16/11/2025
STORY: “Ngibambeke Emaphusheni Ami”
NginguThandeka, umkaSipho. Sihlala eMlazi, khona lapho izinkinga zomnotho zenza impilo ibe nzima kakhulu. Mina ngisebenza e-call centre, ama-shift ayashintsha, and sometimes ngibuya late ebusuku. USipho yena usasebenza ngezinsuku ezithile nje ngoba izinkampani eziningi sezinciphise ama-staff.
Kudala ngizwa ukuthi ushintshile — wayehlala enomoya wokuxoxa, manje sekuba sengathi kukhona angifihlela khona. Kodwa ngazitshela ukuthi maybe udiniwe nje or stressed by unemployment.
Kodwa ngosuku oludlule izinto zashintsha. Ngithole i-message ku-phone yakhe, ngiyibona ngesikhathi ngihlanza igumbi. Kwakuyi-text evela kowesifazane engingamazi ethi: “Thanks for last night, hope you got home safe.”
Umhlaba wami wawa. Ngahlala phansi ngaphefumula kancane ngoba inhliziyo yami yayishaya ngokungajwayelekile. Ngazizwa ngididekile, ngicasukile, ngiphukile.
Ngibhekene nokuthi ngenzeni manje. Ngiyamthanda umyeni wami, kodwa indlela le ndaba engiphule ngayo inside… ayilula.
Ubuhlungu engibuzwayo abukhona nje kuphela ngoba ukungithembi, kodwa futhi ngoba impilo yethu isivele inzima. Mina ngikhokhela ama-bills amaningi, i-rent, izidingo zezingane zethu ezimbili. Manje ngizibuza:
Uma ngimshiya, ngizokwazi yini ukuziphilisa ngedwa? Izikole zezingane? Amabhasi? Ama-uniform?
Uma ngihlala, ngizokwazi yini ukumethethelela ngempela?
Kusihlwa bengizizwa ngikhala ngidonsa i-duvet ngiyifake entanyeni. Ngathi kimi:
“Thandeka, you need advice. Ungakwazi ukuphila kanje, kodwa awukwazi futhi ukuphuthuma uthath’ izinqumo