The poem is just about unbearable smells people experience in every street due to the heat waves from the sun. Umphutha is not a comfortable word to translate. Kwanga thina bahlali singakhe sikhathalele iindawo esihlala kuzo, sitshise inkukuma kungenjalo siyigrumbele kwakunye nezilwanyana zaze khaya xa ziye zafa. How can we celebrate human rights in these conditions?

Ezweni lokuzalwa kwethu
Kungumvimbo ukusoloko usendleleni
Ukuhlala endlwini kuyingxotha
Ukuba lundwendwe kuzintloni
Nokutya kommelwane akusa thembakali
Kuba ivumba elinyekenyeke liya chekra

Kusuke kwathi nkxwee kwizitalato zethu
Livumba elingxolayo
Elikwenza unge uza kuwa isiduli
Kunqongophele imvula yona
Oko sesikuxolele kungaphaya kwethu

Ivumba kumantloko endlela
Livumba lomphutha likhatshwa ziimpukane
Usothuswe lelo vumba
Emantloko kuvakala elenja efileyo
Sakutsho ke kuba singazi

Izigcini mphutha ziyankcenkceza
Kuyimisi nezaqhwithi zomoya
ziphephethekisa iitoti namaphepha

Sesifane sithi kuya lunga
Kuba nali ithontsi lemvula
Kunzima nokubulisa uKwindla

Kusekhona kodwa ithemba kuwe Makhanda?

NguDumisa Mpupha

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