uMthunywa
Charles Dube
KUVIKI ephelileyo ingxoxo yethu kulolugwalo igxile kusaga esithi, “inyoni itshayelwa abadala”. Ngalesisaga sithe ukuxhwala kukaNgenzile ethatha abantwana babanye abantu ebaduhisa kwangenisa uyise uVulela phakathi.
Wayezihlalele uVulela engonelanga muntu kodwa wabona isithunywa sakoMbengo Ncube, uNdlovu efika kwakhe ethi uMbengo uthe ufuna umntanakhe. Wayeselecala angalenzanga uVulela esefela umntanakhe uNgenzile owahuga umntakaMbengo, uSilobile wabaleka ekhaya walubhekisa edolobheni lakoBulawayo.
Nxa uMbengo ethuma uNdlovu kuVulela ethi amuphe umntanakhe wakhohlwa ukuthi nxa uSilobile ehamba loNgenzile kambe angababona ngaphi uVulela? Ayengalula lamazwi uNdlovu awaphiwa nguMbengo.
Ayengumkhonto wokulwa nxa engaphathwanga kuhle lawo mazwi ngulowo ayeqondiswe kuye. Sizwa umlobi esitshela ukuthi uNdlovu walala elekiwe ngenxa yalokho. Wavuka lekuseni enethiwe uNdlovu, engazi ukuthi uzasungula athini.
Yayinzima leyo ndaba ayeyithunyiwe uNdlovu, engakayikhulumi kodwa ehambela nje ukuthi esiNdebeleni vele kuthiwa umthunywa kalampontshi, okutsho ukuthi othunyiweyo kalacala. Izolo ubebonakala ofikayo emzini wenye indoda ukuthi uzangokuhle kumbe ngokubi. Nangu uNdlovu ufika ahlale phezu kwejazi lakhe ngaphandle komuzi kaVulela. Kaze adinga uVulela ngoba umuntu othwele okubi kadingwa. Ukuhlala kwakhe kuyatsho, lendawo akuyo iyakhuluma lelizwi lakhe liyakuchaza aze ngakho.
UNdlovu ufika azilahlele phansi kothango lomuzi, egcekeni. Kuthiwa uNdlovu kambusisanga uVulela ngokumbona njengalokho okujwayelekileyo umuntu nxa esiza ngokuhle. Laye uVulela kambusisanga uNdlovu. Amagazi abo ezwana ukuthi kabalandani ngokuhle. Lekusondeleni kuNdlovu uVulela wakhekheleza angathi ngumuntu obona inyoka. Wahlalela khatshana loNdlovu. Babingelelana njengabantwana besifazana abakhombeleneyo.
Sebeluqhaqhile udenda olwalela amazwi ukuphuma uNdlovu wabhoboka ethi uthunywe ngabakoNcube. UVulela esethe ulalele wayaphambili uNdlovu wabika ukuthi uNcube uthi umntanakhe kabonakali ekhaya. Kwathi kathi,
“Pho?” uVulela kodwa wabamdala, wala ukubamba inhlwa ngekhanda. Wafisa ukuba aluzwisise kuhle udaba uNdlovu ayeze ngalo. Kodwa wabuya wabona ukuthi akusizi ukutshona edonsa indaba engazi ukumsiza.
Waphendula uNdlovu ngala amazwi: “Ngizakufa ngigongodwa ngabantu. Lizangifica ngiqumbile; ngifela amanga.”
UNdlovu owayengathi ugcwalelene wancibilika, watshedatsheda, wazinza phezulu kwejazi lakhe. Wabona uVulela ukuthi ubuntu budonsa ubuntu. Wazi ukuthi ngabe uphendulise itshapha ngabe konakele. Wayaphambili uVulela ethi: “Inyama ngeyami, Ndlovu. Legazi ngelami. Kodwa umoya ngowomunye.” Uthe eseke wathi khefu uVulela wathi, “Uyadela ongafa engakuzalanga okunje.”
Kalibalekeleki icala yikho nje uVulela lanxa kufika ukuthi akhulume kubi ngombiko kaNdlovu azikhuze. Wavuma kuhle uVulela ukuthi umntanakhe uNgenzile usengenise abantwana babantu ebubini. Wakhala ngokuthi usehlulekile. Wathi lekhaya kasalali uNgenzile; uselala eMbijana. Wezwa ubuhlungu laye uNdlovu nxa uVulela ekhala esithi, “Ngabe yinkomo ngabe kangisahlupheki kangaka. Pho ngumuntu!” Umbuzo uthi wayezayithini aluba kuyinkomo? Wayezayithengisa na? Kutshengisa inzondo alayo ngaphakathi uVulela kodwa abuye azikhuze ngoba ukhuluma ngomntanakhe uNgenzile.
