Njalo lapho sikhuluma ngolwandle, kuvela umusho owodwa - "Bheka ulwandle, nezimbali zasentwasahlobo ziqhakaza". Njalo lapho ngiya ogwini lolwandle, lo musho uzwakala engqondweni yami. Ekugcineni, ngiyaqonda ngokuphelele ukuthi kungani ngithanda ulwandle kangaka. Ulwandle lunamahloni njengentombazane, lunesibindi njengengonyama, lukhulu njengehlathi lotshani, futhi lucacile njengesibuko. Luhlala luyimfihlakalo, luyimilingo futhi luyakhanga.
Phambi kolwandle, indlela ulwandle olumenza azizwe ngayo luncane. Ngakho-ke njalo uma ngiya ogwini lolwandle, angisoze ngacabanga ngesimo sami esibi noma ukungajabuli. Ngizizwa sengathi ngiyingxenye yomoya nolwandle. Ngihlala ngingakwazi ukuzithulula futhi ngijabulele isikhathi ogwini lolwandle.
Akumangazi ukubona ulwandle kubantu abahlala eningizimu yeShayina. Ngisho nathi siyazi ukuthi uma amanzi ephezulu kanye namaza aphansi nini. Uma amanzi ephezulu, ulwandle luzocwilisa phansi kolwandle oluphansi, futhi akukho bhishi elinesihlabathi elibonakalayo. Umsindo wolwandle ushaya odongeni lolwandle nasemadwaleni, kanye nomoya omusha wolwandle ovela ebusweni, wenza abantu bazola ngokushesha. Kujabulisa kakhulu ukugijima olwandle ugqoke ama-earphone. Kunezinsuku ezi-3 kuya kwezi-5 zokuwa kwamanzi aphansi ekupheleni kwenyanga kanye nasekuqaleni kwenyanga yekhalenda lenyanga laseShayina. Kumnandi kakhulu. Amaqembu abantu, abancane nabadala ngisho nezingane ezincane ziza ogwini, zidlala, zihamba, zindiza ama-kite, futhi zibamba ama-clams njll.
Okumangalisayo kulo nyaka ukubamba izimbaza ngasolwandle lapho amanzi ephansi. Kungomhlaka-4 Septhemba 2021, usuku olunelanga. Ngashayela ibhayisikili lami likagesi elithi “Bauma”, ngithatha umshana wami, ngiphethe amafosholo namabhakede, ngigqoke izigqoko. Saya ogwini lolwandle ngomoya ophansi. Lapho sifika lapho, umshana wami wangibuza ukuthi “kuyashisa, kungani abantu abaningi kangaka befika ekuseni kangaka?”. Yebo, sasingebona abokuqala ukufika lapho. Kwakunabantu abaningi kakhulu. Abanye babehamba ogwini lolwandle. Abanye babehleli odongeni lolwandle. Abanye babemba imigodi. Kwakuwumbono ohlukile futhi ophilayo. Abantu ababemba imigodi, bathatha amafosholo namabhakede, bahlala ogwini oluyisikwele oluncane futhi babopha izandla ngezikhathi ezithile. Mina nomshana wami, sakhumula izicathulo zethu, sagijimela ogwini lolwandle futhi sathatha iduku lolwandle. Sazama ukumba nokubamba izimbaza. Kodwa ekuqaleni, asitholi lutho ngaphandle kwamagobolondo kanye ne-oncomelania. Sithole ukuthi abantu ababeseceleni kwethu babamba izimbaza eziningi baze bacabange ukuthi ezinye zincane kanti ezinye zinkulu. Sazizwa sikhathazekile futhi sikhathazekile. Ngakho sashintsha indawo ngokushesha. Ngenxa yokwehla kwamanzi, singakwazi ukuhamba kude kakhulu nodonga lolwandle. Ngisho, singahamba ngezinyawo siye ngaphansi kwebhuloho laseJi'mei. Sanquma ukuhlala eduze kwenye yezinsika zebhuloho. Sazama futhi saphumelela. Kwakukhona ama-clam amaningi endaweni lapho ayegcwele khona isihlabathi esithambile namanzi amancane. Umshana wami wajabula kakhulu lapho sithola indawo enhle futhi sabamba ama-clam amaningi. Safaka amanzi olwandle ebhakedeni ukuqinisekisa ukuthi ama-clam angaphila. Kwadlula imizuzu embalwa nje, sathola ukuthi ama-clam asibingelela futhi asimomotheka. Akhipha amakhanda awo emagobolondweni awo, ephefumula umoya ngaphandle. Ayenamahloni futhi acashe emagobolondweni awo futhi lapho amabhakede eshaqeka.
Amahora amabili endizeni, kwakuseza ukuhlwa. Amanzi olwandle nawo ayephezulu. Kusemanzini aphezulu. Kwadingeka sipakishe amathuluzi ethu futhi sase silungele ukuya ekhaya. Sihamba singenazicathulo ogwini olunesihlabathi namanzi amancane, kumnandi kakhulu. Umuzwa othinta inhliziyo wawudlula ezinzwaneni nasemzimbeni nasengqondweni, ngazizwa ngikhululekile njengokuzulazula olwandle. Ngihamba endleleni eya ekhaya, umoya wawuvunguza ebusweni. Umshana wami wayejabule kakhulu wamemeza wathi “Ngijabule kakhulu namuhla”.
Ulwandle luhlala luyimfihlakalo, luyimilingo yokwelapha nokugona wonke umuntu ohamba eceleni kwalo. Ngiyayithanda futhi ngiyayijabulela impilo ehlala eduze kolwandle.
Isikhathi sokuthunyelwe: Disemba-07-2021
