USbonelo Mlaba, oneminyaka engu-29, uhamba ngezinyawo esuka eBooysens eyophusha izinqola eMakethe yaseJoburg City Deep, ukuze ondle unkosikazi wakhe nezingane zakhe ezimbili.

UMlaba uthi wayejwayele ukwenza imali ephakathi kuka-R400 no-R500 ngosuku, kodwa manje kwesinye isikhathi ubuya ekhaya no-R150 noma u-R200 kuphela.

Ngehora lesithathu ekuseni, ngenkathi iningi labantu baseGoli lisalele, uSbonelo Mlaba uba eselungiselela olunye usuku lomsebenzi.

Lo oneminyaka engu-29 uhamba ibanga elisuka eBooysens liya eMakethe yaseJoburg City Deep, kwesinye isikhathi ngezinyawo, ukuze ayophusha izinqola zamakhasimende.

UMlaba ungumyeni futhi ungubaba wezingane ezimbili. Unkosikazi wakhe akasebenzi, kanti enye imali engenayo emndenini ivela ezibonelelweni zikahulumeni zezingane.

Eminyakeni emine edlule, uMlaba waphoqeleka ukuba ayeke umsebenzi wakhe enkampanini eBenmore, enyakatho neGoli. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, ukuphusha izinqola emakethe sekuyindlela yakhe yokuziphilisa.

“Kwakumele ngithole umsebenzi ukuze ngondle umndeni wami. Leli yithuba engalithola lapha emakethe,” kusho yena.

IMakethe yaseGoli (Joburg Market) ingenye yezimakethe ezinkulu kakhulu zezithelo nemifino ezweni, lapho kuthengiswa khona izithelo nemifino, kanye nenyama, inhlanzi nokunye ukudla, ikakhulukazi ngamanani aphansi.

UMlaba uthi iminyaka eminingi imakethe yayimatasa ngokwanele ukuba enze imali ephakathi kuka-R400 no-R500 ngosuku. Kodwa lokho sekushintshe kakhulu.

UMlaba ukholelwa ukuthi imakethe ithule kakhulu kusukela ngenyanga edlule ngoba abantu abaningi ababevame ukuthenga nokuhweba lapho bashiya izwe ngenxa yokungezwani okwakukhona ngesikhathi semibhikisho yokumelana nabokufika yangomhlaka-30 kuNhlangulana.

Le mibhikisho eyayihlelelwe ukuthi abokufika abangenazo izincwadi ezisemthethweni bashiye iNingizimu Afrika, yabangela ukwesaba nokuphazamiseka kwezinto ezindaweni ezithile zaseGoli. Abantu bakwamanye amazwe abaningi bagwema ukuya emabhizinisini nasezindaweni zokusebenza, kanti abanye bashiya izwe.

KuMlaba, umthelela walokhu ubonakale emalini ayenza nsuku zonke. “Umugqa wokufaka imali lapha emakethe wawuvame ukuba mude kakhulu, ikakhulukazi ekuseni kakhulu.

Manje, sekukhona abantu abambalwa kuphela,” kusho yena.

“Kusukela ngomhlaka-30 kuNhlangulana, kwesinye isikhathi ngibuyela ekhaya no-R150 noma u-R200 ngosuku. Kumele sikhokhe irenti futhi sithenge ukudla, futhi impilo ayisafani.”

UMlaba ukhokhisa phakathi kuka-R10 no-R30 ngokuphusha inqola yokuthwala impahla, kuye ngokuthi ibanga lingakanani. Amanye amakhasimende aphinde amnikeze imali eyengeziwe.

“Ngigcina yonke imali engiyitholayo,” kusho yena.

Umsebenzi wakhe ungase ubonakale ulula, kodwa kuMlaba, le nqola ingaphezu nje kwendlela yokuthola imali yokuziphilisa. Yiyo eyenza akwazi ukubeka ukudla etafuleni, akhokhe irenti futhi ondle umndeni wakhe.

Ngakho-ke, ngaphambi kokuba kukhanye eGoli, uyaqhubeka nokuhamba.

Esithombeni esingenhla: USbonelo Mlaba uphusha izinqola emakethe iJoburg City Deep Market. Uthi imali ayithola nsuku zonke yehle kakhulu kusukela ngesikhathi imibhikisho yangomhlaka-30 kuNhlangulana yenza imakethe yaba ngenalutho.

Umthombo wesithombe: Mpheni Tshivhase