SUMMARY AND COMMENT

This is the story of a devious man called Mrhubhe who uses the political struggle for freedom as an opportunity to enrich himself. The story begins with a mock marriage ceremony between two alleged enemies, Mrhubhe and Ndodiphela. To accomplish this mock agreement between them they abduct a priest and force him to the stadium where their followers are waiting. To the followers this is an important ceremony as it seals the enmity between their groups, but to Mrhubhe and Ndodiphela this is an important ploy to smuggle diamonds.

The narrator is one of the followers, and he describes in detail how the battle is triggered off by the actions of Mrhubhe and Ndodiphela. He also describes the ensuing battle in great detail. The followers are a mixture of township people and mine workers from the mine compounds. In the end the police arrive on the scene and start arresting people. Others like Thulani, the narrator of the story escape from the scene.

The story represents a bold demonstration of corruption among the so-called political leaders. In the public eye Mrhubhe and Ndodiphela are arch-enemies, but in private they are great collaborators. While the emotions of the ordinary followers are fed with the prevailing conflict situation, Mrhubhe and Ndodiphela plot to steal diamonds. The dog, a faithful animal, is also rendered a victim to this plot. In fact, the death of Gilindoda, the dog and its unusual burial in front of the house are a pointer to the victims of violence and their unfortunate death which is also used to stir emotions and to lend advantage to the leaders.

The story demonstrates the callousness of leaders who use death as a measure of controlling their followers. While the leaders act out conflict situations among themselves, the followers act decisively to kill each other. At the end of it all the leaders, who normally survive even death, share the spoils among themselves in private, behind closed doors.

UMRHUBHE NENJA YAKHE

Umfundisi wayetsho ngezivatho ezinde ezirhuqa phantsi ezimhlophe qhwa, zingenalo neqhosha eli lokuhombisa. Wayeyiphethe ngembekokazi enkulu loo ncwadi esezandleni zakhe. Abo babini babethokombisile iintloko bethozame okwabantwana abancinane phambi kwakhe. Wayefunda umfundisi kwincwadi leyo ephambi kwakhe esenjenje: “Niyavuma na ukuba nina nobabini niya kubekana esweni ubomi benu bonke; nihlale nikufuphi omnye komnye, oko kukuthi umgama phakathi kweendawo enihlala kuzo ungedluli kwikilomitha enye, nide nahlulwe kukufa? Niyavuma na kananjalo ukuba othe wafa kuqala uya kugcwatywa ngulowo useleyo, ngeendleko zalowo useleyo nangamazwi okugqibela entetho yalowo useleyo? Niyasamkela na isivumelwano sokuba nakugcinana ngentiyo eyondeleyo nenyanisekileyo; niphathane njengeentshaba zenene ezingazenzisiyo; nalusane ngenjongo yokuba omnye amphoxe omnye amhlaze ngokufezekileyo kwabanye abantu, nithini na?”

Bavakale abo babini kubhekiswa kubo besitsho ngawecawa besithi, “Ewe siya kwenje njalo.” Uqhubile umfundisi emva kwesiqabu, nasemva kokuqwalasela enga uyafifiyela kuloo ncwadi isezandleni zakhe wathi: “Ndiyanibongoza ukuba ninyaniseke kwesi sifungo, yaye nazi ukuba isifungo esi nisenzileyo namhlanje sifuna ukuba sizalisekiswe ngokufezekileyo ngabo bathe basithabatha. Kwakho nize niqaphele ukuba niyigcine le migqaliselo ndiza kuninika yona:

Nize ningabi nantshaba zimbi ngaphandle kobutshaba obuphakathi kwenu nobabini nabo banincedisayo.
Iintsapho zenu zingabungena obu butshaba zide zimbulale omnye wenu okanye nina nobabini ukuba kunokwenzeka oko; kodwa xa ubani ophakathi kosapho engafuni kubungena obu butshaba maze anganyanzelwa.
Nize nihlalisane nanjani na; nenzakalisane kangangoko; kodwa ningade nibulalane nina ngezandla zenu.
Abanye abantu ningabacela nibaqeshe ngokuthanda kwenu ukuba babulale omnye nomnye phakathi kwenu, bayenze loo nto nanjani na, nangokuvisa iintlungu ngokuthanda kwabo.
Nina ngokwenu ningakhuphana iingozi ezimasikizi, ezinje ngokwaphulana amalungu, ukukhuphana amehlo nokulumana iindlebe neempumlo, njalo-njalo, nenzane nabuphi na ububi obungasayi kumbulala omnye wenu.

    Yayiyimini entle encwengileyo, ilanga lishushu lihlaziya umphefumlo emva kweentsuku ezakhe zanemvula eninzi ngaphezu kwesiqhelo. Isibhakabhaka sasitsho ngebala elinzulu elizuba okwenzonzobila yesizibakazi, nengca yehlobo yahlangabeza ngebala eliqaqambileyo eliluhlaza, ikhatshwa zizihlahlana, amatyolwana nemithi apha naphaya. Apha ebaleni lebhola kwakungathi kwandlalwe ingubo eluhlaza yaka, laza laqaqamba ngobumhlophe balo ibala lesivatho somfundisi esanzulwini sebala. Naloo mibalana imdakana yeempahla zomsebenzi zamanene lawo aphambi kwakhe itsho yasuka yangathi yongeza mibala yimbi yokuhombisa umbono lowo, iibotyo zona zijinga okwezidwedwe nje ezandleni zilityelwe. Kweli cala langasekunene lale ndoda imfutshanana njengokuba bemile nje phambi komfundisi yinja emthendevu, ime ithe zole nayo ngokungathi iyayiva le nto ithethwa ngumfundisi. Abanye abantu babeme beziziqhu emqukumbelweni webala elo, bonke bejonge esazulwini sebala, kuloo madoda mathathu ayedibene ngezibhambathiso. Noxa abantu babebaninzi ebaleni apho, kwakungavakali lizwi lomntu othethela phezulu, kuba babethetha ngokusebeza nabo babede bathethe. Yayivakala yona intsholo yeentaka yasehlotyeni kwimithi ekufutshane zisenza ingxolo yazo zingananze nto.
    Thina sasihleli kwinqwanqwa lokugqibela eqongeni elijonge ebaleni apho. Ndiqinisekile kwabaya baphantsi phaya sasibonakala ngathi sizotywe kanye eluphahleni lwesibhakabhaka, ewe sizotywe nguMakhalingxelo ngokwakhe, siyimifanekiso ethe zole, iingqiniba zixhonywe phezu kwamadolo, izilevu ziphumle ngeentende zezandla kumadibana-ngalo, iintloko zitsalelwe phambili, sindwanyile. Kule ndawo sihleli kuyo ke siyababona ukuba bakho abarhuqa iminqayi yabo ezantsi phaya, bakho abamana bephakamisa izinto ezibengezelayo, zitsho zakubethwa lilanga zisiphandle sikude sinjalo. Kwakubulisana oocelemba neemela zodwa ke phaya! Sitsho nesam isandla sakhumbula esikhwameni sedyasi sakha saxhawulana nevolovolo eyayiqudalele apho — izulu lesandla kaloku! Uwethu ndambona endithi qwayi, wabuya wondela esazulwini sebala. Kwakusemanzi emhlabeni apha ngenxa yemvula yobusuku bezolo, isiwululu sesixhixhixhi semvula eyatsho amasoka angena ezintangeni kungekaphakwa nokuphakwa ezindlwini zokuphakela, kungekacingwa nokuba koze kuyolalwa.
    Ndisayikhumbula naloo mini ukuba yayiyimini yokuba umfundisi atshatise intombi kabawo uZuleleni apha eMakhaza Street. Wavuswa ngetoyitoyi isitsho ngaphakathi kwamasango omzi samnxibisa buphuthuphuthu, sesiyithe dle ngesinqe into ebulalayo siyijiwuzisa ngokungakhathali, sisithi makanxibe eze kusebenza umsebenzi wakhe. Njengokuba abantu bomtshato befika nje, abanye abazi, bathi umtshato awusazi kuba seholweni, uza kuba sebaleni.
    Umfundisi lo wayexakwa nakukuthetha nabo bantu babebonakala ukuba abaqondi, abacacisele eyona nto iqhubekayo. Wayexelelwe mhlophe ukuba unabantu abambeke esweni abaya kuthi ukuba ukhe wenza ezakhe bamdibanise nelophisi ngoko nangoko.
    Uthe egqiba nje ukuthetha zabe sezijongene ngezikhondo zamehlo izinto zombini, uNdodiphela ke etsho ngeza zilaza zakhe zamehlo ngathi udla umya eyindoda emdala. Kwathi kusakuba njalo ndee thwasu ndingabhungisanga bani ndagxanya ukuhla eqongeni apho, ndaza ngemizuzu embalwa ndasendiwajongile apha phambi kwam omabini la madoda. Batsho nabanye abantu bee phoko ukungena ebaleni, sekukho izinto ezinkcunkcayo zingcuchalaza ngeenzwane zifuna undikho. Ekuhambeni kwemizuzu bejongene wasuka wahlaselwa lukhohlokhohlo uNdodiphela. “Yini le! Lo myendekana ufa nalukhohlokhohlo kanti!” Watsho uMrhubhe emya ngentsini.
    Ubani! Umthakath’ omdala lo uNdodiphela! Wajika intloko okwerhamba, wayesel’ esikhululile isikhaxa esiphuma kweso sifuba sakhe sivundileyo, umshologu omdala. Ke yena uMrhubhe usathe nqeke amazinyo uhlukuhla intsinimenyo — wayefuna ukusizalisa umlomo lo. Naso sisiya kuthi phaxa elisweni lasekhohlo, salivala, yathi inwebu yaso yabambelela ezintshiyini. Nantso ikrazuka kuba ngoku isiqu esi sitsalela ezantsi. Saxibilika kuhle ukuya emazantsi eliso, sehla ngombombo singqombololo sinjalo, kukho ndawana emazantsi equkuqela ngoqolo olu kanye lombombo, phofu yathi ingekafiki encamini yempumlo yabuya yatshona ngakwicala lokunene lempumlo yehla ngeendevu. Kwakucaca ukuba uthe elivala iliso wabe seleyivalela ngaphakathi inxalenye yaso. Sihlile ke bethu eso sigaqa simanzi, sehla ngeendevu saya kuxhasa apho kuvala umlomo, kungekho mntu wenza nto ngaso.
    UMrhubhe wayebibitheka ngumsindo ngoku, ulusu lobuso lonke lunyakamile ludikizela, engajongeki mpela. Wathi xa aguqukayo wathana ntla nomfundisi, obesoloko emile ixesha eli lonke ebongoza ngeliphantsi ukuba mayiyekwe le nto. Uthe uMrhubhe akumphosa eli lisajamileyo iliso wee swayi, wathula. Kanti ethulile nje ucinga ukucela kwabanentsente, konakala ukuhlala! Wathi unyawontle lowo esithi, “Hayi, ndiyigqibile into ebenithe mandiyenze”! wabe esithi gwiqi egqotsa okwesela. Uthe xa aya kuphuma ebaleni wee krwaqu ngasemva kwakanye, waphela emehlweni. Nabanye abantu aba wathi esakuguqukela kubo uMrhubhe sele eyirhorho enjalo baqonda ukuba bajongene nosathana ngokwakhe, barhwaqela babuya umva.
    Wakhupha ilaphu lakhe elimhlophe qhwa engxoweni yakhe, walikhupha ngesingangxamanga sona isandla esi, esingatsho noba kuyonakala. Wolula, wadibanisa amasondo la ajongeneyo omabini. Waluqala esilevini olo luju lwenze umjelo, wonyuka nalo okukagqirha ecoca inxeba elinzulu neliqaqambayo. Ude wabonakala kum ngathi uyanambitha xa edlula emilebeni apha. Waqokelela weza naso. Wasisongela kuhle apha elaphini, wabe sele elibophelela emqaleni webhastile lakhe uGilindoda, obesoloko eme apha ecaleni kwakhe kuyo yonke le nto.
    Ewe ke khona ulitshipha alagqibela ngonoquku emakhaya uMrhubhe, watsha nenzwe. Kodwa wasiva ngothuku isandi seentonga ngaloo mini. Ndonela nje kuzilahla phantsi emva kwakhe watsho oluhlaza umtsi ebuya umva, kuba kaloku nalu utshaba lwakhe lumjongile. Kwewu, wazicaphula, wazicaphula wazifumbatha. Ubone kwa oko uNdodiphela ukuba akanakuba safika, wathwethwa ukuya kwabakokwabo, wafika wazikhethela elihle ibhunguza eli elibomvu. Wakhulula idyasi wayithi khuntshu phakathi ngesokhohlo.
    Wathi leku-leku, wathi esithi intloko ivelile waba uyatsho! Kanti omnye sel’ evalile. Lo mntu uvele alekuze nje ngedyasi--kuthi dwashu edyasini! Yabambeka yona intonga kaMrhubhe edyasini apho! Kanti, kwewu! Sel’ efikile uNdodiphela! Waba ngathi uyenyuka kwakanye, uMrhubhe wamlandela. Kwathi gubhu ezimbanjeni, wazitsho zangcangcazela. Tyhini, iyaphela le ndoda! Ubonile ngoku makabe ngathi uyenyuka naye uMrhubhe. Wehla yedwa — idyasi ayifiki emilenzeni — ntshampu ethangeni. Kwakungona abonayo ngoku uMrhubhe ukuba makangamngxameli, umntu akangxanyelwa. Uthe xa aphindayo ngoku watsho embalweni. Wamtsho wawuxhoma umlenze wabhonga, wathukisela. Kanti uyiyekile idyasi yehla okwexeshana. UGilindoda ekudala efuna ithuba apha emva kwakhe wayithi nqaku ngesondo wayitsala. Wabe selefikile uMrhubhe. UNdodiphela wavika kwakanye ngebhunguza, omnye walibetha walifahlaza phakathi. Wehla yedwa ke ngoku entloko, wamhlaba olungophi lona uduma olu.
    Besebengenile ke ngoku abakokwabo nabasenkomponi. Wathi umntu balekani kuyaliwa ngoku. Kwakhala ucelemba, kwadla imela, kwakhala intonga. Wathi usakubhodla umpu waqonda umntu ukuba konakele. Inqwelo yokuqala yamapolisa zange siyive nokusuza oku, zasezibaleka phantsi izinja zakwaRhulumente. Kwabe sekumdaka iisali ngexeshana, kuqengqeleka abantu macala.
    Ndathi mna ndisakubabona ooxhongo abade benikela kuthi okwamathole koonina ndacela kwabasicatyana. Ndithe nje phese ngaphandle kwebala ndafumana indawo yokufihla umpu wam, ndabuya ndeza kuma nababukeli eludongeni lwebala eli. Kwakunuka irhuluwa nevumba legazi. Ukunaba kohlaza kwakwenze ithafa lembubho, kulele imizimba ijonge macala onke, okuzixhobo zokulwa, oocelemba neentonga ezaphukileyo ngathi bekuhlwayelwa. UGilindoda wayelele naye apho eyile kwamasong’ inyawana. Ndalama ngelaphu likaMrhubhe elaliqaqambe ngobo bumhlophe balo emqaleni wayo inja leyo, ngoku selide lanebala elibomvu elikrakrayo. Kwathi xa kuqokelelwa abangxwelerhekileyo nabafileyo befakwa ezinqwelweni ndonda ngenja le, ndafumanisa ukuba yonakalisiwe linxeba elibi elingathi lelomkhonto elilapha ezimbanjeni. Ndayiguqula ndayijonga ndibindekile, ndaza ndayiphakamisa ndayisingatha ndaya nayo kwaMrhubhe elokishini isenelo laphu. UMrhubhhe ke yena ndandisithi ubanjiwe kanti ubaleke waya kuzimela, eshiya abaninzi bethuthwa ngezakwantsasana.
    Iyonke le nto yayiqale emsebenzini wabeLungu emgodini, ngokusuke uNdodiphela umhlobo kaMrhubhe omkhulu ajoyine iyuniyoni le yalapha emayini. UMrhubhe obengunogada esangweni wala yena mpela ukuyenza loo nto. Kuzokusuka uGilindoda, inja kaMrhubhe, ihambe noNdodiphela xa emana ukuya ezintlanganisweni, sasuka singabasebenzi sayibhalisa nayo yalilungu. Kanti siyinyathele emsileni — hayi inja le — ingwe ngokwayo! Waba lugcwabevu uMrhubhe wamfuna apha owayesakuba ngumhlobo wakhe uNdodiphela. Elokishini ke akukho nto ingenzekiyo kule mihla. Eyokuya emfundisini zange ibe saxoxisiswa. Noko nam ukuzibhala izibhambathiso ndandisithi mhlawumbi noko le nto yobuya ithi dukalala, akukho zigqibo zinje zakha zenziwa ngabantu. Yayikwalilixa lezimanga, abantu betshiswa behleli bejamile, bade bafele kuloo nto. Ayizange yothuse kakhulu nale yokubulalana kwabantu ngenxa yenja ejoyine iyuniyoni.
    UMrhubhe ke inja yakhe wayingcwaba phambi komnyango wendlu yakhe nelo laphu lakhe limhlophe linesikhohlela sikaNdodiphela. Emva koko wazinikela emapoliseni ambamba. Yasixaka ke le nto yokungcwabela inja emnyango, kodwa ke yayikwangabantu bamaxhwele neenyanga aba. Kum kwakungathi ngunyaka wonke kuloo msebenzi, sekunga akungeveli umntu undaziyo andalamele izinto endizenzayo — imikhuba yooMrhubhe!

* * * * * * * * * *

Andinakuyilibala imini endakha ndaya ngayo kwaMrhubhe elokishini ndisiya kufuna imali yobulungu bombutho wabahlali, kwakunye nemali esasihamba siyicela yeembacu zaseMandela Squarter Camp awayendithembise yona. Ndasuka ndafika ndibona nje ukuba ikho le nto imchwayitisileyo ukhakhakha. Ndeva naxa athi, “Thulani, ukuba ubungave uyinja nje kwedini, ngeba ndikuxelela indlela yokuphila,” ndaqonda ukuba ikho into.
    “O, usazi nje nawe, Jolinkomo ukuba akukho mntu unokumthemba ukugqitha mna? Xa ungafihlela mna into ingaba uzibulele wena kaloku, nawe uyayazi nje loo nto, Jola.”
    “Khawuz’ apha, uyeke ukuba ube uthetha iindaba zelokishi ongasokuze uzigqibe.” Naako ke sisiya kungena egumbini lakhe lokulala. Uhlala yedwa ke lo mfo, ngabanxusi bodwa kula amanye amagumbi.
    “Vala apho,” Utshilo esalatha emnyango ndisakuba ndingene. Xa ndithi ukujonga, kucaca ukuba ukufika kwam kumphazamise kukho into ebeyenza apha umf’ omkhulu. Nalo ilaphu ekucaca ukuba lalimhlophe kodwa selangcola laza ngenxa yobumanzi langunda kanobom. Ndaliqonda kwakoko ukuba leliya lala mini yesikhohlela. “Sondela ujonge apha,” watsho elitwabulula elo ngondo lelaphu ngocoselelo olukhulu, kanye phaya esikhohleleni. Nazo iintlalutya ezibengezelayo zilingana neenkozo zamazimba zifikile apha esihlanwini. Ndandingathini ukungalinakani ilitye endandichithe amashumi amabini anesihlanu onke eminyaka yobomi bam ndilembela abeLungu.
    “Sesiyisebenzisile enye,” watsho kucaca ukuba ukuba uqinisekile ukuba ndiyayazi le nto athetha ngayo.
    “Wasebenza mfo kaMiya wahlangula umzimba kaGilindoda kweza zinja. Ndathi sendithe mandime ndingabaleki, kwathi qatha into yale nja. Ndathi ndakulaqaza ndangayiboni, ndathi ndakuphulaphula yangakhonkothi ndahle ndaqonda ukuba zindala kuyo. Atsho aphela amaqhinga Miya, kusakuba njalo. Kodwa ndathi ndisakubona uNdodiphela etsho ngooxhongo abade ukuya kungena evantyini, ndathi nyawo zam uya kuthi wakha wandenzelani na, zaya!” Watsho encuma umfo omkhulu.
    “Jola, uthetha ukuba uNdodiphela etyholwa yimayini nje, ebanjwa ade abuye akhululwe uyayazi yonke le nto?”
    “Xa usithi ‘Ndodiphela’ kaloku uthi ‘Mrhubhe’. Besakungayifumani kuye abeLungu bakholelwa bamkhulula. Babeza kuthi iphi ke? Ikutshaba lwakhe?”
    “Awu, Jola, ngesikhohlela kaloku?”
    “Kwedini, subhanx’ apha! Uqale nini ukungayazi iglue ngoku? Intwana yamathe omsebenzi wasekhaya ifana nombilo wakho lo phaya emgodini, akukho nyala kuloo nto. Khawuyijonge nawe -yiglue kaloku le,” watsho uMrhubhe evelisa amazinyo angalinganiyo nagqolileyo ecinga ukuba uyandincumela.

phezulu

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