“Besingazi ukuthi kuzoba usuku lokuzalwa lukaGogo lokugcina”
Everson Luhanga
UMthembelihle Mkhize ubengumuntu womkhuleko obethola amandla angempela ngokuya esontweni.
Ubegubha iminyaka engama-67 ubudala mhlaka-1 kuMasingana, kodwa wagubha usuku lokuzalwa lwakhe ngesikhathi egonqe yedwa ngemuva kokukhombisa izimpawu ezihlobene ne-Covid-19. Abazukulu bakhe ababili benza usuku lwakhe lwaba olukhethekile ngokumthengela ikhekhe elihle kanye nokudla okumnandi.
Kodwa-ke ugogo uMthembelihle ushone ngenxa ye-Covid-19 ngoLwesihlanu lomhla zi-15 kuMasingana.
UKwanele Mkhize oneminyaka engama-25, ongomunye wabazukulu bakagogo, uthe ubengazi ukuthi kuzoba usuku lokuzalwa lokugcina lukagogo wakhe.
Uthe ugogo wakhe ubephilile futhi enamandla.
“Ubeye ezitolo ayothenga ukudla. Ubezilandela yena isibonelelo sakhe sempesheni. Ubenamandla kakhulu kanti nokudla abekuthanda kakhulu yisitshulu senkukhu nesitambu nobhontshisi,”kusho uKwanele.
UKwanele uthe ugogo wakhe ubethanda ukupheka.
“Futhi uma engapheki, ubumthola ehlanza indlu. Indlu yakhe ibihlezi ihlanzekile ingenabala,” kusho uKwanele.
UGogo Mthembelihle wayehlala eMbo KwaZulu-Natali nabazukulu bakhe abahlanu.
“Ubesonta esontweni lamaKhatholika futhi iningi lamaSonto ubumbona egqoke umfaniswano wakhe obomvu nomhlophe uma eya emikhulekweni,” kusho uKwanele.
“Ngalahlekelwe ngumama wami futhi ugogo ubengumama kimi. Ubesinakekela kahle. Wasifundisa iziyalo ezinhle.”
Uthe ugogo wakhe wayekhuluma isiNgisi esincane nje futhi wayesebenza njengomsebenzi wasendlini.
“Ubehlala njalo ekhuluma ngokwelula indlu yakhe enamakamelo amathathu kodwa ubengakaze abe nemali eyanele yokwenza lokho. Ubezoshona njengomuntu ojabule ukube indlu yakhe yanwetshwa kodwa ube nemali eyanele ukuthengela umndeni wakhe ukudla kuphela.”
UGogo Mthembelihle ubenezingane ezintathu, kodwa ezimbili sezadlula emhlabeni.
“Angikaze ngihlangane nomkhulu wami. Ugogo wami wahlala yedwa ngemuva kokushona komyeni wakhe. Kukhona izithombe zabo odongeni bebobabili ngesikhathi besaphila. Babebukeka bejabule kakhulu kodwa ugogo akakaze akhulume ngalokho,” kusho uKwanele.