Oyama: Her Story

CHAPTER 22

Its been one hell of a festive day, I always knew they were powerful and all that, but damn. So what I have learnt is how they met their husbands. I must say Qhawe’s father was a charmer, imagine standing outside and offering their mom a ride and when she said no and tried leaving by Taxi, you also know the taxi drivers.
My favorite love story is between Lindy and Lethabo. So apparently after an altercation at a party she was at, bab’Lethabo went to Wits University and waited outside her lecture hall, at the time he was still driving a Gusheshe, when she saw him sitting on top of the hood of the car, she said, she fell in love. She tried her hardest to play hard to get, but with the men of this family, hard to get will only get you so far. Even I learnt that the hard way. These boys were a lot to raise that’s for sure especially the first borns; Kagiso, Qhawe, Mogale, Mzi and Mazwi. I also learnt their father named all of them, all the kids in this family. One time when they were 17 they threw a party, while their parents where in Qumbu, when they came back early because Qhawe’s father was sick, apparently he beat them up. We not talking a simple beating like a belt and that’s it, NOPE. Full beating like how you’d beat up someone up for trying to rob you. Its wasn’t bad though, Qhawe was the only one who fought back and his dad kicked him out of the house, then he was at the gate begging his dad to open for him, his dad didn’t fight it, he just opened and as a punishment they were all sent to work at the ranks every weekend and he made them find their own way of transport, because in his words, ‘You want to act like men, I’ll show you how men are treated’ this went on until he felt they had learnt their lesson.

Their father is definitely an enigma, in all honesty, he scares me. I don’t think, I would be able to stay in the same room as any of their fathers, the sons themselves are a bit as scary.
They are talking about some of the ventures and I have been too quiet, I mean what the heck do I know about Vineyards and distillery, or Potatoes and Cabbages or Oranges, WHAT DO I KNOW ABOUT SUCH? They are really having the time of their lives with these conversations. Now they are talking about the chicken ranch they are opening.
“I saw their dads interview about that” I say as we are eating dessert.
“Oh yeah, what do you think?” asks Lindy.
“I mean, its something, I remember the interviewer talking about the land size and comparing it to the land of the Royal Bafokeng Nation” I say.
“Yes, and what about it?” asks Qhawe’s mother.
“Well, I further did my research on the Nation, and its title of, ‘Richest tribe in Africa’ it spans about Three Hundred Thousand acres, and you guys own more than that, as the interviewer said” I say.
“What are you getting at darling?” she asks.
“I guess what, I’m trying to ask, is, just how rich are you guys?” they all look at one another and back at me, “Its ok, you guys don’t have to answer, forget I asked”
“Oh no it’s OK, darling” says mam’Lindokuhle, “Well given the last time, I looked at the Holdings and Trust, we are at an estimated R32 Billion”
I spit out my dessert and cough, “What?!”
The room goes still for a moment, my coughing echoing awkwardly in the air. Everyone is staring at me now, their expressions ranging from amused to bemused.
Qhawe’s mother hands me a napkin, “Are you ok darling?” she asks with a slight smirk tugging at the corners of her lips.
"I'm... fine," I manage between breaths. I dab at my mouth, willing myself to regain composure. "It's just... R32 billion? That's—"
"Not the full picture," interrupts Qhawe’s mother with a sly smile, "That's just the Holdings and Trust. There's also personal wealth, offshore accounts, and investments that aren't directly tied to the family estate."
I blink, struggling to process this casually dropped bombshell.
“Enough of that, when are we leaving for Qumbu, I’m tired of the city air, aowa” says Lerato. “You can say that again” says Lindy, they all start laughing. How do we move from, we have enough money to buy a small country to, when are moving to the Eastern Cape for a holiday? I really don’t think, I can live? I mean, if they are worth this much now, how much will they be worth in 10 or 20 years?