Ndizigwaze ngowam!
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Ndoda, on the other hand, has an easier life. His father died in a car accident when he was ten but left Ndoda and his mother with enough money to get by. Ndoda is spoiled by his mother and grows up to become a problem child who is always coming up with schemes to get quick money and cause as much trouble as he can – his excuse being that he can’t get a job. The story plays out in an unnamed township in Cape Town to illustrate the shared struggles of all the townships in the city with poverty, unemployment, alcohol and crime. The story also ventures out to the Bellville and Claremont areas. It is a coming-of-age story that focuses on the clever and outright dastardly scams the boys use to rob people of their money and how it all eventually catches up with them. The story also looks at African belief systems and superstitions that the two boys take advantage of when they scam their victims.
Sipho Richard Kekezwa
Unemployed for the past 10 years, Sipho Kekezwa lives with and is supported by his other half in Khayelitsha. His dream is to be a successful writer and a language services provider. A prolific writer, he spends most of his time either reading a novel or the Bible, writing by using the free computer access offered by the Smartcape project or, if not, in a writers’ workshop. This is his third attempt at the Sanlam Prize for Youth Literature Awards, his first being shortlisted for in 2009, a novel that he went on to self-publish. His second novel, also self-published, received a publishing grant from the Centre for the Book, an agency of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport. Sipho has won different prizes, mostly runner up prizes in writing competitions both in English and isiXhosa. This novel, Ndizigwaze ngowam! (I have stabbed myself with my own spear) was first written in 1997/1998 as a radio drama, then as a stage drama. When attempts to have it published or broadcast on air failed, he rewrote it as a novel.
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Ndizigwaze ngowam! - Sipho Richard Kekezwa
Malunga nebali
UXola Yedwa oneshumi elinesibhozo leminyaka nophinda ibanga lethoba ukhulela phantsi kwentsokolo ekhuliswa nguninakhulu ngemali yendodla. Iingxaki zakhe, eziquka imali yokutya esikolweni, ukonwaba noontanga bakhe njengoko seyile ntanga itshayayo neselayo kunye nokulangazelela ukuncedisa uninakhulu zimenza alamkele ngezandla ezishushu icebo likaNdoda.
UNdoda Maqhinga, ontanganye noXola nowasishiya kwibanga lesibhozo isikolo ngenxa yokufekethiswa ngunina unamacebo okuphila kobu bomi bumagad’ ahlabayo
. Ukukhawulelana nemeko kaXola, uboleka impahla yesipolisa kuZet abakhula naye nabathi bayisebenzise ekukhuthuzeni.
Ukugquka umkhondo, basebenzisa iindlela ngeendlela ukukhuthuza, ezifana nokutshintsha amakhadi eebhanki abantu, awokuthenga ngetyala (credit cards), nokutshintsha imali yabantu ibe zizijungqe zephephandaba elinqunqiweyo. Ukuze uninakhulu kaXola, uMaNxasana angaqondi nto, konke oku bakwenza ngempela-veki, ngempela-nyanga nangeentsuku zendodla apho uXola athi ophule esikolweni. Umana ukunyoba uSpeedo afunda naye ukuze amphathele umsebenzi wesikolo. Basoloko benobuciko namaqhinga ngalo lonke ixesha ekrokra uMaNxasana onexhala lokuba ngahle aphinde atshone umzukulwana wakhe.
Nangona le ncwadi iqwetyiwe, nabalinganiswa ngokunjalo, iindlela ezisetyenzisiweyo zokhuthuzo ziyinene kwaye uninzi lwazo lusaqhubeka. Leyo yokutshintsha imali ibe yimfitshimfitshi yamaphepha yona yayidume kakhulu kwiminyaka yoo-1980 ukuya kweyoo-1990.
Umbhali uphuhlisa eyona ndlela babesebenza ngayo oonqevu ukuthimba iingqondo zamaxhoba ukuze anikise ngemali khon’ ukuze inyangwe ingajiki, kanti kuloko baya kusuka babagqebh’ uduma ngokubanika la maphepha. Ngeminyaka yobutsha bakhe, wayedla ngokubeva abo babekwidolophu yakhe bebalisa bedlisela kwiindawo zentselo apho babesitya khona kakubi imali abayikhuthuzileyo.
1. Belimhlophe linamagama amnyama
Tshotsho Ndora!
Wabulisa uXola Yedwa kuNdodakhe Maqhinga umhlobo wakhe.
Tshotsho Xoza!
Waphendula uNdondakhe. Kunjani mfo wethu?
Akukho nto igil’ enye mfo kabawo,
wabuyisa uXola. Kanti?
"Zimojo nakuthi mfo kabawo."
Kwakusemva kwemini ngoLwesihlanu, uXola evela esikolweni. Esi sibini sasingamaphuthi ahlath’ inye nangona uNdoda lo, elona gama laliseliqhelekile abizwa ngalo, wayengahambi sikolo yena.
Namhlanje izinto zazitshintshile, uNdoda owayeqhele ukuthenga ukuze basele noXola umhlobo wakhe wayephelelwe ngamacebo. Wayelinde uXola ngelithi mhlawumbi uya kuba nalo icebo lokumkhupha kwingxaki awayekuyo, yokwenza uLwesihlanu afane nomnye. Ke, kukubuya oku ntang’ am?
Wabuza uNdoda. Kanti, belinjani iphepha?
UXola wabonakala etshintsha, warhatyela kwangoko akabi nguye lowa ebenobubele ebunguzelela umhlobo wakhe. Belimhlophe linamagama amnyama,
waphendula ukudikwa kubhalwe ebusweni.
UNdoda owayengekakuqapheli ukutshintsha komhlobo wakhe wasuka wayoma intsini. He! He! He! Andibuzi mbala walo mfondini, ndibuza u-
Ndiyayazi loo nto mfondini!
Wagrwangxula uXola. Yintoni kanye ingxaki yakho, wazixakekisa nge-?
Awu mfo wethu, kukuthini ukuzixakekisa xa ndifuna ukuqonda?
Wayengekaqapheli nto nangoku omnye, eyekelele umzimba encokola nomhlobo wakhe wokulila nokuhleka.
Kwelakhe icala, uXola owayedinwe kukuphendulana nombuzo omnye, wayengaqheliseli.
Endleleni esuka esikolweni babengaphaya kokuqonda abantu ababezixakekise ngaye, ngabula yena, bembuza lo mbuzo mnye wawusele umchekrile xa kungoku. Utheni na,
wagrwangxula kwakhona. "Ungutata kanti? Ixesha eli lonke ndifunana notata nje ndingamazi kanti nguwe lo? Hayi maan, hayi, sukundenzel’ isichefechefe apha Ndora mfo wethu."
Kuthe kwakuba nje kwaba kukhona aqaphelayo uNdoda ukuba akudlalwa, wabuza ngokothuka, Awu ke! Yintoni embi xa-?
Mfondini, xa uqala ngoku ndisabhala iimviwo zikaMatshi, uya kubekisela phi ukuphela konyaka?
Kwaba kukhona kusayo kuNdoda, waphendula edanile. Heyi, hayi, usuke wandibhida mfo wethu namhlanje, zange ndikubone unje. Ndiyakrokra belikunzimele nyhani, kungenjalo ubu-
Ndifanele Ndora ntanga ndikruqukile,
wambeth’ emlonyeni uXola engamlindi. Kunini ndibuzwa ngeli phepha? Ndiba ngathi gqi ngapha,
Belinyhani iphepha?" Ndibe ngavela kule kona, ndibuzwa kwangeli phephandini. Kutheni na, kuyaqalwa ukubonwa umntu obhala iimviwo ngam lo?"
Sithini ke mfo wethu? Sikunqwenelela okuhle kodwa kaloku. Awufuni kuthandwa na wena?
Mfm!
Waphendula njalo uXola engenamdla. "Yazi yintoni eyona ndiyifuna ngaphezu kwazo zonke mfo wethu? Bendinokuva ngcono xa ubusithi masiye kwaNyamezela, ndibawela ukukhupha obu bubhanxa bephepha undingxolela ngalo ubona nje. Andinamdla wakuncokola ngalo, uyaz’ thola?"
Hayi ke mfo wethu ndingumkhwethwa kwelo cala,
wazilandulela njalo uNdoda. Kangangokuba ndi-
Akundiva kakuhle ntang’ am,
wambetha emlonyeni kwakhona uXola. "Andithi ndise ngokwakho, uyaz’ thola? Ndithi masiye."
Ungaba usebenzile mfo kabawo, besendimbanguza, zange abe nje kum uLwesihlanu.
UNdodakhe Maqhinga noXola Yedwa babekhula kunye, bobabini beminyaka ilishumi elinesibhozo. UXola wayesenza ibanga lethoba kanti uNdoda yena wayeyeke phakathi kwelesibhozo. Wayefekethiswa kakhulu ngunina, kugqibela yena kokwabo nto leyo yamenza wamcwany’ entloko.
Uyise wasweleka kwingozi yemoto eseneshumi leminyaka uNdoda lo. Ngenxa yokuba engafuni ahleleleke unyana wakhe, uNondwe wayemenzela yonke into. Indawo awayephangela kuyo umyeni yamnika onke amalungelo awayefanele ukuwafumana, nto leyo yamncedayo ekujongeni ikamva lonyana wakhe. Impatho yakhe kunyana wakhe kwathi kanti iya kusuka immoshe umntwana. Wathi eqabuka uNondwe kwabe sekwaphulwe, engenakho ukuwugoba umthi osowomile.
UNondwe wayengahexi kwisigqibo awasithabatha ukusweleka komyeni wakhe awayemthanda kunene. Babeqale besengabantwanana besikolo ukuthandana, eseyinkwenkwe uMalusi Maqhinga. Emva kokutshintsha impahla yobukrwala ukubuya kwakhe esuthwini, waqhubela phambili ngezifundo zakhe nangothando lwakhe kuNondwe owayewakhaba okwembongolo amakhwenkwe nabafana ababemfuna.
Ukushiywa kwakhe ngumyeni, uNondwe wathabatha isigqibo sokuba akasoze aphinde atshate ebomini bakhe, nangona kunjalo, ekuhambeni kwexesha waye wanaye umfo ancuma naye kodwa akazange amkeleke kwaphela kuNdoda. Indlela awalwa ngayo mhla wambona emisa ngemoto kowabo yamtsho wamanzi ziintloni uNondwe, engagezi unyana wakhe esus’ amaphepha. Nangona kunjalo, uNondwe akazange ayithathe njengesigezo into eyenziwa nguNdoda koko wambona njengokhweletela uyise.
Ukususela loo mini akazange aphinde eze nandoda endlwini yakhe koko yaba nguye ondwendwela endlwini yayo. Wayenengxaki ngamabhinqa atshintshatshintsha amadoda phambi kwabantwana bawo, engafuni kuyenza yena kowakhe umntwana loo nto. Oku kuhlonitshwa kangaka ngunina kwamenza akazazi ukuba ungumntwana uNdoda.
UNondwe wayesebenza emakhitshini, elala khona ebuya kuphela emva kwempela-veki yesibini. Kulapho wayezenzela khona izinto zakhe, esiza ngokuza kuphumla ajonge nemeko yendlu yakhe ze ashiyele uNdoda imali yokujongana neemfuno zakhe. UNdoda wayehlala kwityotyombe elalisemva kwendlu enkulu, eyenzela apho yonke imikhuba yakhe.
Jonga ke ntang’ am,
watsho uNdoda ebhekisa kumhlobo wakhe. Hamb’ okukhulula impahla le yesikolo kuqala, nam ndisatsiba aph’ ekhaya, sakudibana phaya kwaNyamezela.
Uyathetha ke ngoku mfo wethu,
waphendula uXola enqinda uNdoda egxalebeni emdlalisa. Nantso qha into endiyifunayo, khe ndilibale ngobu bubhanxa bephepha ngathi kuyaqalwa ukubhalwa iimviwo ngam lo.
Wafikela kwenye kowabo uXola, wafika uninakhulu uMaNxasana emlindele kwangala mbuzo wawumenza ange angasitsho esofelweyo wakubuzwa.
He-e, nikhawuleze nagqiba ukubhala namhlanje Xola mntwan’ am. Belinjani phofu iphepha bhuti?
Wazibamba ekrwitsheke njalo uXola ngulo mbuzo, "Hayi noko, belibhaleka makhulu."
Uthi uza kwenza ngcono noko kulo nyaka?
Waqhuba ngokonwaba uninakhulu engazi ukuba uqhubeka nento elizothe kumzukulwana wakhe.
"Noko unyaka usaqala makhulu, wazicenga umfana.
Akukabikho mfuneko yakuxhala, siza kubona kwiimviwo zangoJuni ukuba-"
Ungathethi loo nto kanti Xola mntwan’ am, unyaka uyakhawuleza. Nangaphezulu, umsebenzi wonyaka wonke akunakuwufunda uwubambe ngomzuzu wokugqibela.
Wacebisa ngelo uMaNxasana. Kulungile ukuqala kwangoku unyaka usaqala, ngokutsho kwakho. Uya kuze uthi ndanditshilo mntwan’ am.
Wayeyithethiswa ngamava umntu omdala le nto wayeyithetha, uXola wayeliphinda eli banga wayelibhala.
Kuthe kwakubonakala ukuba usazimisele ukungena nzulu encokweni uMaNxasana, ncoko leyo wayengayithandi uXola neyayimlibazisa ekuphumezeni idinga lakhe noNdoda, wacinga icebo umfana. "Makhulu, ndiyabuya ngoku, kukho into endiyilibeleyo." Watsho etsiba emshiya nelo ezazi ukuba umbambisa isisila sehobe.
Naku ukutya kwakho phe-
wasala ethetha nomhlana uMaNxasana, uXola egxanya ukuya kungena kwigumbi lakhe lokulala ukuya kutshintsha iimpahla zesikolo. Kuthe kanti akabhungisanga kuba uthe ephuma kwelo gumbi wabe esamlindile uMaNxasana.
Yintoni, wangxama kangaka namhlanje, uza kuhamba ungatyanga?
Uphendule selesemnyango uXola, "Ungandilindi Nxasana! Love you!" Watsho ephuza isandla, wasijika wasijongisa kuninakhulu ukumbonisa ukuba uphuza yena.
Wasala ethetha yedwa uMaNxasana. He-e! Use wathini na lo mntwana le nto alibatshabatsha kangaka namhlanje?
Waphinda waziphendula kwayena akukhumbula nto, Kanene kungoLwesihlanu! Kwowu, akukho nto yimbi bobu tywala! Inene andazi ukuba ndingamahlula njani na nalo mntwana asoloko eqhogene naye ungenamfundiso.
Wayephelelwe ngamaqhinga umntu omdala. Uthe akungabi nasisombululo lalinye icebo yakukubhenela emthandazweni, Uz’ ube naye Bawo umfihle umntwan’ omntwan’ am.
2. Ukukhuph’ iphepha
Ngokwenene uXola ufike selelindiwe nguNdoda kwaNyamezela. O, sowukhona ntanga?
"Ngamacebo alusizi ntanga, igriza lindipheka lindophula ngemibuzo mfo wethu. Ngephanyazo watshintsha uXola, akabi nguye lo ebegqiba kuhleka,
Jonga ke Ndora ntang’ am, ndiyakucela, uze ungenzi la nto ndiyibaleke phaya ekhaya, siyevana? Ungandifundekeli ngephepha, ndonele kukuphendula igriza, kangangokuba ndimke ndingatyanga noko kutya, ndibaleka incoko edibene neemviwo."
"Okey ke ntang’ am ndiyakuva, kodwa NoMaNxasana ufane wazihlupha nje kuba ke noko unyaka usaqala."
Hamb’ okuyixelela yena leyo ntanga, ngathi akayiqondi tu loo nto ndakuth’ ukujonga.
UXola kwakubonakala ukuba usacaphuka. "Khawulayite inkawuza sitshaye kaloku mfo wethu."
Walikhupha kunye nematshisi uNdoda elo cuba lincazwa ngumhlobo wakhe. Khawutsho ke mfo wethu,
wabuza edlulisela icuba kumhlobo wakhe. Uzifumene phi na iisenti?
Akwazi nto wena,
waphendula uXola elayita umdiza. "Ndiqonde ukuba mandithethe nala majita afundisa phaya esikolweni, ndicele ukuhlamba iimoto zawo, kanti ndizincedile ntang’ am."
Wayehlabe ekhangele ngokuya kwakhe kootitshala, esenzela ukufumana imali yokusela. Wayesenethuba esela, nto leyo ingomnye woonobangela bokulitshona kwakhe eli banga wayeliphinda kuloo nyaka.
Molweni Nyamezela,
wabulisa umnikazi shishini eze kubanceda. Ndinganenzela ntoni namhlanje bafana bam?
Siphe iibhiya zibe mbini newayini Nyami,
waphendula uXola ekhupha imali.
Babephela abantu kwaNonkuthalo kukukhuthuzwa kodwa babesithi bakumangala kuye asuke angabi nalimbi ngaphandle kokucebisa ngelokuba mabanyamezele.
Babekho abo babedla ngokukhalazela ukusezwa kakubi ngabo bangenamali, bekho nabo baphazanyiswa ngabantu abanxilileyo kodwa suka acule culo linye uNonkuthalo, Nyamezela mntwana kamama
. Naxa engafuni kunika mntu ngetyala ngamanye amaxesha yayikwanye impendulo yakhe, Nyamezela mntwan’ asekhaya, andinakwenza ngakumbi.
Ngenxa yoku ke, abantu bambiza ngelokuba nguNyamezela.
UNyamezela ubuye nazo ezoo bhiya neeglasi ezimbini wafika wazibeka phambi koNdoda noXola akugqiba wabashiya ukuya kunceda abanye abaxumi bakhe.
"Uyabona ke, siza kutshayisana ukuba unje mfo wethu. Wabulela uNdoda akuba emkile uNonkuthalo.
Kuthe kanti uyindoda kwedini. Kuphilwa njalo ke kulo mhlaba, ngokusebenzisa amathambo entloko."
Ndivuya nyhani ntanga ukuba nam ndide ndaneesenti zokuthenga. Kunini ndasela kuwe mfo wethu. Noko namhlanje nditsho ndaziva ndi-
Jonga ntang’ am, ngamava la uwafumanayo, sukuwalilela. Ngeny’ imini uya kuze ubalisele oonyana bakho naba-
Hayi, hayi, hayi.
Wabhebhetha uXola. "Andifuni nokuva Ndora ntanga. Yintoni endinokubalisa ngayo e-?
"Yima mfondini, andikagqibi. Kaloku uya kube ubabalisela ngamahlandinyuka obomi osuka kuwo. Khona, ukube unkwiniza ungenasisombululo kuza kunceda ntoni? Hayi maan, mfo wethu, sukuba yinkenenkene ngathi akuyondoda apha."
UXola wayeqonda ukuba umhlobo wakhe uthetha nje kuba eneneni wayengabazi ubunzima bobomi, kuba yonke into yayimzela nje lula. Nobutshinitshini awayengene kubo, wayengene nje kuba abanye abantwana bengoneli yimigudu yabazali.
Eyi, liyinene elokuba umntu akayiva intlungu ekomnye umntu kanjani.
Wagadlela ecaphuka kwakhona uXola. Uthetha nje wena kuba ungayazi intlungu yokukhula ngaphandle kwabazali. Uyayazi into yokusoloko usithi enkosi kwabany’ abantu ngalo lonke ixesha?
UNdoda uthe akubon’ ukuba ukhathazekile umhlobo wakhe nangona yena ebezama ukumomeleza nje, waqonda ukuba akukho cebo limbi ngaphandle kokuzithoba. Hayi noko Xoza mfo wethu, be-
Wayengekagqibi ukuthetha uXola. "Uyazi ukuba umama wasweleka ndisengumntwana, emva kokundikhanyela? Utata ke yena … ungambuzi kum mfo wethu. Ukuba uyamfuna boleka ispeaker kubahlali uhamb’ umkhwaza phandl’ apha, mhlawumbi unganethamsanqa umfumane wena."
UNdoda wafana wee nkamalala, emangele ukuba umhlobo wakhe acaphuke ade athethe neemfihlo zakowabo awayeqala ukuziva yena Ndoda. Endaweni yokuyigrumba, wasuka waxolisa.
Hayi Xoza ntang’ am noko bendingathethi loo nto.
Waphendula edanile. Yini ude-?
Akazange amlinde uXola, wambeth’ emlonyeni kwakhona, wasala uNdoda ezibuza ukuba umhlobo wakhe ungaba ungenwe yintoni na namhlanje. Oko baba ngabahlobo, wayeqala ukumbona enje ukuba neengcwangu.
UNontombi unina kaXola kwakuse kuyiminyaka wasweleka kodwa uXola wayengekabi naxolo nangoku. Uyise ke yena wayengazange wambona nasemdudweni. Naye wayemthatha njengowafayo, sele wabakhuphayo bobabini engqondweni yakhe. Ukuba ngubani na uyise, leyo yayingaziwa nkqu nanguMaNxasana uninakhulu kaXola elixa yena uNontombi, unina oyintombi kaMaNxasana yendayo ishiya uXola ekobumnyama malunga noyise.
UXola wayengafuni nokumbona uNkathazo umyeni kanina, ezibuza ukuba ngabazali abanjani na aba banje ukukhohlakala. Wayezibuza ukuba unina ngumntu onjani na lo wakwazi ukhetha indoda ngaphezu kombilini wakhe. Ingumntu onjani lo waba nesibindi sokwahlula umntwana nonina.
Mhla acela umtshato kuNontombi, uNkathazo wamxelela engafihlishi ukuba ufuna ukutshata yena yedwa, akafuni mntwana. Wamxelela ukuba ukuze kungaveli ngxaki emtshatweni wabo, makamshiye ekhaya umntwana.
Andinakho ukumelana noyise womntwana oza kumana erhorhozela emva komkam ngelithi ufuna nibonisane ngomntwana. Ndingambulala ngezandla xa ndinokumbona enanazela ecaleni kwakho.
Watsho engaqheliseli umfana.
Waba ngathini uNontombi, emxelela ukuba sekuyiminyaka bengasanxibelelani noLoli kwaye akukho kwanto ithi thiki ngaye, wem’ entla uNkathazo. Ndiziqhelile izinto ezinjalo.
Waphendula engazimiselanga kujika. Guququ, ungazi ukuba kutshintshe ntoni na xa bekutheni, udibane nomntu selesithi isidala asilahlwa, asingomanzi omngqusho.
Watsho kwema ngaye uNkathazo, waba ke uNontombi ufa namthanyana kwelokuzamela unyana wakhe ikhaya emendweni. Waba noNkathazo