawo zabadla izambane likampondo kodwa lena yaseMkhamba isematheni kulezi zinsuku ngenxa yezingqalasizinda zayo ezisemgangathweni ophakeme. Kulolu hlangothi lwaseMkhamba esitiladini saseBuffel kunemizi emibili emikhulu futhi emihle okudlula yonke eminye imizi ekulendawo. Okwenza lemizi emibili igqame okudlula eminye izakhiwo zayo ezithi mazifane, kanti-ke okunye ukuthi ibhekene yomibili omunye usohlangothini lwesokunxele somgwaqo kanti omunye ungaphesheya ngakwesokudla. KwaKhumalo zimbi izinto, basemanzini futhi basakhungathekile ngemumva kokugubuzelwa ifu elimnyama kudlula emhlabeni indodana
yabo
ebineminyaka
eyishiyagalombili
kuphela.
Sezimbili
izinsuku
kwenzekile lokhu kodwa akukakholakali, kuyimanje isidumbu somfana sisaqhinqe emakhazeni asesibhedlela somacaphuna kusale, nokuyilapho silindele khona ukuhlolwa imbangela yokufa. UKhumalo lona ungungqondongqondo kaNjiniyela enkampanini yekhemikhali eliyingozi khona lana eMnambithi, eyaziwa ngele- Arsenic Machine Engineers lapho imali ihubha yena khona. Unkosikazi wakhe uThandeka yena uyinxusa nobuso besimonyo sobuso esidume emhlabeni jikelele. Endlini
yabo
yokuphumula
kugcwele
kuyasisitheka
izimpahla
zikanokusho
abazikhiphe endlini ezofikela izivakashi njengoba kuvele lenkanankana nje. Kuyo lendlu yezivakashi uThandeka uhleli phansi kumatrasi wembethe ingubo emahlombe wase ehloniphisa ngeduku elimnyama bhuqe ekhanda, eceleni kwakhe kuhleli umama wakhe ohloniphisile naye. “Yabona uKhuzwayo uma ecabanga ukuthi uzonquma indodana yami kwabaphilayo bese kuthulakala kanjalo nje, akakhohlwe; akalibale ngempela.” uKhumalo esefudumele emi ngezinyawo ebambe i-albhamu equkethe izithombe zendodana yakhe uZakhele asezibuke waze wehla izinyembezi. “Hhawu, uKhuzwayo waphi lowo olokhu usibelesele ngaaye?” umama kaThandeka edidekile. “UKhuzwayo, ilembuzi yalapha ngaphesh…” uKhumalo ecasuke eqhuma. “Kancane nje ndodana.” Umama kaThandeka eshaqekile. “Lona ongumngani wakho omkhulu? Walapha ngaphesheya komgwaqo?” unina kaThandeka evule umlomo uyinkebelele engakholwa. “Cha mkhwekazi. Mina ngisho lona obezenza umngani wami omkhulu kanti ungumthakathi omkhulu. Lona ophume eshayela umsakazo phezulu ngemoto yakhe namuhla ekuseni lapha ngaphesheya nayizolo ntambama.”
uKhumalo edilika imvula yezinyembezi emi ngezinyawo. “Mina ngisaphika babakhe. Umakhelwane ubengeke ayenze into ebuhlungu kangaka engane…” “Nango-ke uyenzile. Uyenzile nje!” uKhumalo ebhoka ngolaka. “Asinaso isiqiniseko salokho Mzilikazi.” uThandeka ngeliphansi. “Thandeka! Thandeka! Wena ufuna obunjani ubufakazi wena, awungitshele kahle?!” uKhumalo ngolaka. “Mina nginobufakazi obuphelele kulokhu engikushoyo futhi nosuku lweNkosi uma lungafika manje ngingayimela lento engiyikhulumayo. Ngithi mina, lembongolo enguKhuzwayo ngumbulali! UKhuzwayo ngumthakathi obulale izibulo lami! Okuyiyona mbangela yalentokozo anayo ngalomsindo abewubanga!” uKhumalo ekhuluma evula amehlo kakhulu. “Kahleni bantabami. Lokhu enikwenzayo angeke kumvuse umzukulu wami, futhi nathi ngeke kusisize ngalutho. Thina kumele silinde ukuhlolwa kwesidumbu sikamzukulu, okuyikona esizobe sesakhela kukhona ukuyaphambili.” Umama kaThandeka aphumule. “Hho hhe, yeka ukulunga kwakhe umngani wakho. Usengaze akubulalele ingane yakho pho? Ngoba efunani kuwena?” umama kaThandeka ebabuka bobabili. “Ungalinge ukhohliswe ubukhazikhazi nobuhle obubona ngaphandle mkhwekazi. UKhuzwayo lona unenhliziyo embi kabi, ngikhule naye mi…” uKhumalo aphazanyiswe ngumsindo womuntu ongqongqoza emnyango, aphuthume ngakhona avule. “Kanti yini?” uKhumalo ngokunengeka. “Hhowu Mtungwa, asamukelekile yini?” uKhuzwalo ngelinenhlonipho elihambisana nendumalo.
UKhumalo
athule
esacabanga
inhlamba
angahle
ayisebenzise
ephendula lombuzo. “Phakathwayo, namukelekile bomakhelwane. Bangenise babakhe.” uThandeka ngeliphansi. UKhumalo adineke kakhulu, aphenduke athi klabe uThandeka ngeso elibi. UKhuzwayo nonkosikazi wakhe bemi emnyango bedidekile nje ukuthi yini lokhu asebekwenzile osekucasule uKhumalo ngalendlela. “Ngenani bomakhelwane, namukelekile.” uThandeka ebalunguza. UKhumalo ababuke ngokubenyanya isikhashana emi emnyango. “Ngenani babulali.” uKhumalo ebadedela. UKhuzwayo aphenduke ajeqeze unkosikazi wakhe omi ngemuva edidekile, bese bengena. “Cuphani khona kulelo bhentshana ngoba izihlalo sisazikhiphile bomakhelwane. Niqaphele kodwa ningawi; liyawisana.” uThandeka ngeliphansi, umama kaThandeka ababuke abanyanye. “Noma bangawa bayadliwa yini?!” uKhumalo evutha. “Sanibona nonke ekhaya koMzilikazi.” Kubingelela uKhuzwayo ngenhlonipho. “Wo, yebo makhelwane.” uThandeka evuma ngelinosizi. Umama wakhe noKhumalo bazithulele nje. UKhumalo ababuke ngeso elibi
eqhwakele esihlalweni sakhe. “Nywebo nywanywenywane!” uKhumalo elingisa uThandeka. Lumuthi heqe uvalo uKhuzwayo uma ezwa lesi simo sokukhuluma. UKhuzwayo aphumule. “Siqeda ukuthola ucingo besibikela ngomkhuhlane ovelile lapha ekhaya. Izolo ngike ngambuza unkosikazi ukuthi uke wambona na uZakhele; walandula. Ngike ngabanazo izinsolo zokubakhona kwento engahambi ngendlela kodwa ngabuye ngawuphebeza lowo mcabango. Hhewu, ngizwe ngidumala kakhulu, uma ngizwa elokuthi usishiye ngoMsombuluko; okungusuku esigcinane ngalo naye ephila engumqemane. Kodwa makhelwane anisasibikeli ngani udaba olubucayi kangaka, sesize sizwa ngabantu abalena emakhaya nje?” uKhuzwayo eqondise kuKhumalo. UKhumalo anikine ikhanda enengekile. “Ngiyakubongela Khuzwayo, empumelelweni yakho yokubulala indodana yami, izibulo lami.” uKhumalo eshaya izandla samuntu omhalaliselayo. “Uyangibongela?” uKhuzwayo emmangele. UKhumalo avume ngekhanda eshaya izandla. “Mbulazi, kungathi inhliziyo yami izingcezungcezu injena ngalo…” “Kanti ngabe uqhubekela phambili uthokoze njengoba kade uthokozile, ngoba phela isigcine yenzekile intando.” uKhumalo ehlala uKhuzwayo emadevini. “Yenzekile ngempela futhi.” kufakaza umama kaThandeka. “Kodwa ningayisho kanjani into ebuhlungu kangaka kimi?” uKhuzwayo ngeliphansi. “Mtungwa, Mbulazi, Mzilikazi kaMashobane, yini kodwa eyenza ukuthi ungicabangele into embi kangaka? Bengingambulalelani kodwa uZakhele?” uKhuzwayo edidekile. “Isizathu sesenzo sakho angisazi, kodwa esisobala nje ngumona. Musa ukuzimmangalisa Khuzwayo, unomhobholo wena nawe uyakwazi lokho. Izibulo lami ulibulaliswe ngumhawu!” uKhumalo esukuma evala umnyango ewugaklaza. “Umhawu? Umona wani Mzilikazi?” uKhuzwayo eshaqekile. “Asingenzani izingane Khuzwayo, zona ezibuzana imibuzo esobala. Akekho ongazi kulendlu ukuthi wena wawufuna indodana, kodwa ngenxa yalenhliziyo yakhe embi egcwele inzondo, ebuswa ngumona uNkulunkulu wase ekulaya wathola intombazane, emva kwalokho wase esivala thaqa isibeletho sikankosikazi wakho kuvundla isiqalekiso kusona.” uKhumalo ekhomba unkosikazi kaKhuzwayo. Indumalo ivele igcwale ubuso bukaKhuzwayo iye iyodovadova enhliziyweni yakhe. UKhuzwayo aphumule. “Ungixolele Mzilikazi. Inkulumo yakho angiyizwa ukuthi iqondephi?” uKhuzwayo edidekile. “Mfana ndini, ubulale umzukulu wami ngoba wena unomona wokuthi awunandodana emzini wakho. Yilokho akushoyo umkhwenyana!” umama kaThandeka esefudumele naye.
“Kuyiqiniso
ukuthi
ngangifisa
ukuthola
indodana,
kodwa
ngakwamukela
ngezimhlophe lokho uNkulunkulu asipha kona okunguZamakhondlo, ukufika kwakhe kulomhlaba kwangenza ngamukela ukuthi empilweni akubi njengezifiso zethu ngazikhathi zonke. Kimina uZakhele ubenjengendodana yami, futhi engumtanami ngoba elingana nendodakazi yami futhi eyingane ekhululekile. Bengingazi ukuthi ngelinye ilanga ngiyogwinywa yicala elifana naleli ngenxa yokulunga kwami kolungileyo. Engingakusho ukuthi njengoba nilahlekelwa nje nathi silahlekelwe futhi. Nesizwe silahlekel…” “Ngenxa yakho mthakathi onamabibane!” uKhumalo esukuma ehlala izithonto kuKhuzwayo, kuze kusukume uThandeka abahlukanise kodwa uKhuzwayo esethinteke esweni. “Hawu babakhe, yini lena osuyenza manje? Wenzani ngempela Mtungwa?” uThandeka emi phakathi kwabo, uKhuzwayo ebambe
iso
lakhe
eselopha
engakakukholwa
lokhu
okukhulu
osekucishe
kwamehlela engazelele. “Ukuthi wena Thandeka wenziwa ukungabazi ubuhlungu bezinhlungu zokufelwa yithemba lakho, ubuhlungu bokuhlwithwa kukazinyobulala wa…” “Mtungwa, kodwa ungayisho kanjani into efana naleyo kimina? Uyikhuluma kanjani ngempela? Kanti lomtwana odlulile okabani? Kanti wayethwele ngubani? Ubani owayehlekwa ngabantu ezitolo esebukeka njengenqindi? Habe! Nami ngowami lomtwana, phela akazange ehle ezulwini njengemana. Seningimi emphinjeni ninomama, nilokhu ninuka abantu ngokuthakatha. Sengikhathele umsindo wenu, sengikhathele ngidiniwe isicefe senu! Ngilahlekelwe yindodana kumanje, kodwa nina aningiduduzi. Kunalokho ningibangela ubuhlungu bekhanda nezinyembezi
ezinganqamukiyo.
Noma
sekufika
abantu
abazongiduduza
niyabahlukumeza. Inkinga yenu ikuphi kanti, noma nihlangene ngami? Hhe?!” uThandeka evutha bhe bume ngezwi elihlabayo ehefuzela emi phakathi komndeni wakwaKhuzwayo noKhumalo. UKhumalo aphumule. “Kodwa Thandi, nawe uyazi nje ukuthi yizo lezi zimbongolo ezibulale umtana… indodana yethu ngokuyidlisa ushe…” “Ubabonile? Ubabonile bemdlisa? Bamdlise shevu muni umtanami?” uThandeka esefudumele naye edilika nezinyembezi. “Angazi kubona Thandi. Yeyi nina zikhova, nimdlise shevu muni umtanami?!” uKhumalo ehefuzela ebhekise kuKhuzwayo. “Mzilikazi, umtwana asimdlisanga. Ukube simdlisile Mbulazi ngabe noZama ushonile naye, ngoba selokhu kwathi nhlo bebedla ndawonye uma bephakelwa lapha kithi.” uKhuzwayo ngeliphansi. “Okunye-ke, ukube omakhelwane laba abasemvakwami babezimisele
ukuyibulala ingane yami ngabe kade baqeda ngayo ngoba ikhulele emzini wabo. Nawe Mtungwa ungufakazi walokho!” uThandeka ebhodla umlilo. “Angithi vele nalokho bekudalwa yilomkhuba abawenza enganeni yami isencane; bayishunqisela ngephunga lezi mfene nemikhovu lena egcwele kuleliya qhugwana labo elivulwa ngomyama kuphela, ukuze ingane ingalithandi ikubo!” uKhumalo esho kubadla luhlaza abakwaKhuzwayo. “Thandi, nemvula ayithi ingana nje, imifula bese ingenisa ngaso leso sikhathi. UKhuzwayo kade aqala ukungimonazela; kusukela esakhiweni somuzi wakhe ngoba ebona esami. Kuya ekuthengeni kwakhe izindiza ezimbili ngoba ebona mina senginethenda yamaloli ebanga eli…” “Mtungwa ake ngikunqande kancane nje ngoba ngathi uxamu usegeje umgodi. Omakhelwane ibona abasakha kuqala isithabathaba somuzi. Thina sabalandela ngemuva, ngenhlanhla
owabo
waphela
kamuva
kunoweth…
kunowakho.”
uThandeka
edinekile. “Mzilikazi nami ngicela ithuba lokulungisa okuthize. Mina anginandiza bakwethu kodwa ngunkosikazi onazo futhi wazithengela yena, ngemali yakhe. Engingenalo-ke ulwazi olokuthi naye wayekumonazela na?” uKhuzwayo elunguza uKhumalo
njengoba
engemumva
kukaThandeka.
UThandeka
aphumule.
“Makhelwane, angixolise kini ngokuziphatha kukamyeni wami, angisawuzwanga nomongo wokusivakashela kwenu.” uThandeka ehlisa umoya. UKhumalo athi klabe uThandeka ngeso maqede anikine ikhanda ngokunengeka. UThandeka aphenduke abheke izivakashi lezi ezingoKhuzwayo. “Hhewu bomakhelwane, besize ngalo lolu daba olubuhlungu olusivelele ngokukhulu ukuzu…” “Mxm.” uKhumalo efela amathe phansi. UKhuzwayo aphumule ngamandla. “Besizobona ukuthi akukho yini lapho singafaka isandla khona, ngoba phela umtwana
ubengowethu
sonke.”
uKhuzwayo
ngeliphansi
ekhipha
isamba
sensavunsavu yemali eyibeka phansi. UThandeka amoyizele kancane ehlengezela izinyembezi. “Yeyi! Yeyi! Ninamanga mani! Beningazele lokho nina lana, benicabanga ukuthi isidumbu sesibuyile, khona nizosithwebula bese nikhova umtanami. Nishaye phansi kwashunqa uthuli-ke zikhova ndini!” uKhumalo ehosha umkhono wekati wohlobo lwe-9mm pistol enqulwini. “Mkhwe-nya…” umama kaThandeka esukuma ephelelwa ngamazwi eshaqekile. “Babakhe! Uzosenzani isibha-mu?”
uThandeka
ngelihhadlazelayo
ethukile.
“Ngizosakaza
usathane
ngenhlam…” Kuwo lowo mnyama kungqongqoze umuntu emnyango. “Yeyi! Yimina ozovula. Nina nike ninyakaze nje.” uKhumalo ebakhomba bonke ngesibhamu.
UKhumalo alunguze efasiteleni kancane, bese eqalaza ukuthi akekho yini osenyakazile. Asondele avule umnyango ephethe isibhamu ngesandla. “Ngena ndoda, kade ngimi ngawe.” uKhumalo akhombe lendoda ngenhlokohlela, lensizwa ithuke izichamele ijuluke umzimba wonke ngesikhathi ibona isibhamu siyikhombe ngqo ehlweni, ingene lensizwa endlini ihlohlolozwa ngayo inhlokohlela le. “Khuzwayo njayami,
ubulibuka
uligcina
elanamuhla.”
uKhumalo
ekhomba
uKhuzwayo
ngesibhamu phambi kwakhe kumi uThandeka omvikele. “Mtu-ngwa, cishe nawe uyakwazi ukuthi akuyona indlela yokuxazulula izinkinga lena oyikhe-thile.” uThandeka ephakamise izandla ehla izinyembezi. “Thandi, iyona kanye lena. Ayikho futhi enye edlula lena.” uKhumalo ehefuzela inhliziyo yakhe igaya izibozi. UKhumalo asishitshe isibhamu; uThandeka avale amehlo. “Thandi, suka kuleyo ndawo ungaze uthelwe igazi lenja!” uKhumalo ngolaka. UThandeka ajuluke abe manzi evevezela izindebe zomlomo. “Okay. Okay.” uThandeka ethatha amagxathu amabili ayaphambili izandla zisandiza emoyeni. “Mtungwa uma ufuna ukudubula uKhuzwayo, you gotta sh-oot me fi-rst.” uThandeka eseme nsi engagudluki. “Nami ngisho
njalo.”
Unkosikazi
kaKhuzwayo
ephoseka
phakathi
kukaKhuzwayo
noThandeka evikela uKhuzwayo naye. “O, ngininika imizuzwana emihlanu, sukani phambi kwale-yonja. 1-2-3-4-5.” uKhumalo aphefumulele phezulu ezilula ikhanda kuhle kwendlulamithi izidlela amacembe komude umuthi. “Hhayi, isibuyile-ke impendulo kimi. I’ll shoot the three of you. Isihlahla sizoduma phansi namagxolo aso ngimfunge uSandlana kababa.” uKhumalo efela amathe phansi, maqede asibambe ngazo zombili isibhamu. “Mkhwenya…” umama kaThandeka athuswa ukuphenduka kwesibhamu esesibheke ngakuyena ngokuphazima kweso. “Mkhwekazi, ufuna ukuphakama nabo?!” uKhumalo ngolaka. “Khuluma wena mfana!” uKhumalo ethethisa lensizwa ezichamele. “Igama lami nginguBradley Mngoma, ngingumhloli wezidumbu. Ngifu-nde ngago-gogoda esi…” “Nx! Yeyi wena ncejana, uzosisiza ngani lombhedo olokhu usinambuzela wona? Mina ngifuna ukwazi ukuthi yini ebulale umtanami kuphela mani?!” uKhumalo ngolaka, ekhomba lendoda ngesankahlu. Lumshaye lumeqe uMngoma uvalo. “Umnu-mzane Khu-Khumalo omncane ubulawe ush-evu…” “You ’d better start praying my friends. Seniyafika ekhaya.” uKhumalo ebhekise kulo mfelandawonye ophambi kwakhe, esesho kuyidonsa inkunzimalanga bese ihloba lilala amazolo. “Mnum-zana, ingabe umtwana kukhona lapho ake avakashela khona, mhlambe
okuphuzwa khona amanzi aqhamuka pha-phansi?”
uMngoma ebuza enamalimi
ngenxa yovalo. UKhumalo athule. “Phendulani zinja, nithuleleni manje?!” uKhumalo ngolaka “Cha Mzilikazi.” uKhuzwayo ehlahle amehlo ngemuva kwamakhosikazi. “Cha!”
uKhumalo
ethethisa
uMngoma.
“Hho-wu.”
uMngoma
emmangala.
“Imiphumela iveza ukuthi indodana yakho, ibulawe ikhemikhali lohlobo lweArsenic…” “Hhe?” uKhumalo eshaqekile. Abambe isibhamu asibuke. “Arsenic… arsenic…” uKhumalo ebalisa, abeka inganono ekhanda lakhe. “Babakhe… Makhelwane… Mtungwa… Mkhwenyane… Mnumzana.” Bememeza bonke kanye bemphuthuma. Qhu! Qhu! Kuqhuma isibhamu.
Iyaphela!!!