Rixaka ra ntima a ri n’wayitela.
A ku ri vuyima-yima hi ntsako.
A ku nanguteriwe swa kahle phela.
Tiphuphu ta ka ntimeni,
a ti hoyezeriwa hi ntsako.
Ku nghena ka vona.
A ndza ha vuli
ku hoyezeriwa ka vumbiwa leritshwa ra ndyangu.
Phela khale ka kona a ti vuya.
A hi ri na ku tshembha
leswaku leri vumbiwa I ra mani na mani.
I mani a nga wu laveku nawu
wo ka wu nga hlawuli ndluwa wu siya hove?
Ku nghena ka vona.
Hi twa ku ri xikhwama
xa ndyangu a xi yime kahle.
Hambi hina vambuyangwani
hi nga riku na vumbhoni.
Lava swi tivaku,
va ri a ku ri kahle.
Ku nghena ka vona.
Milawu ya le ndyangwini a yi landzeleriwa.
Haa! phela madoroba na swidorobana
a swi sasekile.
A ku nga ri swa mani na mani phela.
A swi ri na vinyi va swona.
Kambe sweswi, i ngaku ko va tihoko ta tinguluve.
Ku nghena ka vona.
Va kume tikiko, ndzilu wa ha ri na makala.
va wu orhela va kufumela.
Phela xirhami a xi va vatlile.
Va nyawusa tintiho na mikondzo.
Swikhwama swa vona swi sungule ku tlhemuka hi xitshuketa.
Phela ka nyawusiwa a xitikweni.
Ku sungula vuhoyi-hoyi a xitikweni.
Phela hikwavo ka vona va lava ku nyawusa mikondzo na tintiho.
Na lava va nga tiveki ntshumu hi ku xaniseka ka rixaka ra ka ntimeni vasungula ku fohla matshanga va nghena.
Phela ku nyawusiwa mafurha a xititweni.
Wo twa ku ri ‘leadership-leadership’.
Ku nghena ka vona.
Leti nga fohlela a xitikweni
ti sungula ku hela timbilu.
Phela va orhisiwa minhlana.
I mani a nga swilaveku ku nyawusa mikondzo na tintiho?
Lava va makwanga
vasungula xitiko a tlhelo.
Xitiko xa vona xi nghenelela na hi vafohli.
Ku nghena ka vona.
Mintirho yi nyamalala a ndyangwini bya kunghwa wa xixika.
Milawi yi tirha hi tihlo.
Vukorhokeri byi nga ha vi kona.
Tinsula-voya ti ti nyika matimba.
Va xurhile phela,
swikhwama swa tlhemuka.
Vu ‘leadership’ byi va humbe na manu.
Leswi kunguhatiwaka a swa ha ri mongo.
I nkunguhato wa lunya ntsena.
Va nghenile phela.
Ku rila ya vona ‘nkatara’.
I n’wana wa mu-Afrika ya loye.
Ku nga nghena mani?
Phela a xitikweni ku nyawusiwa na mafurha.
Ku nghena ka vona.
Muhlwa lowu a wu dya phuphu ya ntima,
Wu ncinca wu va majenje.
Wu luma hi voko ra nawu.
Vasungula ku lumbetana.
Varivele ku ri va nyawusa swin’we mafurha.
Ko hambana switiko.
Kambe hinkwako ku nyawusiwa mafurha.
U ta lumbeta mani u siya mani?
Va nyawusa mafurha hinkwavo.
Ndzi swi gimeta kwala.
Xa mina i nxaniseko lowu vonaka hi rixaka ra ntima.
Phuuu!! Choyoyooo
***
This poem was written in Xitsonga language. It talks about the current political state of affairs in South Africa. It narrates how African people became excited when a democratic government was elected in1994. It further tells how African people were so hopeful that democracy will bring change in their daily lives.
This poem further tells how politicians used their power to act in a corrupt way. Within the ranks of the governing party, jealousy surfaced amongst themselves, and those outside of power felt that they are not looked after. Even those with no interest in politics joined the party so that they can benefit. Factionalism emerged with the sole purpose of benefiting from the state purse.
Now they are pointing fingers at each other, and they cannot see that both factions are benefiting from acts of corruption.
Kleinbooi Soyani is a versatile writer who specialises in current affairs opinion writing and poetry. He began writing poetry since 1996 when he was a student at the University of Limpopo. He has a Bachelor Degree in Politics, and now he is currently studying LLB with the University of South Africa.