Sekusikhathi sokudla esikolweni iSiyafunda Primary School. UNomsa, uJabu noZodwa baqeda ukuhlala ngaphasi komuthi bathabela ukudla kwabo.

Namhlanje uNomsa noZodwa beze nokudla kwemakhabo, kodwana uJabu udla ikota ayithenge esitolo saka Baba Mkhize.

"Mmmm, itjhizi le imnandi! Amakota wakaBaba Mkhize aphuma phambili!" kubabaza uJabu ukhotha imino yakhe.

UTebogo uhlezi eduze uzwa uJabu. Akhange akholwe iindlebe zakhe! UTebogo uyabuza,"Ngabe uqeda ukuthi kunetjhizi ekoteni yakaMnu. Mkhize? Uqeda ukuthi amakota wakaMnu. Mkhize aphuma phambili? uyamtshima na?"

"Haa! Awazi uBaba Mkhize wena! Utjhugulule iindlela zakhe zokwenza begodu namakota wakhe wakhe ayazikhulumela, "kutjho uJabu ukhomba ikota yakhe.

Ikota izaliswe ngamatjhipsi, ipaloni ne-atjha, yabese ivalwa ngetjhizi. UTebogo uthathekile, "Liqiniso, noburotho buzaliswe ngeenthako!" Kusenjalo kwafika uScelo nokudla kwakhe kwemini, uTebogo wathi kumngani wakhe, "Wena Scelo, qala ikota nasi!"

UJabu utjheja ubuso bakaScelo bewuyabuza, "Kubayini ubonakala unqame kangaka!" UScelo ubeka ikota yakhe phezu kwebhanka eduze nekota yakaJabu.

"Mina ngithole ikota yami kuBaba Motaung. Amakota ayalingana ngobukhulu, kodwana yami izaliswe ngeenkhanakhana zekota ezincani." "Iye," kutjho uNomsa, "kungebanga lelo abantwana abanengi bebangathengi kuBaba Mkhize."

"Okutjho ukuthi UBaba Mkhize uyindoda ephendukileko. UMkhize bekasika ilofu eyodwa yoburotho eyenze ingcezu ezihlanu nakenza amakota wakhe!" kutjho uTebogo.

"Arha!"kuphendula uNomsa. "Leyo bekungasiyo ikota!" "Kubayini bekungasiyo ikota?" kubuza uScelo.

"Wu Scelo!" kuhleka uNomsa. "Awusakhumbuli ukuthi utitjhere wethu wasifundisa ngama frakhtjhini? Ukusika ilofu yoburotho ngeengcenye ezihlanu akusinikeli amakota. Kusinikela okuhlanu"

USicelo uyaqabanga, bese wathi, "Ngiyakhumbula! Enye nenye ingcenye yokuzeleko nayihlukaniswa iingcezu ezi-5 ezilinganako zi-⅕ yokuzeleko. Enye nenye ingcenye yokuzeleko nayihlukaniswa nga-4 yeengcezu ezilinganako iyi- ¼ yokuzeleko."

UZodwa uyaphazamisa, "Kodwana bantu bekhethu, Kwenzeka ini ngamakota waka Baba Motaung? Amakota welofu wona, kodwana amumatha okuncani kunamakota waka Baba Mkhize."

UJabu ubuyisa ubuso bewathi esiqhemeni, "Nange uMotaung angaba nemiraro abe alise irhwebo, kutjho ukuthi uMkhize angekhe asaba nomuntu aphalisana naye. Kube njani uMkhize abe nomrhobholo abe abuyele emikgweni yakhe emimbi yakade?"

Ngemuva kwamalangana, uBaba Motaung ulungiselela ukuthengisa ukudla ngesikhathi sokudla kwemini. Utshwenyekile. Muva nje, abafundi baya ngokwehla ekuthengeni kuye.

UBaba Motaung uyazibuza, "Kungebanga lani boke batjhinge kuMkhize? Yini le ayenzako mina engingayenziko? Bengiqabanga kobana sithengisa amakota afanako nangenani elifanako."

UJabu usendleleni ubuya esitolo saka Baba Mkhize udlula esitolo saka Baba Motaung. Wabiza umsana kuye, "Lotjha Jabu, Unjani? Senginesikhathi eside ngingasakuboni" Amehlo waka Baba Motaung awakaqali uJabu kodwana asekoteni ephethwe nguJabu!

Wabona kobana ikota le inamatjhipsi amanengi, itjhizi enengi, ipoloni enengi ne-atjha enengi! UBaba Motaung wamomotheka ngombana sele ayitholile ifihlo yaka Baba Mkhize.

Ngesikhathi esilandelako uNomsa noZodwa nebabuyela bayokuthenga amakota, uMkhize ubapha izipho, "Lindani kancani, nginiphathele ifihlo. Kungasi kudala ngizobe sengithengisa neenthelo la esitolo sami. Naka amahabhula amnandi akhe niwezwe niwathola simahla. Ngibawa nabelane nabangani benu."

Abantazana bakuthabele lokho. "Siyathokoza Baba Mkhize!" Batjho kanye kanye. Bathatha isiqunto sokuwabelana noJabu, uTebogo noScelo, bakhamba bayobathola ngejarideni.

UZodwa utjela abasana, "UBaba Mkhize usiphe amahabhula la ukuthi siwabelane. Ufuna ukuwathengisa esitolo sakhe." UNomsa ubeka amahabhula phezulu kwebhanka ukuze bakwazi ukuwabala baboke.

"Awa-ke," kutjho uTebogo, "omunye nomunye angathola inani elilinganako lamahabhula. Kodwana kunehabhula elilodwa elisalako."

"Asilisikeni ihabhula eliseleko leli libe ziingcezu ezintathu ezilinganako," kuhlongoza uJabu. "Zibizwa ini iingcenye lezo ezintathu ezilinganako?"

UNomsa uyazibuza yena, "Isithathu! Sikani ihabhula ngesithathu! Iingcezu ezintathu ezilinganako," uScelo utjho ngokuzikhakhazisa.

"Awa, asinikeleni utitjhere wethu weembalo ihabhula eliseleko leli!" kutjho uZodwa.

Ngeveke elandelako ngesikhathi sokudla, uJabu noNomsa balindele uZodwa. UZodwa ufika nekota yakhe. "Qalani, uMotaung ubuyele erhwebeni lakhe!" kutjho uZodwa abeka ikota yakhe ebhankeni bobathathu baqathanisa amakota. "Wu!" kutjho uJabu, "Ikota leyo yikulu kunekota! Akhe niqale namatjhipsi wakhona!"

Ngiyakholwa le ibiza ngaphezulu? Uyenza bunjani inzuzo uBaba Motaung?" kubuza uNomsa ngokusola.

Ngemuva kokudla, njengombana batjhinga ngetlasi, uZodwa uthatha abangani bakhe bayokufunda isaziso esingaphandle kwesitolo saka Baba Motaung. UJabu noNomsa azange bakholwe amehlo wabo lokha nabafunda okulandelako.

Thola ikota ekulu khulu! ungezelela nge R3 kwaphela! Isithathu soburotho esinamatjhipsi nesosi engezelelweko. Nepaloni nofana itjhizi.