Sondela, mhlobo wam 

Nali ibali elide; apho kwaqala khona inkathazo -zozo… 

Ndakhuliswa nguyise wam, owaswelekelwa esemtsha 

NguDarly wakhe, umama wam uEdith Nomvula Thomas Mahola 

Sasibathathu kumama wam, ndingowesbini ke mna; umafungwashe katata 

Ubhut' Doc Nceba Mahola 

Zang' alile uyise wam mhla kwakufihlwa umzimba wesithandwa seminyaka 

eDon Bosco Kwazakhele, 4 rooms, with a dining-room table eBhayi 

Zange balile nabathathu ecamb' kwengcwaba lakhe 

Zandl’ ezincinci zalahl' uthuth' eluthuthweni singasazi nesizathu 

Tyhini na bethuna usishiyil' uSis' Nono! Usishiyil' uSis' Nono! 

Hayini! Azange sayibona intombi enje yakhuliswa yindoda 

Dlamini! Abazange bayibona intombi enje yakhuliswa yindoda. 

Sondela, mhlobo wam 

Nali ibali elide; apho kwaqala khona inkathazo -zozo… 



(Come closer my friend 

Here follows a long tale about where the trouble started 

I was raised by my father 

Who was bereaved at a young age by his true darling, my mother 

Edith Nomvula Thomas Mahola 

There were three of us by my mother, myself the second 

The middle child of my father, Bhut' Doc Nceba Mahola 

Never did my father cry, when they hid the body of the love of many years 

At Don Bosco; Kwazakhele… four rooms (with a dining room table) in Port Elizabeth 

Neither did the three cry at the side of the grave, 

Small hands throwing dust to dust not knowing the reason: 

Tyhini na bethuna! Sis’ nono has left us! Sis’ nono has left us! 

Hayini! 

Never have we seen such a girl raised by a man. 

Dlamini! 

Never have they seen such a girl raised by a man. 

Come closer my friend 

Here follows a long tale about where the trouble started)