uMthunywa
C. Dube
KUVIKI ephelileyo sitshengisile ukuthi uMaNdlovu, inkosikazi kaSwabide Khumalo, uMphathisikolo seTotololo, ngukhanda liyatshisa. Lokhu kufakazwa yizikhihlikhihli zenhlamba athethisa ngazo isisebenzi sesitolo sakoButhelela ngenxa yokukhuluma kubi ngoNkosi esambiza okohlanya. Wakuveza futhi lokhu lapho uKhumalo ambamba khona esithi akameqele umfana lowo amdlithize ngamazinyo.
Sakubona obala ukuthi wayephanga athukuthele uMaNdlovu. Sebephindele endlini kaNothando ngemva kokuthengela uNkosi izigqoko zesikolo, uMaNdlovu wahle waqala ngokubonga ethi, “ENdlangamandla!”
UKhumalo yena ukuthatha njengemfanelo yendoda lokho ayekwenzile yikho waphela ukubonga kukaMaNdlovu ngamazwi alandelayo: “Ubongani? Kungumlandu wendoda ukuba imthengele yonke impahla yesikolo umntanayo, MaNdlovu.”
UMaNdlovu wathi, “Yikho phela engikubongayo, baba. Bambalwa obaba abangachitha izimali ezingakaya phezu kwabantwana abanjengoNkosi.” UKhumalo utshengisa umsebenzi okumele wenziwe ngubaba womuzi.
Ukuthenga kwakhe impahla zikaNkosi uthi ngumlandu wendoda lowo. Sekungathi obaba bafunde lesi sifundo esihle kangaka kuKhumalo ngoba banengi obaba abathi lanxa besenelisa ukwenza njengoKhumalo bangakwenzi lokho.
UMaNdlovu laye kananzeleli ukuthi indlela akhuluma ngayo ngoNkosi ebonga ukuthengelwa kwakhe impahla kucunula uKhumalo. Esecunukile uKhumalo uphakamia ilizwi kuMaNdlovu athi, “MaNdlovu, nxa kulento engingayithandiyo ukuyizwa yinkulumo enjalo. UNkosi kimi ufana xathu labanye abantwabami, angimbandlululi. Ngiginqela bona abantwana laba nxa ungibona ngivukela emsebenzini nsuku zonke.”
Izimanga ziyenzeka ngoba ukuzwa uKhumalo ekhuluma kuhle kangaka ngoNkosi sesingathi ngesinye sezimanga. Siyakwazi ukuthi ekuzalweni kukaNkosi uKhumalo kazange akuzwisise ukuthi kungazalwa umntwana oyisilima emzini wakhe. Lokhu wakutolika njengemsebenzi yabakhunkuli abathakathi abaloyayo.
Lanxa wayethe uzaphila umntwana izalukazi leziya ezabelethisa uMaNdlovu, oMaNsingo loMaKhuphe bethi lwedluliswe usane kwathatha isikhathi eside ukuthi amemukele uNkosi, uKhumalo.
Khumbula mfundi ukuthi wayengafuni lokumphatha umntwana. Wavala lokuthi abemuli yakhe baye enkonzweni ngoba engafuni leso silima sibonwe ngabantu. Wazama ukumbulala umntwana ngemithi ayeyithethe kunyanga uMahaqaza. Wenela ukusila kuleso sigigaba uNkosi, uKhumalo waguquka kungqondo yakhe embi yokufuna ukubulala umntwana. Wala lanxa wayesethole enye inyanga uBharimasoso eyambuza ukuthi wayefuna ukumbulala yini uNkosi.
Watshengisa inguquko lapho esithi imuli yakhe yonke yayisimemukele uNkosi, kanti laye wayeseqalile ukumthanda. Kulezifundo ezinye esizitholayo lapha. Nxa uMaNdlovu etshela uNkosi ukuthi kabonge kuyise, uNkosi kasazi isibongo sikayise kodwa wazi esikanina yikho ebonga ethi, “ENdlovu!” KuNkosi isibongo sikanina siyafanana lesikayise kanti uyaphosisa. UKhumalo uyayiqondisa indodana yakhe eyibuza esithi,
“OwakoNdlovu ngubani, wena sithutha sendoda?”
UKhumalo kamtotozi uNkosi nxa ephambanisa izinto uhle amqondise khonapho. Siyakhumbula lekuqaleni uKhumalo watshela uMaNdlovu ukuthi angatotozi uNkosi kodwa kamfundise ukuzenzela izinto ukuze engahlupheki nxa esekhulile esefunda. UMaNdlovu wagcizelela encedisa uNkosi ukuthi abonge uyise ethi,
“EKhumalo” eqhubeka ethi uyise ngowakoKhumalo njengaye. Eseqondisiwe uNkosi ukuthi abonge njani uKhumalo wavuma wamqonqosela uNkosi ukuthi angalibali lanxa eseyedwa khonale esikolo ukuthi yena labafowabo, ngabakoKhumalo. Unina nguye yedwa zwi, phakathi komuzi, owakoNdlovu.
