Endzaweni lengale ngesheya kweMfula iLimpopo, kuhlala Simangaliso.Kunenkholelo yekutsi Simangaliso unemandla lamanyenti lakhetsekile.Wonkhe umuntfu edolobheni lakitsi ukhuluma ngaye.

Simangaliso unelivi lelihle lelipholile. Uhlala ehlatsini lapho ahlabelelela khona tinyoni kanye netilwane.Ekupheleni kwelilanga ngalinye uyahlabelela. Bantfu basuka etindzaweni letisekudzeni batolalela livi lakhe lelimnandzi.

Simangaliso unetinwele letindze kakhulu letingazange tibonwe muntfu.Angantjintja tinwele takhe ngekutsandza kwakhe. Ukwati kutenta tinyamalale tiphindze tivele.Nangabe ahlabelela, tinwele tiyehla bese timbhonya buso bakhe.

Simangaliso uhambahamba lonkhe lihlatsi njalo ngelilanga.Uyakwati kulalela aphindze eve ingoti letako.Futsi uyakwati kubona uma kukhona umuntfu lota kuye ngetinhloso letimbi.

Ngalelinye lilanga, Simangaliso wafuna kuyobona kutsi ingabe imphilo injani ngale ngesheya kwemfula lomkhulu.Wancuma kutsatsa luhambo lokuyohlola.Ngesikhatsi afika emfuleni lomkhulu, watibuta, “Ngitowela kanjani lapha?”

Simangaliso wacabanga sikhashana wase uyamemeta, “Emandla! Emandla!”Masinyane, kwavela libhuloho.Wawelela ngesheya kwemfula wase uyachubeka neluhambo lwakhe. Wahamba waya ekudzeni kakhulu nelihlatsi lalatiko.

Simangaliso wativa asadziniwe. Wacabanga “Ngidzinga indzawo lengingaphumula kuyo.”Wamemeta, “Emandla! Emandla!”Ngekushesha, kwavela tjani yonkhe indzawo lemtungeletile. Simangaliso wahlala phansi etjanini lobuhle.

Simangaliso wativa asalambile. “Sengisekudzeni kakhulu nelihlatsi. Ngitokutfola kanjani kudla?” acabanga.Wakhotsa tindzebe takhe wase uyamemeta, “Emandla! Emandla!”Ngekushesha, kwavela amabhodo langenalutfo, tindishi kanye netinkomishi.

Tinatfo nekudla lokutsandvwa nguSimangaliso kwamane kwangena emabhodweni langenalutfo, etindishini, nasetinkomishini.Wadla futsi wanatsa ngendlela latsandza ngayo.Masinyane, weva umsindvo.

Simangaliso weva kutsi ngiyeta ngisho nangaphambi kwekutsi ngisondzele kuye.Wamemeta, “Ngubani loyo?”Ngaphendvula ngelivi lelincane, “Ngimi. Libito lami nginguBumi.”Simangaliso wavele wati kutsi nginetinhloso letinhle.

“Ngilahlekile,” ngisho ngelivi lami lelincane.“Wota utokudla kanye nami bese uyanatsa!” kusho Simangaliso.Ngadla ngase ngiyanatsa ngendlela lengitsandza ngayo. Ngatjela Simangaliso kutsi ngilahleke kanjani ngemuva kwekulandzela umnaketfu lomdzala.

Simangaliso wangicocela ngeluhambo lwakhe lwekufuna kwati kutsi imphilo injani ngale ngesheya kwemfula. Ngemuva kwaloko, wamoyitela wase uyamemeta, “Emandla! Emandla!”Kwaba ngileyondlela lengefika ngayo phambi kwemnyango wendlu yebatali bami.