USefudi uyathanda ukuthabatheka zizinto. Phambi kokuba iiNtsizi zimfikele, wayethanda ukuzoba. Wayengenalo iphepha neepensile zokuzoba, wayesebenzisa izinti, iingcongolo kunye nomsizi wamalahle ukuzoba. Wayezizoba izandla, azizobe imilenze, azobe nakumatye ayengaphandle kwikhaya lakhe. Wayede azobe nasezindongeni zendlu yakokwabo akuba kude neliso likatata wakhe.

Phambi kokuba zimfikele iiNtsizi, umama wakeh uSefudi kwakusele kulithuba egula kangangokuba wayengasakwazi nokuphakama emandlalweni wakhe. Njengokuba iintsuku zazisiya zihamba, nempilo yakhe yayisiba nkene-nkene ngokuba nkene-nkene. Isigulo sakhe sasiyixhwitha inyama emathanjeni akhe, nobomi emzimbeni wakhe. Kwathi ngenye imini ehleli uSefudi, weva elona lizwi lakha lalusizi. Yayililizwi elavakala lingaqhelekanga, phofu lisenziwa lusizi, yayililizwi likatata wakhe. Lavakala elo lizwi lisithi, ‘Umama wakho oyintandane usishiyile.’

Emva koko, latshona emini ilanga kuSefudi, ukuhleka nolonwabo zaphela ekhayeni lakhe, waphelelwa ngumdla wokuzoba. Waphela nya. Intlungu entliziyweni yakhe yayinzima le-e kunentlungu awayeyiva esizwini sakhe xa wayethe akafumana kutya imini yonke. Intlungu entliziyweni yakhe yayinzima kakngangokuba kwamthatha iminyaka emithathu yonke phambi kokuba umlambo weenyembezi uqale ukuphuphuma emehlweni akhe.

Ngayo le mini uSefudi wayengqengqile emandlalweni wakhe, ejonge nzo-o phandle ngefestile. Esibhaka-bhakeni kwakuvela inyanga enkulu ebusilivere, ingubo yobusuku yayisele iqala ukugubungela konke okumngqongileyo. Ubuthongo babusithi sebe-sebe ngexesha ecinga into ebithethwe yenye inkwenkwana esikolweni. Le nkwenkwana, nebisoloko izicingela njengeyona ihlakaniphileyo apho esikolweni yaye yathi kuye, “Umntu othi aye kutheza ngeCawe uya kuhlala enyangeni, umphelo.”

USefudi wakhe wayicingisisa le nto, ‘Ingaba kuyinene ukuba abantu bangahlal enyangeni?’ Wayethanda ukuthabatheka zizinto, azicingisise nzulu. Wayicingisisa nale into, de wabiwa bubuthongo, walala. Uthe elele njalo, waphupha. Ephupheni lakhe umama othwele inyanda yeenkuni. Ephupheni lakhe ukhwaze wathi, ‘MAMA OSENYANGENI, MAMA OSENYANGENI, INGABA NOWAM UMAMA ULAPHO KUNYE NAWE NA? UKUBA ULAPHO, NCEDA UMBUYISELE KUM.’

Ukuvuka kwakhe, ubuso bakhe babuyinyididi ngumlambo weeNtsizi. Iinyembezi zaziziqengqelekela ebusweni bakhe. Zaqengqelekela esiwini sakhe, zaphuphumela emqamelweni wakhe, zagqibela ngokwenza ichibikazi elikhulu emandlalweni wakhe.

Ngemini elandelayo intliziyo kaSefudi yayingekho nzima njengengephambili kuba kaloku wayezikhuphile ngaphakathi kuye ezo nyembezi zaziyenza nzima.

Kodwa ke nangoku wayengekaziva efuna ukuzoba.

Nangobusuku bangaleyo imini waphinda waphupha ngomama osenyangeni. Ngeli ityeli ubuso bakhe babukhazimla, buzele uthando nobubele, kanye ngalaa ndlela ubuso bukamama wakhe babuye bukhanye ngayo akumjonga. Lo mama wayephethe ibhokisi enkulu yeekrayoni ezimibala-bala zokuzoba, nentaphane yamaphepha amhlophe qhwa. Ukuvuka kwakhe wayengekho, kodwa entliziyweni yakhe wayeshiye ulonwabo. Kwiintsuku ezilandelayo olo, neeveki ezilandela leyo uSefudi waqala ukuhleka-hleka kancinci.

Waqala nokuzoba. Kakhulu.

Wayezizoba ezandleni, azizobe ezingalweni nasemilenzeni, azobe nasedesikeni yakhe yesikolo, athi ngamanye amaxesha, xa engakwazi ukuzibamba, azobe nasebhodini akuba kude neliso likatitshala. Wade ngenye imini wakruquka utitshala wakhe kukusoloko emxelela ukuba ayeke ukuzingcolisa, wasuka wamnika incwadi yokuzoba kunye nebhokisi yeepensile zokuzoba ezimibala-bala. Uncumo lwakhe lwaba lukhulu ngendlela engekaze ibonwe. Wathi uSefudi akubona imizobo yakhe kwelo phepha limhlophe qhwa, intliziyo yakhe yaxhuma-xhuma luvuyo, yaqalisa ukucula.

USefudi uthe njengokuba esiya ekhula, imizobo yakhe yaye isiba mihle ngokuba mihle. Ootitshala bakhe kunye noomakazi bakhe noomakazi noodadobawo bakhe, noomalume bakhe kunye notata wakhe, nabahlobo bakatata wakhe bathi kuye wayeyinkwenkwe eyodwa, enesiphiwo esisodwa kuba kaloku babesithi xa bejonga imizobo yakhe imibala eqaqambileyo yemifanekiso yakhe izinyibilikise zimke iintsizi ezintliziyweni zabo. Babesithi khona bakumamela amabali achazwa yiifanekiso yakhe, babatyhilekelwe zizinto ebezibanqabele ngaphambili.

USefudi wayengazange wabaxelela ngaloo maphupha akhe angaqhelekanga, nangumngangaliso. Zange abaxelele ngephupha lakhe elabanga umlambo weeNtsizi ukuba uqukuqele ezidleleni zakhe. Azange abaxelele ngephupha elashiya uncumo entliziyweni yakhe.

Kodwa ebesithi ngezinye imini, ebusuku xa inyanga isisonka esibhakabhakeni, xa kumnyama thsu, ubusuku buthwele iimfihlelo zabo, ebeye akhangele uMama eNyangeni. Acinge ukuba umjongile. Ngoncumo.