Literary Competitions

Phandle kwakulomnyama ongabambeka ngezandla. Phakathi komnyama lo isidalwa esiyimi sasiphefumula nzima. Ikhanda lalingicacada angathi kulabantu ababengikhanda ngezando ezimbili, ngizwe sengathi seliqhekezeke phakathi kanti hatshi. Ubuso babuphakathi kwezigxingikazi ezazincedisa ukuthi ngiphefumule kuhle. Kwakungaziwa ukuthi  ngingaphinda ngiwadle ambele. Sasibabili amalunga emulini yakwethu, mina lomalume uSekaNcube esasilaliswe esibhedlela. Kwasekulamalanga amane sihlaselwe ngumkhuhlane mqedazwe lo okuthiwa yikhorona. Umalume yena…

Wayemi laphaya ensimini yabasebethule uHardlife, ebambelele uthango lwayo. Wawabuka amathuna amathathu ayematsha elokhe elamaluba phezulu, sengitsho lamahlamvu omlahlabantu ayengakathintitheki. Wasusa amehlo akhe wawabeka emathuneni amabili ayesemadala esevalwe butshani obabubude, qede wanikina ikhanda. Wawasusa njalo amehlo lapho wawahlabisa duze lalapho ayemi khona okwakulethuna elingalingani lamanye, kwazise lelo lalingelengane. Yafutha ngamandla inhliziyo yakhe, wazizwa zisehla ngezihlathi ezendoda…

“Mzukulu, ngangingekho ezweni lenkaba ngenxa yesimo selizwe. Ngangise Ningizimu Afrika. Ngomnyaka ka2020, ekuqaleni kwawo, sezwa amahemuhemu athi sekukhona umkhuhlane obulala abantu ubuthumuthumu. Kwathiwa lumkhuhlane uqale phesheya kwelamaTshayina.”  “Pho kwakuthiwa yini lowo mkhuhlane gogo?” ebuza uMbali emafulufulu efuna ukuzwisisisa.  “Kwathiwa yiKhorona vayirasi mzukulu, babuye bawubize nge Covid-19.” “Hawu gogo, umkhuhlane obizwa nge nombolo pho?”  “Yebo mzukulu,…

Kwakuphakathi kwamabili, umama lobaba bekade bethethisana. Mina ngangisuke ngajumeka, ngathi nxa ngiphaphama ngezwa umama uyakhala. Ngathuthumela, ngesaba. Nganyenya ngasondela esivalweni sekamelo ngifuna ukulalela. Yimi lowo ngiyinamathisela nama indlebe esivalweni sekamelo labazali bami, ngamuzwa umama ekhala, ekhala ethethisa ubaba ethi, “Hi-hi-hi-hi, bulala nxa ufuna ukungibulala, kodwa iqiniso ngikutshelile.” “Liqiniso bani ongitshele lona wena?” Wabhavuma ubaba ngezwi…

“Kanti iyabe ivele iyindoda bani esingatshona inguMbongendlu? Kanti iCovid leyo ngeyakho wedwa yini abantu bonke begula behamba nje? Okwakho sokumangalisa ngani pho? Kambe kulendoda esingatshona ithe khuzu kokuyizindlwanyana khonokhu inyanga yonke? Abantwana sebeswele lokuthi baxoxele ngaphi izindaba zabo. Angithi ukuhlala endlini lokhu yikho okwenza ubone lamanga lawa?” wayekhuluma umkamnewethu uMaSibanda  entela, esendlini yabo yokulala kodwa ezwakala langapha…