Yisikhathi sekhefu esikoleni iSiyafunda Primary. UNomsa, uJabu noZodwa basanda kuhlala emthunzini bejabulela ilantshi yabo.

Namhlanje uNomsa noZodwa baphethe izikhaftini, kodwa uJabu udla ikota ayithenge esitolo sikabab' uMkhize.

Ngesikhathi uJabu encinda iminwe yakhe enanele ubumnandi bekota, uzwakala esethi, "Mmhh, lo shizi wehla esiphundu! Amakota kabab' uMkhize ahamba phambili!"

Nangu uTebogo ehleli eduze kwakhe, uyamuzwa. Loku akuzwayo akakukholwa, bese ebuza, "Ngikuzwe kahle uma uthi kunoshizi emakoteni kaMkhize? Uthi amakota kaMkhize aphuma phambili, awekho afana nawo? Wothi uyadlala!"

"He! Awumazi ubab' uMkhize kahle wena! Ushintshile ngiyakutshela, loko kugcwaliswa yikota yakhe," kuchaza uJabu ebabonisa ikota yakhe. Ikota inamashipsi, upholoni, kanye ne-atsha, bese yembozwa ngoshizi osakhilimu oncibilikile.

UTebogo imthathe le ndaba, azwakale esethi, "Yiqiniso, isinkwa sipakishiwe ngako konke loku!" Khona manjalo kufike uScelo, naye eziphathele ilantshi yakhe, bese uTebogo ethi, "Scelo ndoda, awubheke le kota!"

UJabu abheke ubuso bukaScelo bese ebuza, "Yini ungajabule ndoda?" UScelo abeke ikota yakhe eduze kwekaJabu khona lapho ebhentshini, athi, "Ngithenge ikota yami kubab' Motaung. Amakota ayalingana kodwa eyami ifakwe izinto ezimbalwa!"

Agxume uNomsa angenelele, "Awuzwe-ke, yingakho abafundi abaningi sebethenga esitolo sikabab' uMkhize."

UTebogo aqhubeke athi, "Ubab' uMkhize ushintshile ngempela. Wayesika isinkwa esiphelele akhiphe izingxenye ezinhlanu."

"Hawu! Kwakungeyona ikota leyo!" asho uNomsa. "Kungani kwakungeyona ikota?" abuze uScelo.

Wahleka uNomsa, "Ha Scelo! Niyakhumbula uthisha wethu wasifundisani ngamaqhezu? Ukusika isinkwa esiphelele ukhiphe izingxenye ezinhlanu ezilinganayo akukuniki amakota amane. Kukunika izingxenye ezinhlanu, ingxenye eyodwa kwezinhlanu."

Athule uScelo, bese ethi, "Yebo ngiyakhumbula. Yileyo naleyo ngxenye yokuphelele ihlukaniswe kahlanu ngokulinganayo, leyo ngxenye iyingxenye eyodwa yokuhlanu (⅕). Yileyo naleyo ngxenye yokuphelele ihlukaniswe kane ngokulinganayo, leyo ngxenye iyingxenye eyodwa yokune (¼)."

Angenelele uZodwa, "Kahleni bakwethu, kwenzekani ngamakota kabab' Motaung? Ayikota yesinkwa esiphelele wona, kodwa afakwe izinto ezimbalwa kunalezo ezifakwa ubab' uMkhize.

"Ajike uJabu ebusweni, aswace bese ethi, "Uma uMotaung enenkinga ephuma ebhizinisini, uMkhize ngeke ancintisane namuntu. Kungenzeka uMkhize aphindele emaqhingeni akhe amabi amadala."

Emva kwezinsukwana, uMotaung ulungiselela ukuzothengisa esitolo njengokujwayelekile. Ukhathazekile. Kulezi zinsuku, sebembalwa abafundi abathenga kuye.

Azibuze, "Kazi kungani laba bafundi sebegcwala kangaka kuMkhize? Yini le ayenzayo mina engingayenzi? Sithengisa ikota sobabili ngemali efanayo."

UJabu athi uma ephuma kwaMkhize adlule esitolo sikaMotaung. UMotaung ambize uJabu bese embuza, "We Jabu, kunjani? Kade ngakugcina lapha esitolo sami."

Ngesikhathi ekhuluma noJabu akambhekile, amehlo akhe athe njo ekoteni ephethwe uJabu! Abone ukuthi le kota inamashipsi amaningana, ushizi omningana, upholoni omningana kanye ne-atsha eningana!

Amamatheke yedwana uMotaung ngoba useyibonile imfihlo kaMkhize.

Kuthi ngesikhathi esilandelayo uNomsa noZodwa bethenga amakota, uMkhize abanike izipho, athi kubo, "Yimani kancane, nginentwana engifisa ukuninika yona. Ngesikhathi esizayo ngizothengisa izithelo lapha esitolo. Nanka amahhabhula amnandi ukuthi niwazame nizwe nje amnandi kanjani. Niphe nabanye abangane benu."

Amantombazane ajabula kakhulu, basho kanyekanye, "Siyabonga bab' uMkhize." Banqume ukuyokwabelana noJabu, uTebogo noScelo.

Bagijime masinya bayobheka abangane babo egcekeni lesikole.

UZodwa usetshele abafana, "Ubab' uMkhize usinike amahhabhula ukuthi sabelane. Ufuna ukuwathengisa esitolo sakhe." UNomsa asho ewabeka ebhentshini ukuze bawabale.

UTebogo bese ethi, "Singathola okulinganayo sonke, kodwa kunehhabhula elilodwa elizoba yinsalela."

UJabu abe nesiphakamiso, "Masilisikeni sikhiphe izingcezu ezilinganayo ezintathu." Angenelele uNomsa, "Lezo zingcezu ezilinganayo zibizwani?"

Ngokushesha nangokuziqhenya aphendule uScelo, "Ingxenye eyodwa kwezintathu! Sika ihhabhula libe yizingxenye ezintathu ezilinganayo."

Kuzwakale uZodwa eveza omunye umbono, "Chabobo! Masilinike uthisha wethu weZibalo!"

Nangempela abangane bavumelane ngalo mbono omuhle ukuthi linikwe uNKsz Nkosi ngemva kwekhefu.

Ngeviki elilandelayo, uJabu noNomsa balinde uZodwa ngesikhathi sekhefu. UZodwa afike nekota yakhe. "Bhekani bangane, uMotaung ubuyile ebhizinisini!" Abeke ikota yakhe ebhentshini bese bobathathu beqhathanisa amakota abo.

UJabu azwakale esethi, "Hhayi bo! Leya kota inkulu, akuyona ikota! Bhekani, wonke la mashipsi!" Khona manjalo, abuze ngokusola uNomsa, "Noma kungathiwani, le yona iyabiza kakhudlwana! Uzoyithola kanjani inzuzo yakhe uMotaung?"

Emva kwekhefu, ngesikhathi bephindela emaklasini, nanguya uNomsa eyobonisa abangane bakhe ibhodi enesaziso ichonywe ngaphandle esitolo sikaMotaung.

UJabu noNomsa abawakholwa amehlo abo lapho befunda isaziso esilandelayo: Thola ikota enkulukazi! Ngo R3 ngaphezulu! Ingxenye eyodwa kwezintathu yesinkwa esiphelele enamashipsi amaningana nesosi eningana. Inopholoni NOMA ushizi.