#18 Umhlangano: Part 1
“Mamello!” his voice echoes between the cars lining the street. Sonic instantly lowers his hands when he hears Kagiso shout. His nostrils remains flared as he turns and walks away. His gait unburdened by witnesses. “Sbali,” Tumiso calls out to him but he doesn’t stop walking. In an effort to catch up with him, Tumiso walks in short rapid strides and passes Nina without acknowledgement. Themba stops where Nina is standing. Unsure of what to do, they both watch as Kagiso runs towards them. “Oh mamo, oh my soul,” Kagiso says between breaths and hugs her tightly. “Sonic inherited Shaka’s nerve, nasi,” Themba says before Kagiso introduces them.
“Mlingani, we must have a cleansing ceremony for the children in the next few weeks,” Smas father says while looking at Tumiso’s father. The statement briefly pulls Tumiso back into the current conversation. He’s not said a word since the meeting started. He keeps looking at the faces of the people in the room and wondering which version of the story they know. This version that seems to have also unfastened the life from the anger they may have felt. There are two versions currently in circulation. He wonders which version the police are working with and which version the hospital was told. He ends each revolution around the room with Sonic. He wonders which version Sonic told himself in order to get permission to remain unchanged.
“We stayed in touch after we broke-up, Sma was sure we’d be able to stand the thought of being friends one day,” Nina recounts. Tears leave a warm trail down her cheeks but she doesn’t wipe them. She lets them collect on the tip of her chin as if they are the final signs of her sadness. “It was his gun that killed her you know that. Leyanja!” she exclaims. “Woo,” Themba chimes but the look on his face tells them that he didn’t mean for it to come out. And in that moment, Nina decides to tell them about the events that took place leading up to the night at Lux Liqu. “We decided to end things when we found out that Sonic had asked uMwelase about me. Before that, he had us followed for about two weeks,” she describes and makes a limp peace sign with her hand. Kagiso wants to stop her, but he can tell that she’s finding relief and power with every word. That this might be the first time she’s narrating the story in full. She lowers her head for a second as she tells them about how Sonic would start a fight with Samu every time it was reported to him that her and Sma had been seen together. “Samu then decided to move in with anti Mbonge. She told the family ukuthi she had a temporary work assignment that side so they wouldn’t be quizzed about it. Sma was gutted and our relationship felt the strain,” she lets out a deep sigh and seems to be transported else where. Kagiso seizes the moment. He unlocks his arm from Ninas and jumps off the car bonnet, “I’m sorry. Ngiyabuyamamo, I’m going to get someone ne? T, corner shop?” he suggests and they both nods in agreement.
“We could hear you all the way from over here when you called Nina. Excited much?” Khanyi mocks. “Yoo ke le bish,” he replies. He pulls up a chairs next to me even though he knows he’ll have to lean forward to speak to Khanyi. Why! His poor neck mani. “I don’t think Nina made a statement to the police,” he says in what he thinks is a whisper. “You think?” “Eish Khanyo, I’m not Sherlock,” he pauses and moves to a chair next to Khanyi, “futhi I need your help,” he says with a meekness that surprises us both. “I know chomi, we figured,” Khanyi says and taps Kagiso’s leg. His beautiful smile ebbs onto his face for a moment, “Dankie friend. So, have you sensed anything so far?” “Kagiso, idlozi doesn’t work like that, it’s not a tracking device,” “Okay. Okayi. Please use your other skills until it erm,” he clicks his fingers as if the sound they make will replace the word he’s failing to remember.
We pull-up in front of a mini shopping centre. The people are flowing in and out of the shops and the atmosphere is buzzing with life. Konje it’s payday weekend. The smell of the braai meat reaches my taste buds the moment I open the car door. We’re parked next to Themba’s car. And later we’re told that they decided to leave Ninas car at a carwash five streets down. Kagiso does a second round of introductions for the day, “These are my friends,” he gestures in our direction. Nina places her beer back onto the off-white plastic table and wipes her hand on her skirt. “Nice to meet you both,” she puts out her hand and it shocks us. “Hayibo, oh my word,” she apologises but we laugh and Khanyi assures her that there is no need to apologise. Mmkay, no corny electric sparks joke? Instead, she gently squeezes Nina in a side hug. She’s serious, which means she’s already thinking of a plan. “Mamo, I think we need to do something about this whole situation. Kanyo here is gifted and she’s an investigative journalist.” Nina turns to Kagiso and replies, “Yazi, when all this started happening, I wanted to involve the police and find out how they can help us. But now uSamu is blue-ticking me and Sma is gone friend. It’s just me. Me against him.” The faint smile she had on her face disappears and her anger seeps through. Kagiso and Khanyi look at each other and Kagiso asks Nina if she’s comfortable to continue telling the story.
Noma the writer 