“Nandi o gorogile kwa dikantorong tsa Lefapha la Boitekanelo metsotso e le mmalwa pele ga ura ya borobong. E rile a tsena a gakgamadiwa ke bontsi jwa dijanaga tsa maemo tse di emisitsweng gaufi le dikantoro.”
“Badiredipuso ba amogela madi a mantsi tlhe!” A bua a le nosi.
Go ne go na le tsa maotwana a a gokeletsweng kwa morago, tsa dipeipi tse pedi tse di ntshang mosi kwa morago le tse di bulwang matlhabaphefo le ditswalo beng ba tsona emetse kgakajana le tsona.
Dikantoro tsa lefapha di ne di dikaganyeditswe ke ditlhare le malomo a mebalabala. Bojang bo ne bo le botala, go bonala fa bo nosediwa ka dinako tsotlhe. E ne e re o tsena ka dikantoro, o utlwe mowa o o tsiditsana.
“Dumelang! Ke nna Nandi Mothibi. ke tlile fano go bona rre Kgopodimetsi.”
Kgopodimetsi o ne a lelediwa mogala mme a laela gore mothusi wa gagwe a supetse Nandi gore kantoro ya gagwe e fa kae. E ne e le kantoro e kgolo, e na le malomo a go bonalang a sa tswa go kgetlhiwa kwa tshingwaneng. Go ne go na le setsidifatsi. Mo godimo ga tafole go ne go na le ditshwantsho tsa maloko a lelapa la gagwe; mogatse le bana ba babedi.
“Dumela, mma. Ke solofela fa o tsogile sentle,”Kgopodimetsi a otlolola seatla sa moja go dumedisa Nandi.
“Agee, rra. Ee, ke tsogile sentle. A rre o tsogile sentle?”
“Ee, mma. Tlhabo ya letsatsi re e bone.”
Boitumelo mo sefatlhegong sa ga Kgopodimetsi bo ne ba bakela Nandi go sa iketlang go go rileng. Bo ne ba mo gopotsa phokoje e e matlhajana le boferefere, e a neng a tlhola a tlotlelwa ka yona ke mmaagwemogolo mo dinaaneng fa a ne a sa le ngwana.
“Mme o tlaa rata go nwa eng? Re na le dinotsididi le mogodungwana.”
“Ke tlaa itumelela mogodungwana, rra.”
“Mma, re amogetse kopo ya gago ya tiro, mme e re pele ke ya kgakala ke botse gore a mme ke mogatse Otsile Mothibi wa mmegadikgang?”
“Ee, rra. Ke nyetswe ke Otsile. E le gore mogatsake ena o tsena kae mo kopong ya me ya tiro?”
“O tlaa lemoga fa re ntse re tlotla gore mogatso ke karolo e kgolo ya kopano eno.”
Nandi o ne a gakgamala. “Re tlaa bona teng!”A buela mo pelong.
Go ne ga tsena mosetsana yo mosetlhana yo moleele, a tlisitse mogodungwana. E rile a nyenya, matlho a gagwe a tlala kgalalelo. A motho yo montle! Nandi o ne a gakgamadiwa ke gore mosetsana yo, o ne a sa bitse mongwaagwe a re rre Kgopodimetsi; o ne a mmitsa ka leina la sekgoa la Andrew. E ne e le sengwe se se sa tlwaelegang mo lefelong la tiro. Kgopodimetsi o ne a lemoga gore Nandi o maketse.
“Se makale, mma. Batho ba ba dirang ka fa tlase ga me ba mpitsa ka leina. Le wena fa o ka dira fa, o tlaa feleletsa o mpitsa Andrew.”
Ba ne ba simolola go nwa mogodungwana.
“Mma, lefapha ga le tlhole le na le phatlhatiro e o tsentseng kopo ya yona.”
Nandi o ne a ipotsa gore fa phatlhatiro e sa tlhole e le teng, o bileditswe eng. O ne a simolola go utlwa monkgo wa legotlo le le suleng.
Kgopodimetsi o ne a bolelela Nandi fa e le leloko la mokgatlho o o busang.
“Re utlwile ka ‘tlhokwa la tsela gore mogatso o ntse o batlisisa modusetulo wa rona e bile o tshwere ditokomane tse di bonweng le go gatisiwa ka bokhukhuntshwane. A o itse sengwe mabapi le se ke buang ka sona?”
Nandi o ne a bona gore dilo ga di tsamae jaaka go tshwanetse; a batla a fela pelo. O ne a batla go itse gore ena o tsena jang mo tirong ya ga Otsile le gore kopano ya gagwe le Kgopodimetsi e amana jang le dipatlisiso tse di dirwang ke mogatse.
Kgopodimetsi o ne a mo kopa go se bolelele ope ka ga puisano ya bona. Nandi a dumela fela le fa letswalo la gagwe le ne le sa mo fe kagiso.
“Mma, ke filwe taelo ya go tlhola phatlhatiro e e seyong mo lefapheng. Fa o ka dirisana le rona, phatlhatiro eo ke ya gago. Kana ke bua ka maemo a a kwa godimo thata mo lefapheng. Jaanong ke kopa gore nna le wena re utlwane; o tlhaloganya sentle gore puo ya me e lebile kae!”Kgopodimetsi a leka go tlhalosa, mme Nandi a mo kopa gore a tlogele go dirisa puo e e bofitlha, a bue puophaa.
“Rra, ga ke batle go inaganela le go swetsa gore o batla go reng. Ke kopa gore o tlhalose maikaelelo a gago sentle.”
Kgopodimetsi o ne a lemoga gore Nandi ga se mofologelo o a neng a o solofetse.
“Kopo ya rona ke gore mogatso a emise ka dipatlisiso tse a tshwaraganeng le tsona. Re batla le gore a re busetse dikgatiso tsotlhe tsa ditokomane tse a nang le tsona. Ke solofela fa o ntlhaloganya jaanong.”
Nandi o ne a gagamatsa molala. “E le gore a rre o ne a ka se ke a ya kwa go Otsile mme a mo itheela? Le gona, golo fa o bua ka wena le mang kgotsa le bomang?”
Kgopodimetsi o ne a mmolelela gore maina a batho a ka mo tsenya ka kgoro ya kgolegelo, ka jalo ga a na go bua gore ba bangwe ke bomang le fa a tlhalositse kwa tshimologong gore ke leloko la mokgatlho o o busang.
“Mma, ke go bileditse kwano gore re tle go buisana. Fa o dumela go buisana le mogatso, maemo a ke ntseng ke bua ka ona ke a gago gona fela jaanong.”
Nandi o ne a kopa go bolelelwa ka ga maemo a go buiwang ka ona.
“Mma, tuelo ya kgwedi le kgwedi e ka nna dikete di le masome a matlhano a diranta. Tota nna fa ke ne ke le wena, ke ne ke se na go tlogela tšhono e e kalo e mpheta. Ga se tšhono e motho o e bonang ‘tsatsi le letsatsi.”
“Ke a go utlwa, rra. Fela ke sa ntse ke batla go itse gore ke tiro e e ntseng jang e o buang ka yona,”Nandi a bua a menne phatla, a tlhomile Kgopodimetsi matlho.
“Mma, ke maemo a botsamaisi. Jaaka ke go boleletse gore ke laetswe go tlhola phatlhatiro eo, fa o sena go e amogela, nna le wena re tlaa tsaya tshwetso ya gore o tlaa dira tiro ya mofuta mang. Tiro eo e tshwanetse e tsamaelane le kitso le maitemogelo a gago jaaka mmamelemo.”
Nandi o ne a bona fela gore golo fa o tlile go tsena mo seraing, fa a sa se kakologe go sa ntse go le gale.
“Rra, nte ke ye go ikakanya pele. Ke tlaa boela mo go wena morago ga malatsi a le mmalwa.”
“Se re diegele, mma. O nne o itse gore nako ga e lete ope.”
The Joburg Review of BooksPostedNovember 26, 202011:35
Teemaneng e ne e setlhefetse, go se bonolo go dumela gore ke e bontsi jwa batswakwa ba kileng ba tla kwa go yona go tla go epa dikgaraga, mme ba feleletsa ba dirile madi a mantsi jaaka matlakala. Ntle le mesima e masea le matagwa a neng a wela mo go yona nako le nako, baagi ba Teemaneng ba ne ba sa supe sepe ka monwana le fa toropo ya bona e ne e itsege lefatshe ka bophara jaaka legae la dikgaraga, e bile e diretse bangwe khumo e e boitshegang.
Mo toropong eo go ne go na le mosima o mogolo, o o boteng, o o neng o bidiwa The Big Hole. Nandi o ne a o bitsa Mosima o Mogologolo. E ne e le mosima o o tshosang e bile metsi a ona a lebega a ka nkga sebodu. Otsile o ne a bolelela Nandi fa a belaela gore go na le batho ba le bantsi ba ba swetseng mo go ona.
‘Ga ke bone fa mongwe a ka ithabuetsa mo metsing a a leswe jaana go ya go batla motho yo o wetseng mo. Ka gongwe fa e le katse kgotsa ntšwanyana, ba ka e batla ba sa kgaotse, mme fa e le motho gone, lebala!’
Nandi o ne a tshwantshanya Mosima o Mogolo le legano le le bulegileng, le le tshegang baagi ba Teemaneng ka ba latlhegetswe ke dikgaraga tse di neng di ka ba direla khumo mme ba sala ba le basetlha fela jaaka naga e iteilwe ke komelelo e kgolo.
Otsile o gorogile kwa dikantorong tsa City News ka ura ya borobedi mo mosong. Badirikaene ba ne ba ntse ba goroga ka bongwe ka bongwe go fitlhela ba felela botlhe ka ura ya borobong.
Selo sa ntlha se a se lemogileng e ne e le gore go ne go se na babegadikgang, le fa e ka nna batsayaditshwantsho ba Bantsho kwa City News. Batho botlhe ba ba neng ba dira mo kantorong ya dikgang e ne e le Makgowa. Selo seo se ne sa mo tshwenya thata.
O ne a ipotsa gore go tla jang gonne bontsi jwa baagi ba Teemaneng jo bo neng bo buisa City News letsatsi le letsatsi e ne e le Bantsho. Tota le ba go begwang ka bona letsatsi le letsatsi, e ne e le Bantsho. O ne a simolola ka go ipotsa gore a mme babegadikgang ba Makgowa ba tlhaloganya matshelo a bontsi jwa baagi ba Teemaneng, ka gonne ba ne ba sa tshele le bona.
‘E tlaa re re re ke dipitse, ra bona ka mebala!’
Kopano ya moso le moso ya bobegadikgang e ne ya tshwarwa ka ura ya borobong fa ba sena go goroga botlhe mo tirong. Morulaganyi wa City News, Malcolm Bells, o ne a itsise Otsile go badirikaene semmuso.
‘Bagaetsho, ke rata go tsaya tšhono eno go le itsise mmegadikgang yo mogolwane yo o simololang tiro gompieno. Rre yo le mmonang fa yo, ke Otsile Mothibi. Ke mmegadikgang yo o dirileng dithuto tsa gagwe tsa bobegadikgang kwa Yunivesithing ya Lejeleputswa, e bile o na le maitemogelo a dingwaga di le dintsi mo kantorong ya dikgang. O kile a direla makwalodikgang a kwa New York le London. Ke mmegadikgang yo o tlhwatlhwa. Ke solofela fa rotlhe re tlile go dirisana le ena ka botswapelo.’
Botlhe ba ne ba opa diatla. Bells o ne a otlolola seatla go amogela Otsile.
‘Rre Mothibi, re solofela fa o tlile go nna le bokamoso jo bo phatsimang mo City News. Re a go amogela, rra.’
‘Ke a leboga, rra. Le nna ke na le tsholofelo ya gore ke tlile go itumelela go dira le lona lotlhe.’
Morago ba ne ba buisana ka tiro ya bona ya letsatsi leo. Otsile o ne a solofetse gore mo letsatsing la gagwe la ntlha kwa tirong, o tlaa pata mmegadikgang mongwe go ya kwa dikopanong le mekgape e mengwe ya letsatsi. O ne a makala fa morulaganyi a mmotsa gore o tlile go tlhola a dira eng.
‘Ke ne ke solofetse gore rre o tlaa mpha mongwe wa babegadikgang gore ke tlhole le ena ke tle ke bone gore mang ke mang mo tikologong eno,’ Otsile a araba.
‘Rre Mothibi, itse gore ga o tlhole o direla lekwalodikgang le le tswang gabedi mo bekeng la Ntome Tsebe. Rona mo City News re ntsha lekwalodikgang letsatsi le letsatsi. Ga re na nako e ntsi ya go tlhola re sasanka le mebila ya Teemaneng re patile badirikarona. O tshwanetse go tla ka leano.’
Bells o ne a mo fa seripagare sa ura gore a tle ka dikakanyo tsa gore o tlile go kwala ka ga eng mo letsatsing leo. Go ne go utlwala gore Bells ga a tshitshinye, o a laela.
‘Banna! Ga e ne, e a komakoma,’ a bua a le nosi mosimane wa Morolong. A tswela kwa ntle, a ntsha mogala wa gagwe mme a leletsa mongwe.
Tiring, tiring. Tiring, tiring. Tiring, tiring.
‘Thaka, a simolotse Makgowa a mpontsha sepoko sa motshegare ke ise ke bee le lešago le le lengwe fa fatshe. Ba setse ba mpatla dikgang ke se na le diura tse pedi ke le mo tirong,’ a bolelela Tshidiso, tsala ya gagwe ya mmegadikgang kwa seteišeneng sa radio sa loago sa Teemaneng.
Tshidiso a swa ka ditshego.
‘Thaka, o se re ke a go tshega. Kana losologolo ditshego, wa mma! O a re Makgowa a go batla dikgang o le magorogomaswa? A ba a tsenwa?’ Tshidiso a mmotsa potso ntswa a itse karabo.
‘Thaka, nthuse ka dikgang o tlogele go nja ditshego. Kana golo fa e bile ke a roroma.’
Tshidiso o ne a mmolelela gore mafokisi a mararo a mo Teemaneng a letse a tshwerwe ka dikgaraga kwa Mangaung mo bosigong jo bo fetileng. Go ya ka Tshidiso, mafokisi a ne a ile go iphanya ka bomme ba ba gwebang ka thobalano mme ya re dimpa di kua mosi, ba gana go ba duela. Yo mongwe wa bomme bao o ne a bona sengwe se se tshwanang le kgaraga mo sejanageng sa mafokisi, mme a se phamola. Morago o ne a ba tshosetsa ka gore fa ba sa duele, o tlaa ya go ba tshwarisa mme ba nagana gore o dira matshosetsi a a sa reng sepe.
Ba ne ba bona a thubega ka lebelo, a leba kwa ntlheng ya seteišene sa mapodisi. E rile fa ba re ba tlaa mo lelekisa, ba tlhoka lesego fa sejanaga sa mapodisi se feta gaufi mme a tsholetsa letsogo go se emisa. O ne a bolelela mapodisi sengwe le sengwe. Banna ba mafokisi ba tlhoseditse molelo ka go leka go tshaba, ke fa go tsoga melodi le mabone a botala jwa loapi, ba lelekisiwa jaaka magotlo a tshaba katse. Ba tswa go thibelelwa kwa Petrusberg e le gore sejanaga sa bona se feletswe ke leokwane.
Tshidiso o ne a fa Otsile dintlha tsotlhe, go akaretsa le maina le dinomoro tsa mogala tsa sebueledi sa mapodisi kwa Petrusberg mmogo le tsa bomme ba ba gwebang ka thobalano ba ba tshwarisitseng mafokisi. Otsile o ne a leboga Tshidiso ka thuso e a mo fileng yona.
‘Thaka, fa bagaetsho ba re “ina lebe seromo” ba bua ka motho a tshwana le wena jaana. O ntlile matshediso fela jaaka leina la gago. Ke a go leboga. A re kopane kgantele morago ga nako ya tiro, re tle re nwe sengwenyana.’
Ba ne ba laelana mme Otsile a simolola go kwala mo bukaneng ya gagwe pele a leba kwa kantorong ya ga Bells go mmolelela gore o tlaa tlhola a tshwaragane le kgang e feng. Bells o ne a itumela thata.
O ne a boela kwa sekhutlwaneng sa gagwe mme a fitlha a simolola go kwala. Kana Otsile le bobegadikgang e ne e le monwana le lenala, e ka re yo mongwe o tlholetswe yo mongwe. E ne e re a kwala, o fitlhele a ja monate e bile leoto la gagwe la moja le ntse le binabina. O ne a lelesela jaaka tlhapi mo metsing.
The OceanPostedNovember 26, 202011:28
The Ocean
Reading Bra Willie’s poetry is like wallowing in an immense, undulating ocean; now surging forwards with a swell; now beating the water to stay afloat; but always, always, carried by the tide, the tide of history and his story.
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3 Comments
“Nandi o gorogile kwa dikantorong tsa Lefapha la Boitekanelo metsotso e le mmalwa pele ga ura ya borobong. E rile a tsena a gakgamadiwa ke bontsi jwa dijanaga tsa maemo tse di emisitsweng gaufi le dikantoro.”
“Badiredipuso ba amogela madi a mantsi tlhe!” A bua a le nosi.
Go ne go na le tsa maotwana a a gokeletsweng kwa morago, tsa dipeipi tse pedi tse di ntshang mosi kwa morago le tse di bulwang matlhabaphefo le ditswalo beng ba tsona emetse kgakajana le tsona.
Dikantoro tsa lefapha di ne di dikaganyeditswe ke ditlhare le malomo a mebalabala. Bojang bo ne bo le botala, go bonala fa bo nosediwa ka dinako tsotlhe. E ne e re o tsena ka dikantoro, o utlwe mowa o o tsiditsana.
“Dumelang! Ke nna Nandi Mothibi. ke tlile fano go bona rre Kgopodimetsi.”
Kgopodimetsi o ne a lelediwa mogala mme a laela gore mothusi wa gagwe a supetse Nandi gore kantoro ya gagwe e fa kae. E ne e le kantoro e kgolo, e na le malomo a go bonalang a sa tswa go kgetlhiwa kwa tshingwaneng. Go ne go na le setsidifatsi. Mo godimo ga tafole go ne go na le ditshwantsho tsa maloko a lelapa la gagwe; mogatse le bana ba babedi.
“Dumela, mma. Ke solofela fa o tsogile sentle,”Kgopodimetsi a otlolola seatla sa moja go dumedisa Nandi.
“Agee, rra. Ee, ke tsogile sentle. A rre o tsogile sentle?”
“Ee, mma. Tlhabo ya letsatsi re e bone.”
Boitumelo mo sefatlhegong sa ga Kgopodimetsi bo ne ba bakela Nandi go sa iketlang go go rileng. Bo ne ba mo gopotsa phokoje e e matlhajana le boferefere, e a neng a tlhola a tlotlelwa ka yona ke mmaagwemogolo mo dinaaneng fa a ne a sa le ngwana.
“Mme o tlaa rata go nwa eng? Re na le dinotsididi le mogodungwana.”
“Ke tlaa itumelela mogodungwana, rra.”
“Mma, re amogetse kopo ya gago ya tiro, mme e re pele ke ya kgakala ke botse gore a mme ke mogatse Otsile Mothibi wa mmegadikgang?”
“Ee, rra. Ke nyetswe ke Otsile. E le gore mogatsake ena o tsena kae mo kopong ya me ya tiro?”
“O tlaa lemoga fa re ntse re tlotla gore mogatso ke karolo e kgolo ya kopano eno.”
Nandi o ne a gakgamala. “Re tlaa bona teng!”A buela mo pelong.
Go ne ga tsena mosetsana yo mosetlhana yo moleele, a tlisitse mogodungwana. E rile a nyenya, matlho a gagwe a tlala kgalalelo. A motho yo montle! Nandi o ne a gakgamadiwa ke gore mosetsana yo, o ne a sa bitse mongwaagwe a re rre Kgopodimetsi; o ne a mmitsa ka leina la sekgoa la Andrew. E ne e le sengwe se se sa tlwaelegang mo lefelong la tiro. Kgopodimetsi o ne a lemoga gore Nandi o maketse.
“Se makale, mma. Batho ba ba dirang ka fa tlase ga me ba mpitsa ka leina. Le wena fa o ka dira fa, o tlaa feleletsa o mpitsa Andrew.”
Ba ne ba simolola go nwa mogodungwana.
“Mma, lefapha ga le tlhole le na le phatlhatiro e o tsentseng kopo ya yona.”
Nandi o ne a ipotsa gore fa phatlhatiro e sa tlhole e le teng, o bileditswe eng. O ne a simolola go utlwa monkgo wa legotlo le le suleng.
Kgopodimetsi o ne a bolelela Nandi fa e le leloko la mokgatlho o o busang.
“Re utlwile ka ‘tlhokwa la tsela gore mogatso o ntse o batlisisa modusetulo wa rona e bile o tshwere ditokomane tse di bonweng le go gatisiwa ka bokhukhuntshwane. A o itse sengwe mabapi le se ke buang ka sona?”
Nandi o ne a bona gore dilo ga di tsamae jaaka go tshwanetse; a batla a fela pelo. O ne a batla go itse gore ena o tsena jang mo tirong ya ga Otsile le gore kopano ya gagwe le Kgopodimetsi e amana jang le dipatlisiso tse di dirwang ke mogatse.
Kgopodimetsi o ne a mo kopa go se bolelele ope ka ga puisano ya bona. Nandi a dumela fela le fa letswalo la gagwe le ne le sa mo fe kagiso.
“Mma, ke filwe taelo ya go tlhola phatlhatiro e e seyong mo lefapheng. Fa o ka dirisana le rona, phatlhatiro eo ke ya gago. Kana ke bua ka maemo a a kwa godimo thata mo lefapheng. Jaanong ke kopa gore nna le wena re utlwane; o tlhaloganya sentle gore puo ya me e lebile kae!”Kgopodimetsi a leka go tlhalosa, mme Nandi a mo kopa gore a tlogele go dirisa puo e e bofitlha, a bue puophaa.
“Rra, ga ke batle go inaganela le go swetsa gore o batla go reng. Ke kopa gore o tlhalose maikaelelo a gago sentle.”
Kgopodimetsi o ne a lemoga gore Nandi ga se mofologelo o a neng a o solofetse.
“Kopo ya rona ke gore mogatso a emise ka dipatlisiso tse a tshwaraganeng le tsona. Re batla le gore a re busetse dikgatiso tsotlhe tsa ditokomane tse a nang le tsona. Ke solofela fa o ntlhaloganya jaanong.”
Nandi o ne a gagamatsa molala. “E le gore a rre o ne a ka se ke a ya kwa go Otsile mme a mo itheela? Le gona, golo fa o bua ka wena le mang kgotsa le bomang?”
Kgopodimetsi o ne a mmolelela gore maina a batho a ka mo tsenya ka kgoro ya kgolegelo, ka jalo ga a na go bua gore ba bangwe ke bomang le fa a tlhalositse kwa tshimologong gore ke leloko la mokgatlho o o busang.
“Mma, ke go bileditse kwano gore re tle go buisana. Fa o dumela go buisana le mogatso, maemo a ke ntseng ke bua ka ona ke a gago gona fela jaanong.”
Nandi o ne a kopa go bolelelwa ka ga maemo a go buiwang ka ona.
“Mma, tuelo ya kgwedi le kgwedi e ka nna dikete di le masome a matlhano a diranta. Tota nna fa ke ne ke le wena, ke ne ke se na go tlogela tšhono e e kalo e mpheta. Ga se tšhono e motho o e bonang ‘tsatsi le letsatsi.”
“Ke a go utlwa, rra. Fela ke sa ntse ke batla go itse gore ke tiro e e ntseng jang e o buang ka yona,”Nandi a bua a menne phatla, a tlhomile Kgopodimetsi matlho.
“Mma, ke maemo a botsamaisi. Jaaka ke go boleletse gore ke laetswe go tlhola phatlhatiro eo, fa o sena go e amogela, nna le wena re tlaa tsaya tshwetso ya gore o tlaa dira tiro ya mofuta mang. Tiro eo e tshwanetse e tsamaelane le kitso le maitemogelo a gago jaaka mmamelemo.”
Nandi o ne a bona fela gore golo fa o tlile go tsena mo seraing, fa a sa se kakologe go sa ntse go le gale.
“Rra, nte ke ye go ikakanya pele. Ke tlaa boela mo go wena morago ga malatsi a le mmalwa.”
“Se re diegele, mma. O nne o itse gore nako ga e lete ope.”
Teemaneng e ne e setlhefetse, go se bonolo go dumela gore ke e bontsi jwa batswakwa ba kileng ba tla kwa go yona go tla go epa dikgaraga, mme ba feleletsa ba dirile madi a mantsi jaaka matlakala. Ntle le mesima e masea le matagwa a neng a wela mo go yona nako le nako, baagi ba Teemaneng ba ne ba sa supe sepe ka monwana le fa toropo ya bona e ne e itsege lefatshe ka bophara jaaka legae la dikgaraga, e bile e diretse bangwe khumo e e boitshegang.
Mo toropong eo go ne go na le mosima o mogolo, o o boteng, o o neng o bidiwa The Big Hole. Nandi o ne a o bitsa Mosima o Mogologolo. E ne e le mosima o o tshosang e bile metsi a ona a lebega a ka nkga sebodu. Otsile o ne a bolelela Nandi fa a belaela gore go na le batho ba le bantsi ba ba swetseng mo go ona.
‘Ga ke bone fa mongwe a ka ithabuetsa mo metsing a a leswe jaana go ya go batla motho yo o wetseng mo. Ka gongwe fa e le katse kgotsa ntšwanyana, ba ka e batla ba sa kgaotse, mme fa e le motho gone, lebala!’
Nandi o ne a tshwantshanya Mosima o Mogolo le legano le le bulegileng, le le tshegang baagi ba Teemaneng ka ba latlhegetswe ke dikgaraga tse di neng di ka ba direla khumo mme ba sala ba le basetlha fela jaaka naga e iteilwe ke komelelo e kgolo.
Otsile o gorogile kwa dikantorong tsa City News ka ura ya borobedi mo mosong. Badirikaene ba ne ba ntse ba goroga ka bongwe ka bongwe go fitlhela ba felela botlhe ka ura ya borobong.
Selo sa ntlha se a se lemogileng e ne e le gore go ne go se na babegadikgang, le fa e ka nna batsayaditshwantsho ba Bantsho kwa City News. Batho botlhe ba ba neng ba dira mo kantorong ya dikgang e ne e le Makgowa. Selo seo se ne sa mo tshwenya thata.
O ne a ipotsa gore go tla jang gonne bontsi jwa baagi ba Teemaneng jo bo neng bo buisa City News letsatsi le letsatsi e ne e le Bantsho. Tota le ba go begwang ka bona letsatsi le letsatsi, e ne e le Bantsho. O ne a simolola ka go ipotsa gore a mme babegadikgang ba Makgowa ba tlhaloganya matshelo a bontsi jwa baagi ba Teemaneng, ka gonne ba ne ba sa tshele le bona.
‘E tlaa re re re ke dipitse, ra bona ka mebala!’
Kopano ya moso le moso ya bobegadikgang e ne ya tshwarwa ka ura ya borobong fa ba sena go goroga botlhe mo tirong. Morulaganyi wa City News, Malcolm Bells, o ne a itsise Otsile go badirikaene semmuso.
‘Bagaetsho, ke rata go tsaya tšhono eno go le itsise mmegadikgang yo mogolwane yo o simololang tiro gompieno. Rre yo le mmonang fa yo, ke Otsile Mothibi. Ke mmegadikgang yo o dirileng dithuto tsa gagwe tsa bobegadikgang kwa Yunivesithing ya Lejeleputswa, e bile o na le maitemogelo a dingwaga di le dintsi mo kantorong ya dikgang. O kile a direla makwalodikgang a kwa New York le London. Ke mmegadikgang yo o tlhwatlhwa. Ke solofela fa rotlhe re tlile go dirisana le ena ka botswapelo.’
Botlhe ba ne ba opa diatla. Bells o ne a otlolola seatla go amogela Otsile.
‘Rre Mothibi, re solofela fa o tlile go nna le bokamoso jo bo phatsimang mo City News. Re a go amogela, rra.’
‘Ke a leboga, rra. Le nna ke na le tsholofelo ya gore ke tlile go itumelela go dira le lona lotlhe.’
Morago ba ne ba buisana ka tiro ya bona ya letsatsi leo. Otsile o ne a solofetse gore mo letsatsing la gagwe la ntlha kwa tirong, o tlaa pata mmegadikgang mongwe go ya kwa dikopanong le mekgape e mengwe ya letsatsi. O ne a makala fa morulaganyi a mmotsa gore o tlile go tlhola a dira eng.
‘Ke ne ke solofetse gore rre o tlaa mpha mongwe wa babegadikgang gore ke tlhole le ena ke tle ke bone gore mang ke mang mo tikologong eno,’ Otsile a araba.
‘Rre Mothibi, itse gore ga o tlhole o direla lekwalodikgang le le tswang gabedi mo bekeng la Ntome Tsebe. Rona mo City News re ntsha lekwalodikgang letsatsi le letsatsi. Ga re na nako e ntsi ya go tlhola re sasanka le mebila ya Teemaneng re patile badirikarona. O tshwanetse go tla ka leano.’
Bells o ne a mo fa seripagare sa ura gore a tle ka dikakanyo tsa gore o tlile go kwala ka ga eng mo letsatsing leo. Go ne go utlwala gore Bells ga a tshitshinye, o a laela.
‘Banna! Ga e ne, e a komakoma,’ a bua a le nosi mosimane wa Morolong. A tswela kwa ntle, a ntsha mogala wa gagwe mme a leletsa mongwe.
Tiring, tiring. Tiring, tiring. Tiring, tiring.
‘Thaka, a simolotse Makgowa a mpontsha sepoko sa motshegare ke ise ke bee le lešago le le lengwe fa fatshe. Ba setse ba mpatla dikgang ke se na le diura tse pedi ke le mo tirong,’ a bolelela Tshidiso, tsala ya gagwe ya mmegadikgang kwa seteišeneng sa radio sa loago sa Teemaneng.
Tshidiso a swa ka ditshego.
‘Thaka, o se re ke a go tshega. Kana losologolo ditshego, wa mma! O a re Makgowa a go batla dikgang o le magorogomaswa? A ba a tsenwa?’ Tshidiso a mmotsa potso ntswa a itse karabo.
‘Thaka, nthuse ka dikgang o tlogele go nja ditshego. Kana golo fa e bile ke a roroma.’
Tshidiso o ne a mmolelela gore mafokisi a mararo a mo Teemaneng a letse a tshwerwe ka dikgaraga kwa Mangaung mo bosigong jo bo fetileng. Go ya ka Tshidiso, mafokisi a ne a ile go iphanya ka bomme ba ba gwebang ka thobalano mme ya re dimpa di kua mosi, ba gana go ba duela. Yo mongwe wa bomme bao o ne a bona sengwe se se tshwanang le kgaraga mo sejanageng sa mafokisi, mme a se phamola. Morago o ne a ba tshosetsa ka gore fa ba sa duele, o tlaa ya go ba tshwarisa mme ba nagana gore o dira matshosetsi a a sa reng sepe.
Ba ne ba bona a thubega ka lebelo, a leba kwa ntlheng ya seteišene sa mapodisi. E rile fa ba re ba tlaa mo lelekisa, ba tlhoka lesego fa sejanaga sa mapodisi se feta gaufi mme a tsholetsa letsogo go se emisa. O ne a bolelela mapodisi sengwe le sengwe. Banna ba mafokisi ba tlhoseditse molelo ka go leka go tshaba, ke fa go tsoga melodi le mabone a botala jwa loapi, ba lelekisiwa jaaka magotlo a tshaba katse. Ba tswa go thibelelwa kwa Petrusberg e le gore sejanaga sa bona se feletswe ke leokwane.
Tshidiso o ne a fa Otsile dintlha tsotlhe, go akaretsa le maina le dinomoro tsa mogala tsa sebueledi sa mapodisi kwa Petrusberg mmogo le tsa bomme ba ba gwebang ka thobalano ba ba tshwarisitseng mafokisi. Otsile o ne a leboga Tshidiso ka thuso e a mo fileng yona.
‘Thaka, fa bagaetsho ba re “ina lebe seromo” ba bua ka motho a tshwana le wena jaana. O ntlile matshediso fela jaaka leina la gago. Ke a go leboga. A re kopane kgantele morago ga nako ya tiro, re tle re nwe sengwenyana.’
Ba ne ba laelana mme Otsile a simolola go kwala mo bukaneng ya gagwe pele a leba kwa kantorong ya ga Bells go mmolelela gore o tlaa tlhola a tshwaragane le kgang e feng. Bells o ne a itumela thata.
O ne a boela kwa sekhutlwaneng sa gagwe mme a fitlha a simolola go kwala. Kana Otsile le bobegadikgang e ne e le monwana le lenala, e ka re yo mongwe o tlholetswe yo mongwe. E ne e re a kwala, o fitlhele a ja monate e bile leoto la gagwe la moja le ntse le binabina. O ne a lelesela jaaka tlhapi mo metsing.
The Ocean
Reading Bra Willie’s poetry is like wallowing in an immense, undulating ocean; now surging forwards with a swell; now beating the water to stay afloat; but always, always, carried by the tide, the tide of history and his story.
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