Nsuku zonke uma intombazanyana eneminyaka eyisishiyagalolunye enguSisanda ibuya esikoleni, ikhumula umfaniswano wayo, idle isidlo sayo sasemini bese idlala umlabalaba nomkhulu wayo. Bazithokozisa kakhulu lapho bendizisa “izinkomo” zabo zizungeze ibhodi kangangokuthi uSisanda usuke engasafuni ukuyeka. Kodwa umkhulu bese emkhumbuza ukuthi phela ufuna ukuba umphathi webhange uma esekhulile.

“Uzokwenza kanjani lokhu uma ungayi esikoleni samabanga aphezulu?” kuntela umkhulu wakhe.

USisanda uvele azihlekele nje. “Ngizoya esikoleni samabanga aphezulu kanye nasenyuvesi futhi. Yingakho ngisebenza ngokuzikhandla kangaka esikoleni!”

USisanda mude kakhulu kunontangayabo − ufuze uyise. Ubuso bakhe obuyindilinga kanye nokumamatheka kwakhe okuhle kufuze okukanina. Abazali bakhe bobabili bavuka ekuseni kakhulu njalo bese beyosebenza esiqiwini sezilwane esiseduze. Ngesikhathi uSisanda kanye nabangani bakhe beqala ukufunda, kusuke sekunezindimbane zezivakashi ezifikayo zizobuka izilwane ezinhle kakhulu zaseNingizimu Afrika.

Ngosuku lwakhe lokuzalwa lokugcina, uSisanda wenzelwa okukhethekile – abazali bakhe bamtholela imvume yokuthi idili lakhe lenzelwe esiqiwini. Izindlulamithi zasesiqiwini zazithanda ukwazi ngaleli qembu labantu. Zelula izintamo zazo ezinde ukuze zilibone kahle idili futhi kwakubukeka sengathi zazifuna nokudla ikhekhe losuku lokuzalwa! USisanda wazithanda izindlulamithi. Zonke izilwaze zazikhethekile kuye, kodwa kwakuyizindlulamithi ezithule futhi ezimnene athatheka ngazo. Wayengachitha usuku lonke ezibukela.

Ngolunye uLwesihlanu, uyise kaSisanda washeshe wabuya emsebenzini. Wayebukeka ethukuthele egane unwabu.

“Kwenzekeni, Baba?” kubuza uSisanda.

“Namhlanje iqulo lezinyosi litinyele umama undlulamithi,” kuchaza uyise kaSisanda. “Ikhanda lakhe belivuvuke kakhulu ngenxa yokutinyelwa, kwaze kwavaleka amehlo akhe amahle. Sizame konke okusemandleni ukumsiza, kodwa kwaba nhlanga zimuka nomoya – waze wafa. Into ebuhlungu kakhulu ukuthi ubenenkonyane encane ebisamdinga.”

“Awu hhe!” kusho uSisanda eqala ukukhala. “Ngifisa sengathi bekungaba khona into ebengingakwazi ukuyenza. Kufanele ukuthi inkonyane yendlulamithi ikhala njengami.”

USisanda wakhala, wakhala. Unina wazama ukumduduza. Waze wafundela noSisanda enye indaba ukuze amsize ukuthi akhohlwe ukuthi wayeyizwela kanjani inkonyane yendlulamithi. Ekugcineni, uSisanda wagcina esezumekile elokhu elalele iphimbo likanina.

Ngakusasa ekuseni uSisanda wavuka neqhinga!

“Ngabe ngingaya nawe emsebenzini namhlanje?” ebuza uyise. “Nginesipho senkonyane yendlulamithi.”

Abazali bakhe babukana bemangele, bamamatheka base bethi, “Yebo, ungahamba nathi.”

Kwakuwusuku olufudumele kodwa lunamafu. Yonke into esiqiwini yayizwakala ithule ngendlela engejwayelekile

“Ngicabanga ukuthi ilanga alikhanyi namhlanje ngoba nalo liphatheke kabi ngenkonyane yendlulamithi,” kusho uSisanda.

Indlovu enkulu yabuka umndeni ngenkathi wedlula.

“Mhlawumbe izibuza ukuthi kungani intombazanyana iya emsebenzini nabazali bayo,” kusho unina kaSisanda.

USisanda wanqekuzisa ikhanda. “Izomangala uma isithola ukuthi kungani,” kucabanga yena.

Bathola inkonyane yendlulamithi imi yodwa. Intamo yayo encane ende yayilenga nje, futhi amehlo ayo amakhulu ayebukeka egcwele usizi. USisanda wama eduze kwayo ngendlela ayengakwazi ukuthi enze ngayo. Wavula isikhwanyana sakhe wase ekhipha incwadi. Abazali bakhe bamangala nje lapho eseqala ukufundela inkonyane yendlulamithi. Yaphendula ikhanda layo ibheka ngalapho okwakuphuma khona iphimbo lakhe, futhi yalalela sengathi iqonda igama ngalinye. Ekuqaleni, abazali bakaSisanda bacabanga ukuthi ukufundela indlulamithi kwakuyinto exakile umuntu angayenza, kodwa bashintsha imiqondo yabo ngesikhathi sebebona ukuthi yayibukeka inokuthula kanjani – amehlo ayo amnene ebheke uSisanda.

“Indaba yami imenze wazizwa engcono,” kusho uSisanda kumkhulu wakhe ngesikhathi efika ekhaya. USisanda wayevame ukuvakashela indlulamithi encane ntambama kanye nangezimpelasonto. Kanti njalo uma eya khona, wayephatha enye indaba azokwabelana ngayo nenkonyane. Abangani ababili abasha babebukeka bebahle bendawonye kangangokuthi nezivakashi zazibathatha izithombe.

Kancane, kancane, indlulamithi yaya isimama. Abantu basesiqiwini sezilwane babeyinakekela kakhulu, kanti nalo lonke uthando lomngani wayo omusha, uSisanda, lwalusebenza njengomlingo.

Ngelinye ilanga umphathi wesiqiwi wacela uSisanda ukuthi aqambe umngani wakhe omusha igama.

“Ngicabanga ukuthi lihle igama elithi: Thokozani,” kusho uSisanda.

Ngosuku olulandelayo umphathi wesiqiwi washayela ucingo uthisha kaSisanda. Wamema bonke abafunda noSisanda ukuthi bazobona uThokozani. Indlulamithi enhle yayisikhule yaba yinde futhi yanamandla ezinyangeni ezintathu kusukela ngosuku lokuqala uSisanda eyivakashela.

Ngosuku lokuvakasha, izingane ezifunda iBanga lesi-3 ezingamashumi amane zazilinde zibheke ngamehlo abomvu ukuvulwa kwamasango esiqiwi. USisanda wayesezihola ngokuqhosha zonke sebeya kuThokozani. Ezinye izingane zabuka le ndlulamithi ende ngokumangala. Ezinye zagigitheka kodwa zinovadlwana. Uthisha wazo, uNkosazane Khanyile, wavele wamamatheka nje.

“Muhle umngani wakho, Sisanda. Umenzele umusa,” esho kamnene.

“Ubani igama lakhe?” kubuza omunye wabafana.

“UThokozani,” kuphendula uSisanda.

“Ukuthi Thokozani phela kusho ukuthi ‘jabulani’,” kuchaza uNkosazane Khanyile.

Izingane zahlala phansi zalalela ngesikhathi uSisanda ezifundela indaba ayeyifundele uThokozani ngosuku ayeqala ukumbona ngalo. Umphathi wesiqiwi wathatha izithombe. Ezinye izivakashi ezazidlula nazo zathatha izithombe. Nomthwebuli-zithombe wephephandaba lendawo naye wathatha izithombe. Wabethembisa ukuthi isithombe sabo sizovela ephephandabeni maduze nje. Wonke umuntu washaya ihlombe.

Saze sasihle lesi sipho! Ukufundelwa kuyamduduza umngani.