Igama lami ngingu Ngikhumbule Ndlovu ngashadela kwaMkize. Ngazalelwa kwaMtamuntengayo (kwamila isihlahla entabeni kwasekuqanjwa kuthiwa yikwaMtamuntengayo). Mina ngingoweshumi nambili (12) kwethu ezinganeni eziyishumi nesithupha (16); abafana abane namantombazane ayishumi nambili. Abanye bakwethu sebashona. Ngikhule ngelusa izinkomo zikababa, angiyanga esikoleni. Ngangibuye ngilime emasimini asekhaya. Ezinye zezinto engikwazi ukuzenza ukwenza ubuhlalu, ukuluka omata nokuthunga nalabo abathungwayo. Ukuqala kwami ukusebenza ngasebenza epulazini lakwaGilelibabayo ngiyinduna.
Kulelipulazi kwakutshalwa amaklabishi, otamatisi, isipinashi, obhitirudi noletisi. Kwathi ngemuva kokushona kukaGilelibabayo waphela umsebenzi. Lelipulazi liseMlaza Road. Ngabuye ngasebenza kaGodo, Estone. Lapho kwakutshalwa khona umoba abanye behlakula. Ngagula ngayeka ngoba sasiwubanga nabanye abantu lomsebenzi ngoba umlungu engithanda. Ngalulama ngaya kosebenza kaNozaza wabuye wahamba, ipulazi lakhe lathathwa uMgxala. Mina ngangiPaniweli ngisebenza ukubakhelela amanzi ngibalandele nokudla enkompolo mesekuvuthiwe. Ngithunywa abasebenzayo, bona behlakula umoba futhi eyedwa nophekayo. Sasidla ukudla komlungu. Isikhathi esiningi ngisichithe nginobaba. Ngasuka ekhaya sengiya KwaMkize ngo1974.”
English Summary
This is a short history of Ngikhumbule Ndlovu-Mkize. She was born at Mtamuntengayo. She is the 12th child out of 16 children – four boys and 12 girls. She grew up looking after her father’s cattle and ploughing the fields. She is good in bead making and making grass mats. She started working as a foreman at Gilelibabayo Farm, Umlaza Road, Estone where they grew vegetables like cabbages, tomatoes, spinach, beetroot and lettuce. After the death of Gilelibabayo she moved to another farm where they grew sugar cane, she did not stay long because of ill health. After her recovery she worked for Nozaza as a general worker or a runner. She left her family home in 1974.
By: Nelly Hlongwane