This story has been specially created to celebrate World Read Aloud Day 2018 by reading-for-enjoyment campaign, Nal’ibali. Find this story in all SA official languages and find out more about the project here.
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“Ngitawufaka emagoli lamabili namuhla, Babe,” kusho Neo agcoka emakhokho akhe.
“Futsi ngitawulekelela ngekwengeta emagoli lamatsatfu kulawo, Malume,” kusho Priya losandza ku ka ekhaboNeo nemnakabo lomncane, Rahul. Rahul bekaphetse ivuvuzela yakhe lebovu tju.
Babe waNeo wahleka. “Kuhle-ke, sengilangatelela kubongelela lokuphindvwe kasihlanu-ke!”
“Nami futsi, Malume! Ngingabongelela nami?” kwabuta Rahul.
“Kunjalo, mfana wami,” kusho babe waNeo asita Mbali kugcoka ticatfulo takhe. “Manje, asihambeni!”
Bangena emotweni bonkhe. Neo wahlala embili. Abeke wahlala lapho emahlandla lamaningi phambilini. Abenesiciniseko sekutsi uma babe wakhe angamvumela, masinyane nje imilente yakhe naseyimidze ngalokwanele, utawukhona kushayela lemoto. Kubukeka kulula. Rahul naPriya bahlala ngemuva bafaka Mbali emkhatsini wabo. Bamkitalakita wase uyagegetseka.
Batsi bangakateleli, babe sebasenkhundleni yelibhola letinyawo. Be ka ngesikhatsi lesikahle sekutsi Priya naNeo bahlangane nebalingani babo beMaqhawe Football Club khona batotilungiselela. Bebadlala neDiamond Football Club namuhla.
“Khumbulani kwenta siciniseko sekutsi niyakucedza lokucwebetela kwalawo maDiamond ngendlela yekutsi emva kwalomdlalo balintjintje ligama labo bese baba yiCoal Football Club,” kusho umceceshi wabo.
Kwase kuba sikhatsi sekutsi badlali bagijime bangene enkhundleni. Lompempe wayishaya impempe yakhe wabese uyacala umdlalo.
Tintfo tacala kancane, kodvwa masinyane nje taphakama. Bekunemsindvo lomkhulu ngesikhatsi imindeni yalabantfwana balamacembu omabili babongelela. Ibhola beyiba sendzaweni enye yenkhundla yebhola kancane, kutsi lapho sekubukeka kwangatsi sebasondzela kusigamu lesinye, munye webadlali ayitsatse ibhola abaleke nayo! Umdlalo wachubeka kanjalo kwate kwaba sigamu sekucala semdlalo.
“Sengiphelelwa sineke! Utsembise kutsi utawufaka emagoli,” Rahul watjela Neo naPriya ngesikhatsi be ka emgceni loseceleni.
“Ya. Mbali ufuna emagoli, Mbali ufuna emagoli,” kuphindza Mbali. “Mbali sewuyetela,” wengeta atamula. Neo naPriya bamane bahleka nje base bayagijima babuyela emuva kubalingani babo.
Impempe yakhala, badlali base bayagijima babuyela enkhundleni kusigamu sesibili. Umdlalo wachubeka ngalokufanako njengoba tintfo betenteka esigamini sekucala … kwate kwasala umzuzu munye vo!
Neo watfola ibhola. Wabuka emaceleni kubona kutsi ngabe ukhona yini weDiamond Football Club edvute naye. Cha, bekayedvwa. Wagijima waya embili, adilibula lelibhola. Masinyane nje kwavela umdlali weDiamond Football Club. Neo wambuka ekhatsi emehlweni ngesikhatsi akhahlela lelibhola liphuma emkhatsi wemilente yalomunye umdlali. Tibukeli tamemeta ngenjabulo.
Lomunye umdlali weDiamond Football Club wasuka wacondza kuNeo kuyomhlasela. Masinyane, Neo wayendlulisela kuPriya ibhola.
Wonkhe umuntfu wabamba umoya ngesikhatsi Priya atsatsa ibhola ayikhahlela kakhulu. LADUMA! Umvimbimagoli weDiamond Football Club abengakayiboni nekuyibona lebhola nayita! Priya wase alifake ligoli.
Akubanga ngumzuzwana ngekushesha lokukhulu. Watsi nakagucuka nje kujabulela leligoli, lompempe wayishaya impempe yekugcina! IMaqhawe Football Club bese iwuwinile lomdlalo.
Neo wajabula kakhulu ngangekutsi wagijima wacondza kuPriya wa ke wamtsatsa wamphakamisela etulu!
Bagijima kanyekanye bacondza kubalingani babo nemceceshi eceleni kwenkhundla, bonkhe base bayadebha. BoPriya naNeo base bayagijima baya kubabe waNeo. Rahul bekavutsela ivuvuzela yakhe kakhulu.
“Indlela lenidlale ngayo nifanelwe kutsi nitfole i-ayisikhilimu, Priya naNeo,” kwasho babe waNeo. “Letihlabani tetfu letimbili tingakutsandza yini loko?”
“Yebo! Singayitsandza i-ayisikhilimu,” Mbali wabaphendvulela. Bahleka bonkhe.
Neo waphakamisa Mbali wammema ngesikhatsi bahamba bayotsenga i-ayisikhilimu. Nanoma nje abengakawafaki emagoli lamabili njengobe bekafuna, kodvwa usite umngani wakhe wafaka ligoli lekuwina! Priya yena? Bekajabule kakhulu ngoba bekuligoli lakhe lekucala ngca lake walifakela iMaqhawe Football Club. Lomsindvo wevuvuzela yaRahul bewufana nemculo lomnandzi nje lobewudlalelwa yena.
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