Wehweh “So Patrick, you are the one who brought Mnqobi into Wehweh’s life?” My stepfather angrily says to my favourite person in this entire room. I don’t understand why he’s even here to discipline me - first of all - and why Patrick is in shit. “Leave Patrick out of this! Please! I love Mnqobi and I don’t understand why I’m being treated like a child because of it!” I yell. We are in my mother’s house… in the kitchen. And I...
We’ve been staying in this apartment for a month now. That means, our fathers have been behind bars for a month. It’s been a month since negotiations to get them out had started. And I truly miss my boyfriend. Wehweh is the last person to shower always because she’s such a nompompi. We are in the heap of ‘on the run’ and she has a bag full of wigs and makeup. Mnqobi does like these nompompis. Even Lindiwe was a glam...
My phone is ringing. I don’t understand. I peep through my sleep with one eye. My room is shit dark. I feel super disorientated. Meh is still fast asleep next to me. Eish… I’ll explain, but let me answer my phone. “Hello?” “Papa wa ngwana waka”. “Huh?” “Dumela.” “Who’s this?” “Ke Phemello”. She says. “Phemello, keng? Why are you phoning me so early in the morning?” “We haven’t slept le runa. Ngwana wa kula”, she tells me. I see Meh rolling out of bed and heading to the restroom. “What’s...
She’s sitting at the edge of the bed. Her back is facing me. Her front is staring at the cupboards in this very cramped room. It’s just the two of us in here and I’ve told her everything. I’m leaning against a wall in here… a wall very close to the door. EVERYTHING. I’ve explained everything that I know about the church and all that’s happened since I joined this family, then joined this organisation. She just sat there… And listened… And...
I walk into my house after a rather long day at work. It wasn’t a bad day today. It was just a normal day and honestly, I’m beginning to appreciate normal because busy days/disasters leave me unbelievably drained. This morning, I managed to have breakfast with Gideon. Gideon is one of the hospital’s security guards that has now become my friend. He’s from Venda and he’s supporting three households. I like him. He’s funny. He keeps me human in the...
“You are not going to let me inside my house? Seriously?!” My mom yells at the cops keeping us out of our house. “Kahle nje, sgebengu ndini! Even that car of yours is officially repossessed! Your assets and accounts are all frozen! Nigcinile ukuphila ngezimpilo zabantu!” The cop. “You can’t do this!” My mom yells. This is bad! “Lalela bafo… can I at least take stuff for my child? Please?” Me. “Wahlanya oe! Frozen assets or not, I have a right to at least...
Today is Rena’s funeral. Ey, it’s just very tense, and Ruri has been very depressed about this funeral. I’ve been seeing her everyday, that I made sure of. But there are obviously restrictions and I’ve respected each and every restriction. Because this is a royal funeral, there are things that have to be adhered to. Ruri told me that I’ll be sitting close to the family because she wants to sit next to me. I was really okay with...
KZN“Thatha ntombi… Usuzohamba kahle. Sikufisela inhlanhla”, the indl’enkulu says to me. “Ngiyabonga ndl’enkulu”, I say, taking the plastic bags that she’s giving me as well as my envelope with my salary and my severance package. Today is my last day of working here es’godleni senkosi. I embark on my walk to head back home. It is a thirty-minute walk, climbing hills and all. I come from a rather poor family. Apparently, my real mother was rich. But when she had me, she was...
I’m officially back home because I’m done with exams and Taung just experienced a natural disaster. We felt it here in Maja Perre as well, but not as hectic as Taung. I had come home to rest because Rea has been MIA. I haven’t spoken to him in a week. But Mamholo expects me to work. I went to town and bought books so I can look like I’m studying just so I don’t sell anything around here. This house...
“Le mvula, Nkosiyami!” I say as I step into the bedroom wrapped in a towel. I just took a shower… a nice long and hot shower. Mnqobi is lying on our bed watching TV in our bedroom. He’s watching the news. Sasi is passed out next to him. I bathed her, fed her then she passed out. “I wonder how long this will go on.” He says. “No one knows. We are even completing our exams virtually now.” I say. “Will you be able...
