uMthunywa
Charles Dube
USilobile sizwile kuviki ephelileyo ukuthi ekufikeni kwakhe koBulawayo eseyintwala kaNgenzile eyambalekisa kwabo, wabavika kakhulu abantu abaziyo. UNgenzile wamqegula kwabakibo uSilobile ayefikela kubo esafunda eMthombothemba. Wamusa lapho ababelala beqamelene njengemidlwane yengulube kanti kuzihlobo zakhe babemvulela isikhala alale kuhle bona becelise ukulala kubomakhelwana.
Sizwile njalo ukuthi esafika koBulawayo uSilobile wake waba lamahlonyana; kodwa laye waze wajayela waba njengabanye behla kuhle ubuthongo endlini lapha kulele khona isilisa lesifazana. Wahoqa sibili laye. Kuthiwa kwake kwafika emkhumbulweni kaSilobile ukuthi okunje kubi. Wavuma ukuba wayesethukiwe, wabona kungcono ukuthi abuyele ekhaya ayeguqa kunina loyise axolise, kuthi nxa bemfulathela aguqele uKhokho amkhalele ukuthi amncengele.
Kuthiwa wabihlela ngaphakathi, inhliziyo yakhe yaze yandenda esizibeni senyembezi; ekhaliswa yibunja ayesekhasela kubo. Umlobi usitshela ukuthi aluba uSilobile wazuza omsizayo kusenjalo ngabe abaphansi (amadlozi) bamhawukela, bamkhupha odakeni ayefakwe kulo nguNgenzile. Kodwa wasweleka omsizayo watshona-ke odakeni.
Lamhla sizwa ngempilo kaSilobile esanda kufika koBulawayo. Kuthiwa abafana bonke babemkhangelela khatshana; bemesaba ngoba babezwile ukuthi wayenguMisi eMangala.
Kodwa labo bafana bazitshela ukuthi umisi laye ngumuntu. Nango laye wayelala labanye njengemidlwane yengulube lapho ezindlini zabantu. Bamgudla ngabomu abanye abafana asebaphelelwa yibuntu. Wahleka uSilobile.
Ngalokho bambona ukuthi laye ngumuntu sibili njengabo. Babona ukuthi umisi laye uyagudlwa ahleke. Kulokhu siyezwa ukuthi kulesikhathi lapho amatitsha ayehlonitshwa kakhulu kodwa nampa oSilobile sebefika edolobheni bezehlisa isithunzi baze badelelwe ngokungabafana osekwaphelelwa yibuntu.
Zwana ukuthi bathini abafana, uJimusi ekhuluma lomnakwabo uJeri ngoSilobile: “Lizhekezheke, mfana,” ehleka uJimusi ngolunye usuku. Waqhubeka uJimusi esithi ungalithinta nje, lihleka lize likuqamele. UJeri wamangala waze wabuza kumnakwabo uJimusi ukuthi kanti omisi bakhathesi sebenjani. UJimusi wachaza ukuthi yikho betshiya abantwana, bephaphathekela emadolobheni. UJimusi wathetha ethi omisi labo babetshona beqambela abantwana amanga, umuntu aphinde abaleke esiza edolobheni.
Wayesejwayele uSilobile, esekufundile lokuhleka aze aqamele umuntu, lanxa engowesifazana loba engowesilisa.
Kambe yena wayezabe engovela ngaphi? Lapha! Ngabe wayengakuthandi ukuhleka aze aqamele umuntu ngabe wazihlalela eHadlana lapho okuselenhloni khona. Lapho okwakuselokuhlonipha khona; lapho isifazana sasingahleki size siqamelane lesilisa khona. Owayesiza edolobheni zazingasamgoqi inhloni. Bambona abafana ukuthi umisi laye ngumuntu. Babona ukuthi babesesaba umnyama ongelampisi.
Babona abafana ukuthi babesesaba amanga. Wayesezilulazile uSilobile. Wayesebalulazile ababalisikazi. Basondela kuye abafana, kaze atsheda. Bamxoxisa, laye waxoxa. Baphoxa, laye waphoxa, wahleka. Bamphoxa, laye wabaphoxa, wahleka wakholisa. Kwaba kuphelile. Wayesengene waphelela ebunjeni ayengabufuni ekuqaleni. Sekunjalo kuthiwa bagonyuluka abaphansi, bangakuzwisisi lokho kodwa ala ukuphuma amahlanzo. Zabatshila kokuphela izisu zabo abaphansi ngenxa kaSilobile owasehutshe ikhasi lobuntu wangena esigogweni sobuhlangwana, bona obugeca masinyane.
