Chapter 11 - Siyabonga (Civil engineering ECP student)

Left alone, Helen mulled over what she remembered of what Stephen had just said. Her son was in trouble. All she wanted and had ever wanted, was for Stevie to be happy. ‘I’m just a typical mother,’ she thought.

He had held Themi’s hand as they walked towards the cell. "Ndihamba noStephen..."

Stephen had heard the constable mumble, "Oook, I see the new South Africa really is working for you!", he replies in an irritatingly sarcastic voice. She felt her son’s pain. Thembi had immediately shrugged the officer off.

On the other side of a door they go through are two detectives, and as they soon found out they were detectives Ncube and Mazibuko. After intro0ducinge everyone, the constable than leaves.

"So you came to see the suspects?", questioned Ncube.
"Yes I have, have they told you anything yet detective?", Stephen spoke with a small voice.

She went over his words again and the way he had created the scene again."Can't tell you anything yet sir, but lets get down to it shall we...', said Mazibuko in an impatient tone of his voice. Mazibuko had pointed them in the direction of the viewing room and Thembeka could feel stephen's hand shiver almost shudder in her's. They walked in and waited for the suspects. Helen empathized with the feelings of the two young people. Stephen was facing two very difficult situations – seeing the people who had potentially harmed his mother, and the reactions of the police, both White and Black, to his holding Thembi’s hand. ‘Oh, my son,’ she thought, ‘you have chosen a difficult way.’

The suspects walk in one at a time and Stephen turns red with anger.. he slowly stares at each of them. ‘Mom, I just couldn’t believe it.’ Helen closed her eyes again, remembering the disappointment in the human race that she had heard in his voice. ‘Why would they hurt you to steal?’ It wasn’t fair for him to have to find out about life in this way. She admitted to herself, ‘At least Thembi looks genuine. Keep thinking of Nelson Mandela,’ she told herself. ‘Then all this will make sense. Then I will be able to help Stephen and Thembi. I need to get better. Ah….’ A germ of an idea entered her `mind. ‘This is the way to go…”