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I am Tiyani Mbeva from the north of Transvaal…
I came to Johannesburg after completing my matric to look for greener pastures, but my world shattered when I was falsely accused of stealing movha ya Bhunu. With no evidence, I was forced to flee my home to avoid wrongful imprisonment… Mbanga ya ku sukela n’wana wa mina a ri na tin’wheti timbirhi and my loving girlfriend, Yayah, was unbearable!
As I disappeared into the night…
I left Yayah to pick up the pieces…
She struggled to care for our newborn alone; her heart was heavy with grief and anger. Hi ku pela ka rona hi masiku hikwawo, a ri tlomuta na xiphemu xa rirhandzu ra mina eka Yayah.
Replaced by resentment and bitterness, Yayah felt abandoned and left to face the challenges of parenthood without the support of the man she loved. She did all she could to provide for “our” daughter, but the weight of raising a child was crushing her.
As the months went by…
Mbilu ya Yayah hardened. A nga koti ku twisisa leswaku hikwalaho ka yini ni nga koti ku tilwela to clear my name, why I hadn’t found a way to return to them? She began to see me as a coward, a man who had abandoned his family in their time of need.
Meanwhile, I was living in hiding my heart, aching for the family I left behind. I longed to hold my daughter, Mahlenga, in my arms… ku vona n’wayitelo wa yena, her first steps. I yearned to comfort Yayah and to reassure her of my love. But a ndzi pfalelekile, forced to stay in the shadows to avoid capture. I could only watch them from far as Yayah struggled to raise our daughter alone. As the years passed, rirhandzu leri Yayah a ri na rona eka mina turned to dust. She built a new life, one that didn’t include me — a man who had broken her heart. She raised our daughter with strength and courage, but my abonnement lingered. A painful reminder of what I could have been. My fate remained a secret, my name never cleared. I lived with the knowledge that I had lost everything —
My family.
My freedom.
My whole world!
Author: Siya Phangeni
“… voko ro suleka.”
“Keep exploring, keep learning, and let the language guide you.“
Ahee! 🌞
