Ithemba Lami

By Lungile Zondi

Le noveli ikhuluma ngomama ophoqwa yizimo ukuba alahle umntwana wakhe uThemba osanda kuzalwa. Ngenhlanhla uThemba utholwa ngabazali abami kahle, abamthandayo, abamkhulisa kahle. Kuvela inkinga nokho uma uThemba esekhulile sekuvela ukuthi ngobani abazali bakhe bangempela. Izehlakalo eziwumphumela walokhu zisiphuzelisa unwele, zifikisele izinyembezi, kodwa futhi zilethe ithemba lokuthi ukuvela kwezinkinga empilweni akusho ukuthi sekufanele kulahlwe ithemba.

Le noveli yathola uMklomelo wesiBili emcintiswaneni wokubhalwa kwezincwadi owawuhlelwe nguMnyango Wezobuciko, Amasiko Nezokuvakasha wesiFundazwe saKwaZulu-Natali ngokubambisana nabashicileli bakwa-Nasou Via Afrika ngonyaka we-2007.

• Language: Zulu
• Publisher: Via Afrika
• Release date: Sep 20, 2017
• ISBN: 9781415452639

Lungile Zondi

ULungile N.Р. Zondi ungowokuzalwa eGreytown, lapho aqala khona imfundo yamabanga aphansi. Ukhulele eMgungundlovu, waphothula iBanga 12 ePietermaritzburg Girls' High School. Le ncwadi ishicilelwe enza unyaka wokugcina weziqu ze-Bachelor of Social Sciences e-University of KwaZulu-Natal eThekwini.

Book preview

Ngifisa ukubonga bonke ababambe iqhaza elenze ukuba lo msebenzi uphumelele:

UMdali, ngokungipha isipho esingaka sokubhala, abazali bami ngothando lwabo nakho konke abangenzele khona empilweni, Umnyango Wezobuciko Amasiko Nezokuvakasha, abashicileli bakwa-Nasou via Afrika, iNhlangano yabaBhali uSiba, izingane zakwethu oNonhle, Wandile noThabile, abangani bami oLorraine Andries no-Ayanda Ncamphalala kanye nothisha bami besiZulu eyunivesithi e-UKZN.

Isahluko Sokuqala

Sekuphele imizuzu engamashumi amathathu uMaMthembu elokhu ebhekene nengane yakhe, uThemba. Akazi ukuthi uzoyitshela kanjani le nto okumele ayitshele yona. UThemba

ulokhu emtshela unina ukuthi noma kungabe yizindaba ezimbi lezi afuna ukumtshela zona, akunalutho, ayikho into engadluli. Kodwa akaboni kanjalo uMaMthembu, akakholwa wukuthi lokhu azokutshela umfana wakhe kuyoke kudlule.

Afise sengathi ngabe usaphila umyeni wakhe, uMfeka, mhlawumbe ngabe kulula ukumtshela uThemba uma bebabili.

Aze aqunge isibindi uMaMthembu, aqale ngokumtshela ukuthi uyamthanda, futhi ubonga iNkosi ngokuthi imuphe umfana ohloniphayo nokhuthele kangaka. Ishaye ngamandla inhliziyo kaThemba, akayikholwa nhlobo le nto ayizwayo, azibuze ngenhliziyo ukuthi ingenzeka kanjani kodwa le nto.

Asukume ngokushesha uThemba aye ekamelweni lakhe, afike alale ngesisu phezu kombhede wakhe. Ayicabangisise kahle le nto asanda kuyizwa. Kube sengathi uyaphupha. Ugcwele imibuzo eminingi engqondweni yakhe. Azibuze ngenhliziyo ukuthi ubani umama wakhe wangempela? Wamlahlelani? Yingabe usaphila na? Ubaba wakhe yena? Wayengavuma kanjani ukuthi ingane yakhe ilahlwe? Babengamfuni ngaleyo ndlela abazali bakhe? Abuye aziduduze athi, Ayikho yonke le nto, uyangikhohlisa uMama, ayikho ngisho nento eyodwa eyake yakhombisa ukuthi angisiyena owalapha ekhaya. Izingane zalapha ekhaya azikaze nje zingibandlulule. Uma sike saganga, sithethiswa sonke, uma senzelwa izinto ezinhle, sonke siyenzelwa.

Abuke ikamelo lakhe. Kukhona umsakazo odlala ama-CD. Kukhona izithombe zabaculi odongeni. Abuke isikibha asigqokile, izingubo azigqokayo zinamagama, akasweli lutho, uyena kuphela ezinganeni zalapha ekhaya onomsakazo ekamelweni. Wawuthengelwa wumama wakhe, uMaMthembu, ngosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa, wathi umthengela ngoba usekhulile. Lezi ezinye izingane zisencane. UZandile, olama uThemba, uneminyaka eyishumi nanye. UMsawakhe, onguthumbu, uneminyaka eyisikhombisa.

Sekuyintambama, yisikhathi sokuthi uThemba ahambe ayosiza umama wakhe ngokuphaka ukudla, kodwa akaboni ukuthi uzophumelela namhlanje. Angeke aze akwazi ukuba sendaweni eyodwa nomama wakhe, udinga ukuba yedwa kancane. Aphume ekamelweni lakhe, ayongqongqoza kwelikaZandile. Avule uZandile, uvula nje isicabha usivule kancane, akafuni muntu ongena ekamelweni lakhe. UThemba amcele ukuthi ayophakisa umama ekhishini ngoba yena uyagula. Sengathi

uZandile akahambisani nale nto ecelwa wuThemba, kodwa angasho lutho, phela inhlonipho ibaluleke kabi layikhaya, uMaMthembu akamfuni nhlobo umuntu ophendulayo.

Ekhishini uMaMthembu ugovuza ibhodwe lenyama esitofini. Angene uZandile, akhiphe amapuleti ekhabetheni. Alive lilihle ikhishi likaMaMthembu, liyile nhlobo ebizwa ngokuthi yi-Island Kitchen. Isitofu siphakathi nendawo kwekhishi, sixhumene namakhabethe. Phansi kukhona ama-tiles amhlophe. Umbala wekhishi unokumhlophe nokubomvu, bese ezinye izinto zibe siliva, njengamabhodwe, yi-fridge ne- microwave. Kuyabonakala impela ukuthi ungudokotela.

Abuze uMaMthembu ukuthi muphi uThemba. Aphendule uZandile athi, Uyagula. Avele athule uMaMthembu, angabe esabuza lutho. UZandile aqale ukusola ukuthi sengathi akulona ikhanda kuphela eliphethe uThemba. Mhlawumbe uthethisiwe. Yingakho nje engezi ukuzophakisa umama wakhe. Into eyenza ukuthi uZandile asole wukuthi umama wakhe akenzanga lutho kade emtshela ukuthi uThemba uyagula.

Uvamise ukubaphuzisa umuthi uma begula kodwa namhlanje akazange asho noma enze utho. Abuye azitshele ukuthi yinto encane nje. Ukube uthethiswe ngempela uThemba ngabe ulapha ekhishini uphakisa umama wakhe. UMaMthembu akamfuni nhlobo umuntu odubayo.

Baqede ukuphaka bese uZandile eyahamba eyobiza uMsawakhe noThemba. UMsawakhe usendlini yokudlalela, udlala amathoyizi. UThemba usekamelweni lakhe, uselele. Angqongqoze aze akhathale uZandile, likhiyiwe ikamelo. Badle-ke abadlayo, kumbozwe ukudla kwakhe – useyokufudumeza akudle kusasa.

Ebusuku sekulelwe uMaMthembu ahluleke wukulala, ulokhu eqwasha. Ucabanga le nto ekade eyitshela uThemba emini. Uyabona ukuthi imhlukumezile. Ubuye athandaze ngenhliziyo ukuthi uThemba angenzi into engasile njengoba ezwe izindaba ezimbi. Aqwashe buze bufike ubuthongo. Esathi uyalala nje, ezwe ukuvuleka kwesicabha sasekamelweni likaThemba, uma ebheka isikhathi, kusele imizuzu emihlanu ukuthi kugamanxe elesibili ekuseni, kudlule isikhashana, ezwe ukukhala kwesicabha kwelinye lamakamelo, avuke ayobheka ukuthi kungabe wuThemba yini. Esathi uyasukuma avele akhale uMsawakhe eceleni kwakhe, sengathi uphupha kabi, amthulise uMaMthembu aze alale. Njengoba esefunda isikole uMsawakhe akeve esephupha kabi.

UMaMthembu uke asole sengathi baxoxa ngezinto ezithusayo esikoleni bese eyaziphupha ebusuku.

Akhumbule uMaMthembu ukuthi ebezwe ukuvuleka kwesicabha. Avuke kancane, khona uMsawakhe engazokuvuka. Afike angqongqoze kange ekamweleni likaThemba bese eyangena. Kukhanyisiwe, uThemba akalele, uyakhala. Ame ngasesicabheni uMaMthembu, azibuze ngenhliziyo ukuthi aphindele ekamelweni lakhe noma amthulise. Themba? kusho uMaMthembu. Asabele ngo yebo uThemba. Sekulukhuni ukuthi ambize ngoMama manje njengoba esazi ukuthi akusiyena umama wakhe wangempela. Kumphathe kabi uMaMthembu ukuzwa uThemba esabela ngendlela angajwayele ukusabela ngayo.

Asondele uMaMthembu, ahlale esitulwini esiseduze kombhede kaThemba, aqale athule isikhashana. Akasakhali uThemba, ulele ngomhlane. Aqale akhulume uMaMthembu: Mfana wami, ngiyazi ukuthi ikuphethe kabi le ndaba, kodwa uyabona ukuthi bekufanele ulazi iqiniso, ukunoma ngikufihlele? Avume uThemba. Aqhubeke uMaMthembu athi, Themba lami, ngisho kungathiwa kunjani, useyiyo ingane yami, useyiyo indodana yami, futhi uyohlala uyiyo, usewuye owakwaMfeka, ukuthi nje kuhle ukuthi umuntu azi lapho aphuma khona, phela manje usuyindoda. Maduzane nje usuzoba nomakoti. Amoyizele uThemba uma ezwa elikamakoti, noMaMthembu amoyizele.

Angabe esaqhubeka uMaMthembu nokusho ukuthi njengoba esezoba yindoda, abe nomakoti, kufanele asazi isibongo sakhe sangempela, ngoba ebona ukuthi kuzomenza aphatheke kabi futhi uThemba. Baxoxe ngokunye. Abuze uMaMthembu ukuthi kuhamba kanjani esikoleni.

Aphendule uThemba ngokuthi akukho okumhluphayo, aqhube athi, Phela mina ngafunza uBaba, isikole wubala kimina. Asho lawa mazwi bese ehla izinyembezi, uyakhumbula ukuthi konje uMfeka akasiyena ubaba wakhe wangempela. Azibuze ngenhliziyo uThemba ukuthi pho ufuze bani ngokuhlakanipha. Yingabe ubaba wakhe wangempela wayehlakaniphile esikoleni? UMaMthembu amsule izinyembezi ngesandla sakhe bese emduduza ethi, Ufuze yena, mfana wami.

Asukume uMaMthembu. Avalelise kumfana wakhe athi makalale sebeyobonana ekuseni. Avule isicabha uMaMthembu, esathi uyaphuma nje, uThemba athi, Mama? Igcwale injabulo inhliziyo kaMaMthembu uma ezwa igama elithi ‘Mama’ liphuma kuThemba. Aphenduke uMaMthembu, asabele athi, Yebo mfana wami? Athule kancane uThemba: Ngiyabonga Mama. Amoyizele uMaMthembu, acife iso, noThemba amoyizele, acishe ugesi uMaMthembu, aphume. Impela imphethe kabi uThemba le ndaba yokuthi umama wakhe wangempela wamshiya emzini womuntu okungasiye ngisho isihlobo sakhe, kodwa iyodwa into ayibongayo, ubonga ukuthi wamshiya emzini wabantu abaphilayo, abantu abamthatha bamenza indodana yabo. Uyasola ukuthi umama wakhe wangempela wayehlupheka, wayengazi ukuthi uzomkhulisa kanjani, wase ekhetha ukuthi akhuliswe abantu abame kahle. Uyakubonga lokho. Avale amehlo, alale.

YiSonto namhlanje. Wonke umuntu endlini yakwaMfeka ulungiselela ukuya esontweni. UThemba uqeda ukugeza, useyagqoka ekamelweni. Aqede lapho ahambe ayokwenzela wonke umuntu ukudla. Ulokhu eshaya ikhwela, abuye akhumbule ukuthi umama wakhe akalifuni ikhwela endlini. Abuze wonke umuntu ahlangana naye endlini ukuthi ulale kanjani, abatshele ukuthi ukudla sekulungile. Ngisho noMsawakhe uyabona ukuthi ujabule uThemba.

Sebesetafuleni bedla i-Jungle Oats, uMaMthembu abatshele ukuthi bayeza abazali bakhe namhlanje, ugogo nomkhulu balayikhaya, bazovakasha, kodwa abazukulala, bazohamba ntambama. Ngakho-ke uThemba kuzomele athathe enye imoto uma sekuyiwa esontweni, abalandele ngayo ukuze bagibele khona ogogo nomkhulu. Basonta ndawonye. Uma sekubuywa, bazobuya ndawonye. Yize noma uThemba engakabi nayo ilayisense yokushayela, akulutho ngoba esontweni akukude kakhulu ukunalapho abahlala khona, eMbali Unit 3. Amaphoyisa awavamisile ukuvimba elokishini. Uke azule nabangani bakhe ngemoto kamama wakhe, bazule Imbali yonke. UMaMthembu wamdonsa ngendlebe wathi angalinge aphumele ngaphandle kwelokishi ngoba akanazo izincwadi, wathi uma eke waphuma, amaphoyisa amnikeza ithikithi, wuyena uThemba oyolikhokha.

UThemba uyibhungu elihle, cabanga-ke eseshayela imoto kamama wakhe, uhlobo lwe-VW, emnyama, ayive iyinhle. Amantombazane avele akhale ngaye, kodwa yena akazingeni ezezintombi. Uhlale enabangani bakhe nje bedlala ibhola noma behubha izimoto zasemakubo. Into enhle ngoThemba ukuthi uyayicela imoto, uma engekho umama wakhe, esemsebenzini, uyamfonela ayicele imoto. Ngelinye ilanga kodwa uMaMthembu uke amalele ukuthi adlale ngemoto, wala ngamasibomu nje.

Kuphunywe endlini. UZandile agibele noThemba, uMaMthembu ahambe noMsawakhe. Abeve bezwana oZandile benoThemba. Acabange uThemba ukuthi kazi bayozwana kangaka yini uma uZandile esazi ukuthi abasibona abandawonye.

Bahambe baze bafike esontweni. Kugcwele njengokujwayelekile. Bangene, bahlale ngokuhlukana, uThemba ahlale nezinye izinsizwa. UZandile noMsawakhe bahlale nezinye izingane zakusontosikole, uMaMthembu yena ahlale namanye amakhosikazi. Kuyashintshwana ngokuphathwa inkonzo kuleli sonto. Namhlanje yisonto lezinsizwa. UThemba nabanye abafana ababili, bakhethiwe namhlanje ukuthi bamele izinsizwa. UThemba yena uzofunda iBhayibheli encwadini ka-Eksodusi 20, ‘imiyalelo eyishumi’ bese eyashumayela.

Ufundisiwe impela uThemba, uma eshumayela akabi nawo amahloni. Kade eseshumayela, ugcizelele kakhulu uma esefunda u-Eksodusi 20:12-15, lapho kuthiwa khona: ‘Hlonipha uyihlo nonyoko, ukuze izinsuku zakho zande ezweni, ungabulali, ungaphingi, ungebi.’ Asho lawa mazwi bese ethi uwabhekisa kakhulu kusontosikolo, abuye afake amahlaya. Bathanda kabi abazalwane uma kuzoba yisonto lezinsizwa ngoba ziyahlekisa.

Ziqede izinsizwa ukuphatha inkonzo, bese uMfundisi webandla, uMfundisi Ngubane evala ngomthandazo. Akhumbuze omama ukuthi ngesonto elizayo inkonzo izobe iphethwe yibona, ngakho-ke kuzofanele bakhethane ukuthi obani omama abathathu abazobamba inkonzo. Liphume isonto, abantu bavalelisane. UThemba ame lapha eceleni nabangani bakhe, bazixoxele, ulinde ukuthi ugogo nomkhulu wakhe bangene emotweni kodwa uyabona ukuthi basaxoxa nabanye abazalwane. Uma ethi uphakamisa amehlo akhe uThemba, abone igosakazi lasesontweni, umama uMaSithole, lilokhu limbuka, futhi sengathi kade liqalile limbuka.

Umama uMaSithole uyazihluphekela bandla, kodwa hhayi ngokwenhliziyo, ngoba enhlizweni ugcwele uJesu. Uhlala yedwa kwakhe, akanazo izingane, futhi akanayo indoda. Sengathi indoda yamshiyela ukuthi wakhipha ingane, uma abantu besho, ngoba abaningi bamgcina ezithwele. Abanye bathi indoda yakhe yamshiya ngoba ithi ingane akusiyona eyayo, umama uMaSithole wase ekhetha ukuthi ayikhiphe. Akekho olaziyo kahle iqiniso, uyena kuphela umama uMaSithole olaziyo. Usanda kusithola nje isikhundla sokuba yigosakazi lapha esontweni. Uzimisele kakhulu ngesonto.

Agcine esezibile uThemba, kodwa ulokhu ezibuza ukuthi yini indaba

Reviews for Ithemba Lami

[Balungile Majola · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I love this novel is interesting and I love the character of Themba