Chapter 7 — A Father's Passing

Qhawekazi's world came crashing down around her as she discovered her father's lifeless body. She had been calling out to him, shaking him, and pleading with him to wake up, but it was too late. The cheap vodka had taken its toll, and her father was gone.

She sat next to his corpse, crying uncontrollably, feeling like she was cursed. Her mother had abandoned her, and now her father was gone, leaving her with no relatives. The knock on the door startled her, but she ignored it, not wanting to see or speak to anyone.

Eventually, she got up, covered her father's body with a sheet, and began searching for funeral papers, but there were none to be found. Panic set in as she realized she had no idea how she would bury her father.

With a heavy heart, she set out to find help, hoping that Mam'Mngomeni or one of her father's friends could assist her. As she walked to Mam'Mngomeni's house, she felt a sense of desperation wash over her. She had never felt so alone in her life.

When she arrived at Mam'Mngomeni's house, she was greeted with a warm smile. But as she delivered the news of her father's passing, Mam'Mngomeni's expression changed to one of shock and sadness.

"Hawu, Hawu, Hawu!" Mam'Mngomeni exclaimed, shaking her head in disbelief. "What has happened to Mthethwa?"

Qhawekazi explained how her father's alcoholism had finally caught up with him, and Mam'Mngomeni listened intently, nodding her head.

"I've been warning Mthethwa about his drinking habits," Mam'Mngomeni said, "but he wouldn't listen. Ugavini has taken too many lives in our community."

Qhawekazi felt a surge of anger and frustration, but she knew that she had to stay focused. She needed Mam'Mngomeni's help to bury her father, and she was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen.