The Phoenix from Durban

By Dumisani Bapela

After serving his sentence of 15 yrs he became a vagrant until went to a wrong farm that was own by a young man who could be twenty was antagonized by the drifting and he tied him to a tree with an aim of burning from the foot up to the whole body, and he left him alone as he wanted to die a slow death. Before the fire reaches the foot the real Phoenix came along by burning itself and rebirth from its ashes and with a wink of an eye the rain started and it extinguished the fire and the wood where his hands are tied broke off and he untied himself and he limped to the tar road where he found a lift from a stranger, he was then taken to hospital. Two years later he decided to do something as offering by giving any young person who matches his blood type a kidney. After trying of 10 people there was a perfect match with a young man who was very sick in a way that he lost too much weight. After the operation the donor didnt wake up. Two weeks later the young man recovered and asked the hospital official arrange the meeting with him so that he could thank him for saving his life, he was dejected to find out that donor who died after the operation was not only the guy he attempted on burning him alive but was infant his father. When his family died on fire he survived while hiding under the steps, and he was adopted by a man whom once represented by his father on murder charges while he was still a lawyer. He then visited the grave and cried as he didnt have a chance to say goodbye. His last words while talking to the grave and he said, I dont know how to call you, daddy or the Phoenix from Durban.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing Africa
• Release date: Mar 10, 2017
• ISBN: 9781482877632

Dumisani Bapela

Dumisani Solomon Bapela born on 17 December 1975 In Dennilton, South Africa. His parents the late Amos Bapela and Johannah Mkhabela and has one sibling and her name it’s Martha Nonhlanhla Bapela. He is married to Selinah Skosana and their son it’s Cassius Sibusiso Bapela. Dumisani started school in Morelig primary School in Wonderfontein South Africa, at the age of 7 yrs he wrote fiction stories as he draws it as cartoons until reaches this adult stage. At the age of 17 yrs he obtained the high school certificate from Sofunda secondary school Middleburg South Africa. He then further his studies in Witbank College and obtained three national certificate in Engineering studies and he got training to a mining company to train as an apprentice, 2004 he qualified as the fitter artisan. He worked for mining company from the date until today. At the age of 40 yrs he wrote his first official Novel that called Morphine, 3 months later after the book was published he got sick and was diagnosed with cancer. As people saying negative things about his condition and he took positively because people thought of death but he saw an opportunity as he took six months sick leave for writing the second novel called the Phoenix from Durban.

Book preview

Chapter 1

It’s a wedding of Austin Ntombela with his bride Christine Mdlalose, the ceremony it’s held in Durban as they are both living there, and their house it is in Westville suburb, and their 6 years old daughter Sinethembe also there in the ceremony, she is wearing a pink dress and his father wearing a sky-blue polo suit. The wedding it’s attended by both middle and high class guest, and the entire decoration it’s fancy and beautiful, the view also shows the sea and the beautiful landscape of Durban Austin is 30 years old and he is an Attorney by profession and he also holding the masters degree in law, his wife to be Christine she is 27years old and a Nurse by profession, the couples have been lovers for five years. Austin weeps tears when his bride walking towards him on the red carpet with her father Themba Mdlalose holding her as the sign of accepting the gesture by handing her over to the groom.

‘If there is anyone here who don’t agree that these two couple should tie a knot today, please stand up or be forever be quiet.’ Said Pastor Benjamin Mthethwa Everyone is quiet and the Pastor continues while the two couples are facing each other.

‘Please repeat after me as I say, I Austin Bhekuyise Ntombela I take you Christine Valerie Mdlalose to be my wedded wife and I promise to take good care of you, being one flesh during triumph and tribulation.’ Said the Pastor and he repeated as instructed by the Pastor with a smile, people cheered while repeating those words.

‘Please repeat after me as I say, I Christine Valerie Mdlalose I take you Austin Bhekuyise Ntombela to be my wedded husband and I promise to take good care of you during sickness and in health until death do us apart.’ Said the Pastor and she also repeated after the Pastor as instructed, and people continue to cheer.

‘You are now husband and wife and you may kiss your bride and may God bless both of you in your journey, you know marriage it’s a wonderful thing but it’s like a plant that need to be watered on daily base for it to glow and that it’s a big responsibility and once again welcome to the adult wood.’ Said the Pastor.

People cheered and the celebration began, the music was played and its melody it’s nice and soft. The couple start dancing, and after few minutes they jointly cut the cake, and everyone went to their respected chairs and tables, each table got four bottles of champagne and two whiskies, one table allocate four chairs and the guest are 300. The guest begin with their lunch as the music it’s playing, after few minutes Austin’s best man called him aside.

‘Austin there is an old lady, who could be fifty-years old is looking for you, she says it’s urgent.’ Said the best man

‘No man it’s my wedding day and I need to make an announcement to the guest, and that will take place in twenty minutes time. Anyway, where she is?’ Said Austin.

‘She is outside the gate, as the sentinels will not allow her entry as she is not carrying the invited card.’ Said the best man Austin meditated for a moment and decided to go and see the old woman, on the arrival they spoke as the woman was begging him to represent his son from a rape charges as he is in the Police custody, she is asking him to help him to negotiate bail application as it’s hearing it’s in two hours time, failure to do so will result on increasing the days in custody and that will serve as the negative impact because if the accused does not get bail today he will be automatically dismiss from his employment because the company protocol states that if an employee stays in custody for 7 days will be dismiss, in this case the accuse is on the 6th day.

Austin rushed to court in an aim of helping this woman and her son by representing him for a bail hearing, he worked diligently to convince the Judge as the State Prosecutor was opposing vigorously, after a long battle the Judge finally gave the bail to the accused and the other challenge was that they did not have the R10 000 and that forced Austin to go to Bank to withdraw the money from his personal account to help the family. After the bail was paid, Austin returns to his wedding and it’s now 4pm, on the arrival he went straight to make a speech as people were still wondering on where the groom is, at the same time his wife was worried that maybe he has been abducted by criminals.

‘Ladies and gentleman sorry for my absentia, today was suppose to be my day off from anything and concentrate at this beautiful ceremony however there are things in life that need attention, and yes it’s indeed an enigma for a groom to disappear on his wedding day but with God grace I’m back to finish were I left, at the mean time let’s celebrate and the bar it’s open and let the party begin.’ Said Austin.

After the speech he went straight to his wife, he explained to her about the emergency situation he had with an unknown person. Christine understood the whole situation because she knows that her husband is always busy with clients around Kwazulu Natal Province and that makes him coming home late very often.

‘I was so worried, I thought maybe you might have been kidnapped or something, yes I know that you are always busy with clients as you’re good at your work, but it never cross my mind that you will leave me in the middle of our wedding ceremony.’ Said Christine.

‘I’m so sorry about that my love, and I promise I will not spoil our off days with work and I will be severe about that in future.’ Said Austin.

‘Please don’t do it again, you should remember that now we’re