Gogo Mapula wabuka incumbi yemaklabishi labeseceleni kwemnyango wakhe longembili. Bekasebente matima anakekela ingadze yakhe.Nyalo bese kusikhatsi sekuyotsengisa sivuno sakhe emakethe.“Ngitodzinga lusito ngekubala kanye nekupakisha lamaklabishi,” kucabanga gogo.

Ngesikhatsi gogo asemile emnyango wendlu yakhe kwendlula Jabu, Dineo, kanye naDimpho. Wajabula kakhulu ngekubabona.“Ngicela nite lapha nitongisita ngekupakisha sivuno sami kunankha emabhokisi,” acela bantfwana.Bekati kutsi bahlakaniphile nekutsi bayakutsandza kusita.

Labantfwana babonisana ngendlela labangapakisha ngayo emaklabishi.“Asiwabale bese sipakisha emaklabishi ngemacembu alokubili,” kusho Dineo.“Asiwabale bese sipakisha emaklabishi ngemacembu alokune,” kusho Jabu.Asiwabale bese sipakisha emaklabishi ngemacembu alokutsatfu,” kusho Dimpho.

Labantfwana bancuma kutsi kubala emaklabishi ngemacembu alokune kutokuba yindlela lesheshako yekuwapakisha emabhokisini.“Ebhokisini ngalinye kungene emaklabishi lalishumi nakubili,” kusho Dineo.“Nente kahle, nikwente masinyane!” kumoyitela gogo. “Nyalo uMnu. Jonas sekangatsatsa emaklabishi awayise emakethe.”

“Litawubita malini liklabishi linye?” kubuta Dineo.“Ngiyati kutsi ungawabala kutsi angumalini. Libhokisi linye libita R60,” kusho gogo.“Nangabe libhokisi libita R60, kantsi kunemaklabishi lalishumi nakubili ebhokisini, kufanele sehlukanise emashumi lasitfupha ngelishumi nakubili,” kusho Dineo.

“Ngiyati!” kusho Jabu. “Liklabishi linye litawubita R5.”“Loko kuliciniso!” kuphendvula Dimpho. Basiti bagogo bapakisha onkhe emaklabishi.UMnu. Jonas bekajabulile ngobe bekangasenawo umsebenti lomnyenti. “Ngitawuciniseka kutsi onkhe emaklabishi ayatsengwa emakethe,” asho.

Labantfwana bahlala ngaphansi kwesihlahla lesisengadzeni kute baphumule. Babona gogo afihle intfo letsite esidziyeni sakhe.“Yini leyo?” kubuta Dineo.“Yintfo yekubonisa kubonga kwami ngawo wonkhe umsebenti wenu. Kodvwa kufanele nabelane ngalokulinganako,” kusho gogo.

Labantfwana bajabula kakhulu. Gogo Mapula wabanika incumbi yemahhabhula lamnandzi. “Abonakala amnandzi kakhulu,” kusho Dineo njengobe sekakhotsa tindzebe takhe.“Ingabe onkhe lamahhabhula ngewetfu?” kubuta Dimpho ngekumangala. “Yebo, nikhumbule kutsi kufanele nabelane ngalokulinganako!” kusho gogo.

“Asibale emahhabhula,” kusho Dimpho.Babala emahhabhula ngemacembu alokubili. “Kunemacembu lasiphohlongo emahhabhula langamabili, bese kuba nalinye lihhabhula lelengetiwe. Sekawonkhe, ngemahhabhula lalishumi nesikhombisa,” kusho Dimpho.“Ngako, sidzinga kwehlukanisa emahhabhula lalishumi nesikhombisa phakatsi kwetfu sobatsatfu,” kusho Jabu.

Labantfwana babala emahhabhula lasihlanu emuntfu ngamunye, kwase kuba nemahhabhula lamabili lasalako. Babanekudideka ngendlela yekwaba lamahhabhula lamabili.“Kufanele sisike lamahhabhula lamabili abe ngemahhafu,” kusho Dimpho.“Kufanele sisike lamahhabhula lamabili abe ngemakota,” kusho Jabu.

“Kepha tsine sobatsatfu ngeke sabelane ngalokulinganako emahhafu noma emakota,” kusho Dineo.“Asinike gogo kanye neMnu. Jonas lamahhabhula lasele!” avete umbono wakhe. “Yebo, ngobe gogo nguye lohlanyele emaklabishi,” kuvuma Jabu.“Wase uMnu. Jonas utsatsa sivuno setilimo wasiyisa emakethe,” kwengeta Dimpho.

UMnu. Jonas wabuya emakethe ngemva kwekutsengisa onkhe emaklabishi.Dimpho wabela Gogo Mapula kanye neMnu. Jonas emahhabhula lasele.Basiti labahlakaniphile bebatigcabha.Basebentisa loko labebakufundzile esikolweni kute basite gogo futsi babelane ngalokulinganako.