Inganekewane: Amawele

Kwasukasukela, kwakukhona amantombazane amabili angamawele, ayeneminyaka eyishumi kanti amagama alamawele kwakungu Lungile noNokulunga. Langalimbe kuvalwe izikole acela kuyise ukuvakasha ekhaya komama, kugogo wabo. Lamawele ayekwazi ukwenza yonke imisebenzi yasekhaya: ukugeza izitsha, ukupheka, ukuhlakula, ukutheza  kanye nokukha amanzi. Endaweni ayeyigugu futhi ethandwa kakhulu ngenxa yokukhuthala kanye nokuziphatha kwawo. Ayeziphatha kahle kakhulu edlula onke amantombazane asendaweni.

Zazikhona izinkomba zokuthi azokhula abeqotho futhi abe izintombi ezihloniphayo, njengoba ayecele ukuvakasha uyise wathi, “Senikhulumile nomfowenu omdala ngalolu daba?” Amantombazane ayesevele eqalile kumfowabo ngoba ayazi ukuthi akwenzeki lutho uma engavumanga. Ayeze azibuze ukuthi kungani uyise emkhweza ekhanda awo. Wawungafunga ukuthi nguye inhloko yekhaya. Uyise wamawele wathi, “Kulungile, lungelani ukuhamba kusasa ekuseni. Nilungise nomphako.”

Lwafika usuku lokuhamba, bavuka kusempondozakwazise kade bamgcina ugogo wabo, yingakho babekade belale obenyoni. Basebezibona sebekwagogo, kwakuba mnandi kuvaleke isikhala sikamama wabo. Ngaphambi kokuba baphume uyise wabadonsa ngendlebe wathi baqhaphele lapho izindlela zehlukana khona bathathe indlela yesobunxele, bengalinge bahambe ngakwesokudla. Uyise akachazanga kungani kumele beyigweme enye indlela. Umuntu omdala akabuzwa izizathu.

Aphuma, ahamba amantombazane, lalilide ibanga kanti kwakungaphephile ukuba amantombazane amancane kangaka ahambe indlela ende kangaka wodwa. Ahamba aze afika lapho izindlela zehlukana khona, basebekhohliwe ukuthi uyise uthe bajikele ngaphi bagweme yiphi indlela. Baqala ukuphikisana uLungile wathi yena uzojikela kwesokudla uNokulunga wathi uzojikela kwesokunxele. Bahlukana kanjalo kwaba ilowo nalowo wazithathela indlela yakhe. UNokulunga wahamba wahamba waze wafika ehlathini elikhulu. Kwakukhona indlela edabula kulo lelihlathi wafikelwa ukwesaba, wama isikhashana ecabanga. Ukwesaba kwamenza anqume ukuba aphindele emuva endleleni ethathwe iwele lakhe. Nangempela wajika waphindela emuva.

Wayehamba ngesikhulu isivinini, wayenokucabanga ukuthi mhlawumbe selihambe kakhulu iwele lakhe. Ngemuva kwesikhathi eside ehamba, wamfica udadewabo. Wathi engambona nje udadewabo wathi, “Ujikeleni ngoba awuyethembi eyami indlela?”  “Ngifike ehlathini elikhulu ngase ngifikelwa ukwesaba,” kuphendula iwele. ULungile wayenesiqiniseko sokuthi nguye okhethe indlela efanele kunodadewabo. Baqhubeka bahamba.

Kuthe besahamba endleleni kwahlwa. “Sizolalaphi, kuhlwile ayisabonakali indlela?” kubuza uNokulunga. Akekho owayenempendulo yalowo mbuzo phakathi kwabo. Bathe besahamba babona into ekhanyayo phakathi kwezihlahla. Bavele bazitshela ukuthi kungaba khona umuzi oseduzane. Bavumelana ngokuthi banikele khona beyocela ukufihla ikhanda. Bajabula uma bengena bebona ukuthi kukhona ingane eyintombazane ecishe ilingane nabo. Ithe ukubabona lentombazane yathi “Weeeee! Ngaze nganidabukela. Aniyalwanga kanti ekhaya ukuthi ningahambi kule ndlela? Baqala babukana emehlweni, badideka ukuthi kanti uNokulunga ebekhethe indlela okuyiyo. Yaqhuba intombazane yathi, “Ninenhlahla ngoba uDlabantu usayozingela, ngizonifihla kodwa ekuseni nivuke nibaleke ngoba wanibona, uzonidla.” Ahamba ayolala emahlahleni amawele efihlwe intombazane. Akekho owasekhulumisa omunye, ukusa kwaziwa yiwo. Awabange esaya kwagogo ngoba nomphako wabe usuphelile, aphindela kuyise.

Cosu cosu yaphela.