“Andikufuni tu ukuya esikolweni namhlanje,” wancwina watsho ezolula uBhuti Mvundla ukuvuka kwakhe. “Ndinqwenela ukuhlala ekhaya ndilale imini yonke.”

Ekhitshini uMakhulu Mvundla wayexakekile, epheka isidudu. “Khawulezisani, bantwana,” wakhwaza esitsho. “Isidlo sakusasa silungile.”

“Ndiyeza, Makhulu,” kwaphendula uSisi Mvundla, exhuma, evuka ebhedini. USisi Mvundla wayesoloko ekuthakazelela yena ukuya esikolweni.

“Andiziva mnandi, Makhulu,” watsho uBhuti Mvundla. “Intloko yam ibuhlungu nomlenze wam uyaqaqamba, kanti nomqala ngokunjalo, nkqu nengqiniba yam ibuhlungu.”

UMakhulu wambeka umva wesandla ebunzi, esiva ubushushu. “Akukho nto unayo,” wabuya nelitshoyo. “Vuka unxibe.”

UBhuti Mvundla wavuka. Ngokukhawuleza nanko ethatha izihlangu zakhe, ezijula ngefestile. “Andiziboni izihlangu zam zesikolo,” watsho. “Andikwazi ukuya esikolweni kuba izihlangu zam zesikolo azikho.”

Kanti, uSisi Mvundla umbhaqile xa esenza oko. “Mvundlandini ogezayo,” watsho emngxolisa. “Ndikubonile uzama ukuzifihla izihlangu zakho. Khawulezisa wethu. Uza kusenza sifike kade esikolweni.”

UBhuti Mvundla watya isidudu sakhe. Emva koko nanko esiya kuhlala kwigumbi langasese. “Isisu sam sibuhlungu Makhulu,” wancwina esitsho. “Kuvakala ngathi amathumbu la am ayanqunqeka. Andinakukwazi tu ukuhamba le ndlela inde kangaka iya esikolweni.”

UMakhulu wamphathela ibhotile yakhe enkulu yeyeza elikrakrayo. “Thatha apha,” watsho, “sela amacephe amabini kweli yeza uza kuphila ngoku.”

“Hayi, hayi, hayi, enkosi,” wakhwaza enikina uBhuti Mvundla. “Isisu sam singcono noko ngoku.”

“Hambani ngoku ke ukuba kunjalo,” watsho uMakhulu, ebanika imiphako yabo yesikolo. “Ngoku ke hambani niyofunda, ze nibuye nikrelekrele.”

UBhuti Mvundla warhuqeka emva kodadewabo. Udadewabo wayehamba etsibatsiba, ephatha kungcileza, exhentsa ngokonwaba indlela yonke eya esikolweni, ngeli lixa yena uBhuti Mvundla arhuqekayo ngasemva, ecaphuka. “Andifuni kuya sikolweni mna,” wambombozela watsho. “Ndifuna ukulala ebhedini yam qha.”

Ngokukhawuleza bafika egeyithini yesikolo. “Kulungile ke, Bhuti,” watsho uSisi Mvundla, engena ngaphakathi.

UBhuti Mvundla walaqaza. Kwakungekho mntu umjongileyo. Ngephanyazo wabaleka, wazimela etyholweni. Wahlala apho ethe cwaka, elinde ukukhala kwentsimbi, ade wonke umntu abe ungene ngaphakathi esikolweni. Akubona ukuba kuthe bhe phandle, wabaleka wagoduka. Wafika wangena ngefesitile engentla kwebhedi yegumbi lakhe lokulala, wazithi luqe ebhedini yakhe, wazisonga. Kungekudala wayelele yoyi, de warhona.

Ngentsimbi yeshumi elinanye uBhuti Mvundla wayesele edikiwe kukulala ngoku. Wayenesingathethekiyo isithukuthezi. Wakroba kumngxuma osecangweni lwegumbi lakhe lokulala. Inokuba uphi uMakhulu? Yhoooo. Nanko ehleli ekhitshini, ephunga iti noNkosikazi Mbila wasebumelwaneni. UBhuti Mvundla wazamla. Kwakukruqula ukulala ebhedini imini yonke.

Ngentsimbi yeshumi elinambini uBhuti Mvundla waphathwa lunxano. Wakroba kwakhona kucango lwegumbi lakhe lokulala. Wayephi ngoku uMakhulu? Awu madoda. Wayebhaka isonka ekhitshini. UBhuti Mvundla wasitsho isingqala. Wayefuna nje oku kwamanzi okusela kunye nomntu wokudlala naye.

Ngentsimbi yokuqala uBhuti Mvundla waya kukroba kwakhona. Ngesi sihlandlo uMakhulu Mvundla wayencokola noMfundisi Mpungutye. UMfundisi wayesitya isonka esasibhakwe nguMakhulu. Ivumba lesonka elimyoli lalimvuzisa izinkcwe uBhuti Mvundla. Wayerhalela ukutya kweso sonka sikaMakhulu simnandi kunene, nesishushu kuba siphuma eontini. UBhuti Mvundla wasitsho isingqala kwakhona.

Ngentsimbi yesithathu uSisi Mvundla wangena ekhaya, egqabadula. UBhuti Mvundla wathi phulukutshu, etsiba ngefestile waza weza ebaleka ukuya kungena kumnyango wangaphambili, elandela uSisi Mvundla. “Molo Makhulu,” watsho. “Sendibuyile esikolweni.”

“Ibilolona suku lumnandi olu,” watsho uSisi Mvundla. “Besifundiswa ukuzoba ngumzobi wokwenene. Sifundiswe ukuzobela iikhomikhi. Kwaye inqununu yethu iza kutshata kungekudala. Usiphathele iziselo nekeyiki neetshiphsi sonke esikolweni. Bekumnandi kakhulu, andithi, Bhuti?”

“Ewe, ewe,” watsho uBhuti Mvundla. Intliziyo yakhe ingasehlungu ngako. Yhooo, yhini madoda. Ngosuku olunye nje qha engayanga esikolweni, abanye abantwana baphiwa ikeyiki!

“Ufumene ikeyiki enjani, Bhuti?” wabuza uMakhulu.

“Yitshokholethi,” waxoka watsho uBhuti Mvundla. “Ikeyiki yetshokholethi enekharameli namaqunube ngaphezulu.” Akwaba bendiyile esikolweni, uBhuti Mvundla wazicingela njalo. Ngendiyifumene nam ikeyiki.

Kanye ngelo thuba kwankqonkqozwa emnyango. Kwakumi utitshala kaBhuti Mvundla, uNkosazana Mpuku. Wayephethe ipleyiti eneqhekeza elikhulu lekeyiki emnandi.

“Molo, Makhulu Mvundla,” wabulisa. “Ndive kakubi kakhulu xa ndisiva ukuba uBhuti Mvundla uyagula ngosuku olukhetheke kangaka, ndancama ndamgcinela iqhekeza lekeyiki. Unjani ngoku? Uziva ngcono?”

Yhuuu! Ngoku uBhuti Mvundla wayesenkathazweni nyhani. Wabaleka, wangena egumbini lakhe, watsiba ngefestile ukuya kuzimela emthini oseyadini.

“Nankuya,” uSisi Mvundla waxelela uMakhulu. “Uzimele phaya emthini wemengo.”

UMakhulu kunye noNkosazana Mpuku bema phantsi kwaloo mthi. “Ungumvundlana ogezayo wena,” watsho ngelizwi elingqongqo uMakhulu. “Awukhange uye esikolweni, uzimele.”

“Ndicela uxolo, Makhulu. Ndicela uxolo, Nkosazana Mpuku,” watsho uBhuti Mvundla ekhala. “Ndicela ningandiqumbeli torho.”

“Kufuneka sikufundise isifundo,” watsho uMakhulu. “Andazi ukuba siza kuba yintoni na bethu eso sifundo.”

“Ndiyazi,” watsho uNkosazana Mpuku ngokukhawuleza. “Kutheni ungandenzeli ikomityi yeti nje, ukwenzela ukuba sitye eli qhekeza le keyiki emnandi yetshokholethi. Oko kuza kumfundisa ukuba ukuzimela esikolweni asinto intle nencomekayo leyo.”

Ngoko ke, uMakhulu wabilisa iketile, waze yena noNkosazana Mpuku bakhupha amacephe amabini abaza kutya ngawo loo keyiki babelene ngayo. Umlomo kaBhuti Mvundla wawuvuza izinkcwe kwaye nesisu sixuxuzela kukurhala, dwe akayishiyelwa tu yena ikeyiki. Akwabikho nesuntsu nje elisalayo ukuze akhothe.

Ukusukela ngolo suku uBhuti Mvundla zange aphinde angayi esikolweni. Zange angayi nakanye, nokuba imvula sele idyudyuza. Ukususela ngoko, ukulala ebhedini imini yonke yaba yinto emdikayo kakhulu!

Sebenzisa ubugcisa bakho!

Yiba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni kaBhuti Mvundla esithi uza kwenzela uNkosazana Mpuku ikhadi, naza kumnika lona xa eye esikolweni ngosuku olulandelayo. Ucinga ukuba inokuba uza kubhala ntoni kweli khadi? Yalela abantwana bakho benze ikhadi.