Sekuzoshaya isikhathi sekhefu esikoleni samabanga aphansi iSiyafunda.

Abanikazi beziphaza esikoleni bazilungiselela ukudayisela izingane ezilambile isidlo sasemini.

UMotaung ufaka izipuni ezimbili ze-atsha eyenziwe ngunkosikazi wakhe. UMnumzane uMotaung usesike izinkwa zakhe wazehlukanisa ngamakota, useyivule kahle nendawo yesishebo. Amaships ayathoseka azolungela ukudliwa masinyane.

UMotaung ufaka ukhezo olugcwele lwe atsha ephekwe wunkosikazi wakhe kuwo wonke amakota. Uthanda ukuqhosha ke umfo lo ngokuthi awakhe amakota ane atsha ngaphakathi nangaphezulu.

Esphaza sikabab' uMkhize amaships akhe asezovuthwa nawo, kodwa futhi usasika isinkwa sakhe elungiselela amakota.

Ukhathazekile, izinto azimhambeli kahle kulesi siphaza sakhe, "Kwaqala kahle," ubab' uMkhize ecabanga, "kodwa manje abathengi bami baya ngokuncipha, nokho ngiyonga ngoba ulofu wami ngiwusika izingxenye ezinhlanu esikhundleni sezine."

UJabu no Zodwa bathenga ukudla kwasemini.

UZodwa uthenga kubab' uMkhize, uJabu yena uthenga kubab' uMotaung ngoba ukholwa wukuthi ikota kabab' uMotaung inamaships amaningi kanye ne atsha eningi ukwedlula ekabab' uMkhize.

Umugqa uhlala umude kakhulu esphaza sikaMotaung.

UZodwa ulinde uJabu, emva kwalokho-ke abangani bahlala ndawonye emthunzini ukuze bazitike ngamakota abo.

UZodwa ubona okuthile okumenza amgqolozele futhi abuyise izinhlonze.

"Ubukani?" kubuza uJabu. "Ikota yakho! Inkulu kuneyami!" kusho uZodwa.

Bobabili babukisisa amakota abo. Nangempela ekaJabu inkulu. "Kukhona okungahambi kahle la," kusho uZodwa. "Ngingemangale ukuthi yiso lesi sizathu esenza ukuba isphaza sikabab' uMkhize singasaphithizeli muva nje."

UJabu uyacabanga isikhashana ephendula, "Kahlehle, mina ngithenga kubab' uMotaung ngoba ukudla kwakhe kunambitheka kangcono. Kodwa futhi ngezwa ukuthi ezinye izingane zithi zibone ubab' uMkhize esika ulofu wesinkwa izingxenye ezinhlanu ezilinganayo esikhundleni sokuba asike amakota amane."

Ngandlebenye uNomusa uzwa uJabu noZodwa bekhuluma, uba nesifiso sokuzwa ukuthi bathini. Ubabuza ukuthi yini into embi ngokusika ulofu wesinkwa izingxenye ezinhlanu ezilinganayo uma kwenziwa ikota.

UZodwa noJabu bamphendula kanyekanye, "Ikota yingxenye eyodwa kwizingxenye ezine zikalofu wesinkwa!" UNomsa usabukeka edidekile, ngakho-ke uZodwa uyachaza, "Lokhu kusho ukuthi ulofu wesinkwa usikwa izingxenye  ezine ezilinganayo. Ngaphandle kwalokho, akuwona neze amakota."

UNomsa uthukuthele ngoba naye uthenga kwabab' uMkhize. "Lo muntu untshontsha isinkwa sethu!" esho ekhulumela phezulu. NoZodwa uthukuthele, futhi usenqume ukubuyela esphaza sikabab' uMkhize ukuyokhononda.

Uqonda khona, ikota yakhe uyiphethe'  indiza emoyeni. UNomsa uyashesha emva kwakhe. UJabu yena uzilambele ulangazelela ikota yakhe, uyakhononda, usesuka lapho ulandela abangani bakhe.

Ubab' uMkhize uyadumala uma ebona ukuthi lezi zingane akusibona abathengi abasha. "Awu san'bonani futhi bantabami, ekhuluma engundaza,  nginganisiza ngani?"

"Bab' uMkhize, ngikucele ikota, futhi ngakukhokhela imali yekota. Kodwa le akuyona ikota," kusho uZodwa ekhomba ukudla kwakhe. "Ngifuna ikota yami iphelele noma-ke imali yami ibuye," esho egcizelela.

"Ingabe yiqiniso bab' uMkhize? Ubusiqola kanti!" kukhala uNomsa. Izingane ezimbadlwana zibalandele ukuya esphaza, manje zilalele lezi zinsolo ezivutha amalangabi.

Ubab' uMkhize uphonsa izandla zakhe emoyeni. "Nithini ngami?" ekhononda. "Anginjalo mina! Ngifuna niphume niphele esiphaza sami njengamanje."

UZodwa ekhulumela phansi, "Sizotshela wonke umuntu ukuthi wenzani. Le ndaba izokwanda njengomlilo wequbula isikole sonke lesi, impela uyosivala lesi sphaza sakho. Akekho noyedwa ozozothenga lapha kuwe."

Ubab' uMkhize wazibuka lezi zingane ezintathu ezazingazimisele ukuhlehlela nyovane zimi phambi kwakhe. Waphinde wabuka lenqwaba eyayiya ngokukhula eyayingaphandle kwesphaza sakhe.

"Kulungile," usesho njalo ekugcineni, "ngizokubuyisela imali yakho." "Yethembisa futhi ukuthi usuzosika isinkwa izingxenye  ezine ezilinganayo," kukhuluma uJabu ngeqholo elikhulu. Ubab' uMkhize nangempela wethembisa ukuthi uzokwenzenjalo.

Uyakhwehlela, wase ekhulumela phezulu ethi, "Ngiyathembisa futhi ukuthi ngizokwengeza i-atsha eningi kanye namaships amaningi kumakota ami."

Nangempela ubab' uMkhize waqala ukwengeza amaships ne-atsha kumakota akhe ayeyizingxenye ezine zikalofu wesinkwa.

Masinyane iningi lezingane zabe sezithenga kuye, isphaza sakhe saqala sagcwala. Wagcina esekwazi ngisho nokuqasha omunye umuntu ozomsiza.

Manje sekunomqhudelwano omuhle phakathi kuka bab' uMkhize nobab' uMotaung, futhi wonke umuntu uthokozile.