Jealously is death

 The rising sun shone like gold, and it was interesting. It’s been a week since Lerato finished matric. Lerato was Mmampho's daughter, an intelligent girl. “Mom, it’s time to focus on the future,” excited Lerato said. Her mother was a God-fearing woman, the woman who had a powerful belief. “I am excited to hear that you are focusing on the future,” Mmampho said. “So tell me which career is suitable for you?” her mother asked.

“I want to be a security officer,” Lerato smiled. Mmampho doubted her choice. 

“I don’t think the career is good for you,” Mmampho advised her. Lerato felt bad after Mmampho instructed her to choose another career. “Come on mom, I am worried about the crime rate in our hospitals," Lerato said. Her mother understood and allowed her to study the career of her choice. “I will talk to your father,” Mmampho said. Lerato was very excited. During the conversation with her daughter, Mmampe visited Mmampho. Mmampe was a heartless witch. “What do you want?” Mmampho asked. “My friend, I am here to see you,” Mmampe said and asked Lerato for a tee and her mom refused. “Hey, you witch! I won’t allow you to drink my tea.” Mmampho was upset, and the fight started. “Get out of my house before I call the police!” Mmampho shouted. Mmampe left with peace.

On the next day, Mmampho begged her husband John to give Lerato money to study. “My husband, I am delighted for my child, she passed matric,” Mmampho giggled. “You are right my wife, Lerato need to study,” John added. These two couples were excited about Lerato's performance. “It’s a wonderful thing to support our daughter, she will notice that we support her," Mmampho said. Both parents agreed to help Lerato with her career. After two years, Lerato got a certificate of security and firearm.

During the afternoon, Mmampe visited Mmampho and Lerato. “Lerato, I am here to congratulate you for being a professional security officer,” Mmampe said, Mmampho was surprised. “Since when?” Mmampho asked. “I am not here to fight, I am here to make peace,” Mmampe humbled herself. “Okay, thank you for congratulating my daughter. You can leave peaceully,” Mmampho said. Mmampe was very jealous. “Something is fishy here, my son studied with your daughter in high school but he failed, maybe you bewitched him,” Mmampe said and drove Mmampho to be aggressive and wanted to beat her, she chased her and Mmampe left them. It was clear that Mmampe was very jealous about Lerato, and she would do her best to kill her. 

“My daughter do not worry about her, she will leave us,” Mmampho advised her daughter. “My daughter, please be careful, this woman is a witch.” Lerato wanted to slap Mmampe but she couldn’t.

Lerato didn’t work well, her colleagues needed to destroy her. Officer Mokwena hated Lerato, and she thought that Lerato would spy on them. These officers were drinking beer at work. “Lerato thinks she is better than us,” Officer Maqelepo said. “When I look at her, I feel like vomiting.” OfficerMaqelepo and Officer Mokwena worked at the South African Security Force. After Lerato’s arrival, these women were not happy. “Good morning colleagues,” Lerato greeted, after sitting, her colleagues left her.

On the day of results, Mmampe noticed that his son Teboho has failed, she was very hurt. Mmampe visited Mmampho. “Hello, my friend, how are you?” Mmampe said, looking so jealous. Mmampho tried to chase her out but she couldn’t. “What do you want, you witch?” Mmampho asked. Mmampe tried to be humble and she handled Mmampho. “Calm down my friend, I am not here to fight,” Mmampe said. "Your daughter is now a security officer, mine has failed.” Mmampho was very surprised. “Come again? My Lord, why this?” Mmampho asked, holding a skirt. “Listen to me Mmampho, this is not the end. Your tears will fall.” Mmampe laughed.

During dinner, Mmampho thought about this incident. “My love, eat before the food gets cold.” Her husband was worried about her. “Some people are heartless, Mmampe said my daughter bewitched her son.” Food choked Lerato during the conversation. “Mom, am I hearing you?” Lerato cried. John told his family to depend on God, and they shouldn’t allow the devil to control them, “My family, God will not forsake us. We need to trust Him, Mmampe is a toothless dog,” John encouraged them, and they enjoyed dinner with joy. Being jealous is poison, at the end you die and become poor and unsuccessful.

The general of SACF summoned Lerato at his office. “I am calling you here to give you news,” General George said. “I thought I misbehaved, ” Lerato said, looking so worried. “No Lento, I am announcing you to be my assistant.” Lerato thought it was a dream, her heart jumped by joy.

Mmampe visited a sangoma to kill Lerato. “What brings you here?” Nkgekge asked. 

“I need muti to destroy a girl, I can’t sleep because of her,” Mmampe said, hoping to get help. “Do I look like a witch old lady?” Nkgekge asked and became angry. Mmampe pursued Nkgekge, and she showed him the money. “Okay, no problem I will get you muti.” Mmape ululated.

During the midnight Mmampe stood at the Mmampho’s gate and pour muti. During her ritual, Mmampho caught her. “Oh my God, she saw me,” Mmampe said and ran to her place, her plans didn’t work. Mmampho gave her daughter holy water during that midnight. 

In the morning Teboho got sick, Mmampe blamed Mmampho with her witchcraft. “This witch is trying to kill my son,” aggressive Mmampe. Mmampe didn't know what to do, she felt embarrassed. Jealous will bring misery, at the end your work will be revealed.

©Brian Makara, 2025