CHAPTER 38
NALEDI MOLETSANE

I am packing my bag, I have to be at some
lawyers offices in 20 minutes. The man called
me and said they have something important
to discuss with me and that it’s crucial to
make it to his office today at 12pm. He
refused telling me what it is in connection
with over the phone, apparently it’s a
sensitive matter that needs to be discussed in
person. I am just hoping that it has absolutely
nothing to do with Sihle Khambule’s case, I’m
not going to drop the assault charges.
Jimmy’s daughter needs to be taught a lesson,
she cannot go around hitting people.
“Naledi,” someone says and I look up to find
the receptionist with a bouquet of flowers.
“Hey,” I say with narrowed eyes.
“Uhm, these just got delivered for you,” she
explains and I raise an eyebrow.
They better not be from Jimmy. He might be
trying to soften me up before the meeting
with his daughters lawyer. He knows me, I am
not easily bought, I’m disappointed in him.
“Come in,” I say and she walks inside briskly
and places the flowers on top of the desk. I
reach for the card and read.
I MISS YOU SO MUCH, PLEASE FORGIVE ME
NALEDI. YOU ARE NOT JUST A FRIEND TO ME,
YOU’RE MY SISTER.
X MONGEZI.
I click my tounge, “You can have the flowers,”
I say and she’s taken aback.
I am shredding the card with my hands.
“Are you sure?” she asks and I nod vigorously.
“Yes,” she smiles and grabs the flowers,
burying her nose in them.
“I’ve never received flowers, Thank you
Naledi,” she’s so happy, I’m glad I could make
her day.
“Send yourself flowers if someone doesn’t,
babe. Spoiling yourself is a necessity,” I say
and she takes a deep breath.
“I wish I could but the R200 for flowers from
Woolworth would buy something for my son. I
am a single parent, plus, everyone at home is
depended on me,” she explains and my smile
fades.
Hearing such stories makes me more grateful
for my life. I have never struggled financially
in my life and my daughters father and I
would go to the ends of the world to provide
for our princess.
“I’ll send you flowers for being a strong
woman who is holding her own. I can’t even
begin to imagine how hard it is on you, but
I’m proud to see you waking up everyday and
hustling for you and your family,” I say and
she’s blinking rapidly.
“Wow, I needed to hear that. Thank you so
much. You’re one of the ladies I look up to,
Naledi,” ahh, I’m truly touched.
“Do you have any university qualifications?” I
ask, maybe I can hook her up with something
better.
“No, I just have Matric. I couldn’t go to
varsity, I had to work immediately after high
school,” that’s very sad.
“Would you like to further your studies while
working?” I ask and she nods vigorously.
“If I had the financial means then absolutely,”
that’s goood to know.
“I will give HR a call. They can help pay for
your studies, provided that you do something
that will see you working here. Accounting,
auditing, economics and risk management,
those kind of degrees,” I say and she drops her
tears.
“You would really do that for me?” her
question comes out in a whisper and I nod
with a huge smile on my face.
“Yes, from one sister to another,” she places
the flowers down.
“Can I please hug you?” how sweet.
I round the table with open arms and we
share a hug.
.
.
.
I get to the lawyers office and hurry inside, I
am 10 minutes late. I would have been on
time if I didn’t have the emotional
convesation with the receptionist. I am glad
it happened though, one more black sister will
have an opportunity to make it in life. We
have to help one another to get to levels that
see us being better visions of ourselves. We
rise by lifting others, people need to
understand this.
I tell the receptionist that I’m here to see a
lawyer by the name of Mondli Kheswa. She
tells me that they are waiting for me in the
conference room. Now I’m wondering who is
“they”. I get into the lift and press the fifth
floor, the receptionist was pretty clear on her
direction. I’m now a little nervous, I don’t
know what to expect.
The conference door is open, I just walk in and
immediately stop and gasp for air. What the
hell is going on here? Jimmy’s wife is here,
she’s dressed in all black. His sister is also in
the room and there’s a girl my age, she has
Thulisile’s features, I guess she’s their other
daughter.
A guy in a black suit sitting at the head of the
table gets up quickly, holding his hand out to
me. I guess he’s the lawyer guy.
“Miss Moletsane, I’m glad you could make it,”
he says and I shake his hand.
“What’s happening?” I’m genuinely confused. I
wasn’t expecting the Khambule’s to be here.
“Please have a seat, you will soon find out,”
my heart is thudding against my chest. I kind
of have an idea of why we are all here but I
don’t want to believe it. I would have read
about it in the papers or seen it on social
media. But I haven’t been active on my socials
and I don’t buy newspapers.
I settle on a chair that’s far from the family
and place my handbag on the table.
“Thank you for coming everyone. Jimmy
wanted his will to be read exactly five days
after his burial,” The lawyer explains and I
gasp in shock, placing a hand over my mouth.
He is gone, how did I miss it? When did it
happen and how?
Yes, we weren’t together anymore but it still
hurts. I loved this guy with all my heart
before everything came crushing down.
The whole family is looking at me.
“You didn’t know?” his wife asks and I shake
my head.
“No, I’m only hearing about his death now. The
lawyer just asked me to come, he didn’t
explain anything,” I say with a hoarse voice,
fighting my tears.
“Mxm,” Jimmy’s sister clicks her tongue.
“He died in America. He had cancer, he went
there for a clinical trial that killed him. None
of us knew about it,” Thulisile is kind enough
to tell me and I’m shocked at why she’s not
mad at me for being here. Her husband
included me in his will, she has every right to
be pissed right now.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” I say and she offers
me a ghost smile.
“We have his wishes on paper and he also
made a video saying exactly what’s in the
document. You guys will watch it and if you
like I’ll read it to you as well,” the lawyer
says, his eyes darting from this person to the
next.
“If we can all look at the screen,” he says and
presses play. Jimmy appears, he is wearing his
favorite Versace shirt.
I used to hate it with all my heart, I thought
it was too tacky for my liking.
“If you’re watching this it means that I’m
gone. I hate thinking of what my death will
do to each and everyone of you. Please forgive
me for not telling you about the cancer, the
whole thing caught me off guard and when I
was given the chance to be a part of a clinical
trial I took it. I hoped that it will work and I’ll
come back home cancer free. These last few
weeks have been chaotic, truths came to light
and caused division in our family. I would
firstly like to address my wife Thulisile. I am
sincerely sorry for hurting you, for breaking
our family. You didn’t deserve it. You have
been nothing but a loyal wife to me, you
deserve better than me and I hope you find it
now that I’m gone. I don’t want to say much
and hurt you more than I already have. I
promised you the world when we first got
together and I didn’t really deliver but I’m
hoping to fix that now. I want you to be
happy, to travel like you have always wanted.
You don’t have to worry about ever working a
day in your life, just relax and explore the
world. I have decided to leave you all the cars,
our house in Saxonwold, the one in Cape Town
and the block of flats in Braamfontein. I also
leave you a sum of R25 million rands. Do me a
favor by being happy; thank you for all the
good years and I’m sorry for all the hell I put
you through,” he wipes his tears and Thuli is
sobbing.
“To my Children, Senzeni and Sihle. I’m
ashamed to even address you, I have failed
you as a father. The best thing a father can
do for his children is to love and protect their
mother and I failed dismally at that. I hope
one day you will find it in your hearts to
forgive me. Please take care of mom, love and
respect her. I am proud of the women you
have both become. Senzeni, I love how you
have turned your passion into a lucrative
business. You are a genius, your fathers
daughter. I am sorry that you had to leave
home because you couldn’t stand being
around me. You might feel guilty right now
for all you said but please know that I long
forgave you my baby. I know you are an
independent child but I still want you to have
the money I worked hard for. I am leaving you
and your sister a sum of R5 million rands
each. Sihle, magcina wami, yobe sisi. I allowed
my anger to get the better of me and didn’t
stop to think that you acted the way you did
because you were in pain. I’m sorry and I
promise to make things right, Mondli will see
to it that all the charges get dropped and you
are home with your mother and sister,” I am
startled by a high pitched cry that comes
from the laptop facing the TV screen. I didn’t
see Sihle there, Jesus!
“Khabo, sisi wami. Please look out for my
family, don’t abandon them now that I’m
gone. Things happened when I was still alive,
we fought but that didn’t change the fact
that you’re still my sister. I am leaving you
with a sum of R1 million,” his sister gasps for
air.
“Last but not least, Bubbles,” he says and my
heart drops into my stomach.
I feel everyones eyes piercing the side of my
face.
“Naledi Moletsane. I have so much to say to
you and I’m sorry is one of them. I lied to you
but you were the one on the receiving end
when the truth came out. I honestly love you,
you meant everything to me. I wish life gave
us a chance to be together and happy because
what we had was genuine. Maybe I will have a
chance to meet you first in another lifetime.
You taught me so much, I was always left in
awe after our conversations. Don’t change my
fire cracker, just apply more pressure and
thrive. You have the potential to be
everything, I’ve seen how hard you work and
your dedication. Those traits are what made
me decide to leave you my company,
Khambule holdings,” I close my eyes as
comments of disapproval make their way
around the room. I can’t really blame them?
How could Jimmy do this to me? “You are
already an amazing manager at work, I don’t
doubt that you’ll make a great CEO. I have
made arrangements with Mondli, he will
organize someone to groom you for the
position. I also leave you our house in
Bryanston, we made a lot of happy memories
there,” I cannot believe this man. Who does
this? He had children, why didn’t he leave the
company to them?
He just complicated my life, his family will
not accept this.
“I know everyone will be shocked by my
decision regarding the company but none of
my daughters were interested in it. They both
won’t tell you exactly what I do but Naledi
can in her sleep. Plus, she’s in the same
industry. My wife and children will get a share
of the company’s profits on a yearly basis,
Bubbles I know you will see that this wish of
mine is fulfilled. You have never been a greedy
person. Thulisile, Senzeni and Sihle, please
don’t fight Naledi. The rest of my money is
held up in investments, once they mature
Mondli will see to it that Thuli and the kids
get it. I need everyone of you to accept my
last wishes. I love you all and please live your
lives to the fullest,” the tape stops and silence
falls on the room. I’m afraid to look at the
others, I know someone between them is
ready to jump me.
“Did my brother really leave me 1 million
only?” Khabo asks and the lawyer nods.
“Yes, that’s all you’re getting. He didn’t include
you in the money that’s held up in
investments,” Mondli, the lawyer explains and
I can see that the sister is boiling. She
expected more.
“That’s impossible. Jimmy cannot leave me R1
million and give his side piece a whole
multimillion rand company,” his sister is
already giving me a tough time. I didn’t ask
for any of this.
“Khabo please, this is what Jimmy wanted.
You can’t fight him, we all have to accept
that he loved her. Your brother made his
decision, Jimmy always chose himself and his
happiness. Naledi was his happiness, he chose
her even when he was knocking on deaths
door. I was stupid to think I’d stay on as the
first wife and make the polygamy work. I feel
stupid right now for sitting here feeling pain
and not rage,” I feel so guilty right now.
Why did my path have to cross with Jimmy?
“Thuli, I can sign the company back to you
once it’s legally in my name,” I say and she
shakes her head.
“That’s exactly what you should do,” Khabo
quickly answers.
“I’m not fighting this decision. I am tired,
Naledi. He started that company from
scratch, all of it, even the subsidiaries. He
wanted you to have it and run it, that’s okay.
I will take what he wanted me to have and
move on with my life,”
There’s pain in her voice.
“I’m really sorry, Thuli. I didn’t mean for any of
this,” she nods and wipes her tears.
“Thulisile you cannot allow this girl to take
what you helped Jimmy build,” I think it’s
time to get out of here.
“Can I be excused?” I ask.
“Uhm, yes. I will be in touch to get some
documents signed and to discuss things
regarding the holding company,” I just nod.
I need a minute to wrap my head around this
whole thing.
“Okay.” I get up and take my handbag.