Endaweni ekwelinye icala lomlambo iLimpopo, kuhlala uSimangaliso.Kukholelwa ukuba uSimangaliso unamandla akhethekileyo.Wonke umntu edolophini esihlala kuyo uthetha ngaye.

USimangaliso unelizwi elivakala kamnandi nelithomalalisayo. Uhlala ehlathini apho aculela khona iintaka nezilwanyana.Ucula ekupheleni kwemini nganye. Abantu basuka kude bezokumamela eli lizwi lakhe limyoli.

USimangaliso uneenwele ezinde ekungekho namnye owakha wazibona. Uyazitshintsha iinwele zakhe kangangoko efuna. Angazenza zinyamalale, aphinde azenze zibonakale.Qho xa aculayo, iinwele ziyawa zigqume ubuso bakhe.

USimangaliso uhambahamba kwelo hlathi yonke imihla.Unakho ukuyiva nokuyinukisa ingozi.Uyakwazi ukuxela ukuba ubani uza kuye ngeenjongo zenkohlakalo.

Ngenye imini uSimangaliso waba nezigqibo zokuba ufuna ukwazi ukuba ubomi bunjani na ngaphaya komlambo omkhulu.Wagqiba ekubeni makathathe uhambo.Xa afikayo emlanjeni omkhulu, wamangaliswa, “Ndizakuwela njani?”

USimangaliso wacinga okomzuzu waza wakhwaza, “Amandla! Amandla!”Kwangoko, kwavela ibhulorho.Wawela waya kwelaa cala lomlambo, waqhubeka nohambo lwakhe. Waya kude lee esuka kwelaa hlathi alaziyo.

USimangaliso waziva ediniwe. “Ndifuna ukuphumla endaweni ethile,” wacinga.Wakhwaza, “Amandla! Amandla!”Kwangoko, kwavela ingca kuyo yonke loo ndawo. USimangaliso wahlala phantsi engceni entle apho kupholileyo.

USimangaliso waziva elambile. “Ndikude nehlathi. Ndizakukufumana njani ukutya?” Wayemangalisiwe.Wakhotha imilebe yakhe waza wakhwaza, “Amandla! Amandla!”Kwangoko, iimbiza ezingenanto, izitya neekomityi zavela.

Ukutya akuthandayo uSimangaliso, kwakunye nesiselo, kwawela ezimbizeni, ezityeni nasezikomityini ezazingenanto.Watya, wasela kangangoko wayefuna.Ngesiquphe weva intshukumo.

USimangaliso wabuva ubukho bam nangaphambi kokuba ndisondele kuye.Wabuza, “Ngubani lowo?” ndathi ngelizwi elincinci, “Ndim. Igama lam nguBuumi.”USimangaliso wayesazi ukuba ndineenjongo ezintle.

“Ndilahlekile,” ndatsho ngelizwi elincinci.“Yiza uzokutya, usele nam,” wandimema uSimangaliso. Ndatya, ndasela kangangoko ndandifuna.Ndamxelela uSimangaliso ukuba ndilahleke njani emva kokulandela umntakwethu omdala.

USimangaliso wandixelela ngohambo lwakhe lokufuna ukuqonda ukuba ubomi bunjani na ngaphesheya komlambo.Emva koko wancuma waza wakhwaza, “Amandla! Amandla!”Yaba yindlela endafika ngayo phambi kwendlu yabazali bam.