08/12/2023
16. SPHINDILE
Imizamo ka Mandebele yokuthola u Sphindile, ayiphumelelanga yonke. Laseliphelile iviki, engekho u Sphindile ekhaya. Nocingo lwakhe lwalungangeni. Kwasekuze kwamphoqa ukuthi, azise no Dlakude ngalokhu. Ngesikhathi embikela, akubanga njengoba wayelindele u MaNdebele, yena wayezitshela ukuthi, u Dlakude angeke ebe nendaba ngokunyamalala kuka Sphindile. Kodwa, u Dlakude wakhombisa ukuphatheka kabi ngalokhu, yize engakushongo ngomlomo.
“Kodwa Nkosikazi, usungaze ungifihlele indaba engaka, ukuthi u Sphindile akekho layikhaya, yinto yanini vele lena?” kubuza u Dlakude, ebhocobele.
Kwamethusa lokhu ayekubona u MaNdebele, ekubeni yena wayezitshela ukuthi uzojabula u Dlakude. U Dlakude wayemthanda u Sphindile, Indodakazi yakhe kuyiyo yodwa, futhi wayehlala njalo emufisela okuhle, kuyikho ke ukuthi izingane azikwenzi lokhu wena osuke ukufisa ngazo, ziyakudumaza.
“Ngelanga owabuya ngalo esibhedlela Baba, safika layikhaya engasekho” kusho u MaNdebele, ezwakala naye ukuthi unokukhathazeka emoyeni. “Inkinga nocingo lwakhe luvaliwe, kunjalo nje angikwazi nokuyaluza ngimbheke, ngoba nawe Baba awuphilile, angeke ngikwazi ukukushiya wedwa!” esechiphiza u MaNdebele.
Zaqhubeka izinsuku, lutho ukuzwakala umkhondo ka Sphindile, nocingo lwakhe lutho ukungena.
Ngelinye ilanga, u MaNdebele wayevuke walibangisa Emtholampilo, ukuyolanda amaphilisi ka Dlakude, njengoba wayebuye nencwadi Esibhedlela, yokulanda amaphilisi Emtholampilo oseduzane. Wayesheshe waphuma ekhaya enzela ukushesha ebuye. U Dlakude wayesele yedwa ekhaya.
Emtholampilo babenza kancane, njengenjwayelo. U MaNdebele wayezitshela ukuthi uzoshesha, njengoba wayevukile nje, kodwa laze laphakama ilanga, Abahlengikazi besabamba beyeka, kungekho okuqhubekayo. Kwaze kwagcwala ngaphakathi, sekufika Abantu owayefike yena Emtholampilo, besalele emakhaya. Wagcina eluthola ke usizo, bamnikeza amaphilisi ka Dlakude, wavalelisa waphuma ngomnyango.
“Sanibona we MaNdebele, ninjani noh?” kubingelela omunye Wesifazane, owayezongena emnyango, ngesikhathi u MaNdebele yena ephuma. Kwakungu MaDuma, u Mama ka Nonhlanhla, lo ongu Mngani ka Zibuyile. Babengajwayelene kangako, kwakungukwazana nje, nje njengo Mama basendaweni.
Wama u MaNdebele. Yize ukuma kwakhe kwakumumoshela isikhathi, kanti yena kwakufanele ephuthume ekhaya, u Dlakude wayesele yedwa.
“Yebo MaDuma, siyaphila thina, singezwa kini!” kusho u Mandebele, ngezwi elipholile, emamatheka futhi.
Cha, waphila ke no MaDuma. Bathi ukuxoxa isikhashana, bexoxa ngelanga elishisayo nangezimvula, nangezinye nje izinto ezingayindawo.
“Hawu, MaNdebele, anisasho ukuthi u Sphindile senamganisa laphaya Kwa Mkhize, ngizwe u Nhlah ethi u Sphindile usewagana, bahlala bobabili no Mnakwabo, lengane yakwa Buthelezi, Kwa MaDla…..!” kusho u MaDuma njalo, kwazise wayevele ezikhulumela.
Wahlahla amehlo u MaNdebele, uma ezwa indaba ka Sphindile.
“Ini MaDuma?” ngokwethuka u MaNdebele. “U Sphindile ukwa……..?” wanikina ikhanda, wayesecishe waphahluka. “Hhayi Ntombi, angiphuthume ekhaya u Baba usele yedwa, kudala ngihambile!” washo engena indlela u Mandebele. Wasala emile kanjalo u MaDuma, emangele, wanikina ikhanda, wangena ngaphakathi Emtholampilo.
Endleleni ebheke ekhaya, u MaNdebele wayehambisa okohlanya, uma ungazi wawungazitshela ukuthi kukhona okumjahayo, okanye abamjahayo, ngendlela owayeshesha ngayo. Wayengasaqalazi nasemaceleni, amehlo akhe ayesebheke phambili. Kuningi nokudideka ayenakho emqondweni, kakhulukazi ngalokhu ayekuzwe ngo MaDuma, okokuthi u Sphindile uhlala Kwa Mkhize. Pho uma ekwa Mkhize, abakhona babemfihleleni, kungani bengafikanga okanye befikise umlayezo ngalokho? Imibuzo ayezibuza yona u MaNdebele, kodwa owayengeke ebe nezimpendulo zayo, njengoba naye wayengazi lutho nje. Wayenakho ukungabaza ngalento, kokunye ezitshela ukuthi, lo vovo liyakhipha ongu MaDuma uzikhandele nje indaba engekho. Wayengeke u Sphindile ebalekele Kwa Mkhize, futhi nabo abakwa Mkhize babengeke bememukele, emva kwalento eyenzeka bezokhonga. Wayeseziduduza ngalokho u MaNdebele.
“Kufanele ngingayiphathi lento ku Dlakude, okungcono ngizozama ukuthola isikhathi, ngikhuphuke ngibheke khona Kwa Mkhize, ngiyozibonela lento eshiwoyo, mhlawumbe izoba khona incazelo ezwakalayo!” kusho u MaNdebele, ekhuluma yedwa endleleni. Ngempela lokhu kwakuzomgulisa kakhulu u Dlakude. Kwakwenele okokuthi u Sphindile ukhulelwe, ukhuleliswe u Mbangiseni, okokuthi uhlala khona Kwa Mkhize, kwakuzomqedela.
Wafika ekhaya u MaNdebele, wayaluza, ehlanganisa okwakuzodliwa emini. Yize wayesexhibeni ngomzimba, kodwa ngomqondo wayekude kakhulu. Lokho kwafakazelwa ukuthi, ukudla ayekuphekile kwasha, kakhulukazi uphuthu. Isishebo sona savele saba duma nje, kwaba sengathi siphekwe umuntu obeqala ukupheka. U Dlakude wakhalaza njalo, kodwa waqhubeka wadla, kwazise kwakufanele ephuze amaphilisi. U MaNdebele yena akadlanga, wagcina ephakile nje, kodwa kwangavuma ukuthi edle. Wayematasa emqondweni, ecabanga isu lokuphuma eye Kwa Mkhize, wena wabona intombi ifuna ukuphuma iye esokeni, kodwa ingazi ukuthi izobika ithini ku Mama wayo.
“Baba, angazi noma uzokwazi yini ukusala wedwa futhi, kufanele ngiye esitolo, izinto ziyashoda kakhulu manje lapha ekhishini, bengizohamba ngisheshe?” sekusho u MaNdebele, ngesikhathi esezoqoqa izitsha.
Wathula u Dlakude, isikhashana, kungathi usacabanga ukuthi ephendule ethini.
“Uyazi MaNdebele, ukube ngingumuntu ohlala ecabanga izinto ezimbi njalo ngawe, bengizothi uqomile ngesikhathi uya e Kiliniki namhlanje, selokhu ubuyile nje awuhlalisekile” kusho u Dlakude, ebheke phansi. “Buka nje ngisho ukudla okuphekile, kuyinganekwane, ngiyaqala mina ukukubona upheke into enjena, angiyazi nje lento, utatazelisa okwentombi kade inikela ngothando lwayo ensizweni!” enikina ikhanda. “Kwenzakaleni MaNdebele, khona okudidisile wazikhohlwa ukuthi uganile futhi umdala, wazibona usuyintombi?” kuqhuba u Dlakude, esemgqolozele.
Wahlahla amehlo u MaNdebele, kodwa washalaza.
“Hawu, ukuqoma pho Baba?” ebuza ngokumangala. “Hhayi kahle Baba, ngingabe ngisaqomela ukwenzani nje senginjena, kahle Baba, mina ngikhathazeke ngendaba ka Sphindile nje kuphela, hhayi lokhu okucabangayo!” u MaNdebele njalo.
Wathula futhi u Dlakude, wabheka phansi. Wayesenikina ikhanda.
“Ukuqoma MaNdebele akuyi ngaminyaka, angithi uke uzwe izalukazi ezingakuzala kuthiwa ziyajola, wena useko Foti, awukafiki nako Fifti, manje ungabanjwa yini ke?” embuka, ehleka. “Kulungile, hamba uye kulelo soka lakho olijahile, uvale emnyango, ukhiye nesango, ngizocambalala ngizilalelele umsakazo, angeke ngife isizungu!” washo nangempela ezigingqa embhedeni, u Dlakude.
Wasukuma u MaNdebele, wambuka, wanikina ikhanda. Wamamatheka.
“Wena Baba ngabe uyasho nje ukuthi ufuna ukuba no Mnakwenu, kulungile ke ngizozitholela okungu Mfanyana endleleni!” eqonda emnyango. Ngizobuya khona manje!” waphuma u MaNdebele, wavala isicabha.
Wayengazi ukuthi lapho eya khona, kuzokwenzakalani, kodwa wayekhulekela ukuthi emthole ngempela u Sphindile, kungabi ukuthi uhambela amahhala.
Iyaqhubeka............
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