Phumelele I’m sitting in my TV room with Terrence thinking about everything that has happened. I’m still waiting for the DNA results. The queen said she’d let me know once they are out. I’d like to go into the new year clear about my paternity. Then there’s the issue of malume who’s locked up in the basement. I want to phone mah and tell her, but I’m not even sure if I’m allowed to. This is so messed up. I haven’t even...
Mapho“When are you coming back?” Lele asks me as I zip my bag.“After the new year.” I say.“I’m so jealous. Pack me in your bag tu.” I laugh. I give her R1500 then say, “go buy the kids - all the kids and not just your child - some snacks, drinks and fireworks for New Year’s Eve.”“Rea leboha hle. Mara Tono -“Stop making Tono’s kids pay for Tono’s mistakes. They are kids. Hey didn’t ask to be born under such circumstances hle....
I literally run to him and jump on him! He manages to catch me and all of my big bums and wide hips… spins me around and we kiss. I’m so excited to see this guy! Wow! He came here in a bus because their assets are still with the government, so he kinda doesn’t have a car. I offered to buy him a plane ticket so he could fly here, but apparently his father convinced him to teach himself and...
Christmas Morning “Baba? Ukhona?” I’m honestly shocked to see him here. Very shocked. I thought he went to Switzerland for business. But I’m also quite relieved that I will not be spending Christmas alone. The staff is at home for Christmas today and all my siblings went to their mothers to spend Christmas with them. I’m not on the best of terms with my mother, so here I am. I think my dad travelled thinking that none of us will...
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 can...
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 queen…...
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 wrong...
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 cried… But...
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 madness...
“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 get...
