AFRICAN SHORT STORIES

                             The Rapist

Ntokozo and Thuli were true lovers until Ntoko got arrested for an alleged rape of the school girl. They met at college five years before, on their first year of their teaching diplomma.They wrer engaged . It had taken a whole year for Ntokozo to get a job before he finally got it in the Northern province.

Thuli was very lucky because she got work soon after graduation. Ntokozo went to stay with her  in the cottage while awiting for the results of his applications which he had put to different schools. They both  celebrated when he was  invited to an interview for Science teacher post which  became vacant   after one teachers sudden  death .He passed it with high standard so he was quickly invited to start teaching.

On the day when he was going most of teachers in that cottage including  Sandile who was Thuli's colleguse who had became Ntokozo's friend due to being the only male teacher aprt from headmaster Ntokozo could speak to about men issues. They were  sharing their views and drinks in  different shbeens[ pubs] around the area,especially on monthends when both Thuli and Sandile got payed . Sandile used to praise himself of being a virgin breaker as he use to sleep with  girls that had never had men before. 

When Ntokozo arrived at the new school he received a warm welcome by all teachers and pupils who didn't  mind that he was from  KwaZulu Natal province .The problem started as the time went on. He used to wear immaculately  his aMerican hair styles  including S curl, Bob cut and fish tale were very popular  among the pupils as the boys stared to do them. The Brentwood was a very expensive wear not every Tom ,Dick and harry had that one.  Girls fancied him. 

One day one of the pupil offered him a chance to clean his room he left the keys and asked her to leave them in Miss Mabanga's room but she didn't .She worked slowly until he came  back from town. Around about 8pm . He was shocked to see her there. He thought about letting her sleep with him but he pushed that Idea aside. He offered her a lift home. When they arrive in girl's homestead  she decided to go to her boyfriend's  as she had not got what she wanted from Ntokozo. 

On the following day he saw a police van coming . He was shocked as everybody when he sawa it coming straight to his room with the girl and her father .They remain in the car while police came  to put hard bracelets on his arms . He asked what was the reason hew was told he raped the girl . He strongly denied that but he had no chance as police told him  he was giong to explain that when he reached  the charge office. He  bailed out. He  phoned  Thuli who came  to see him being coupled with Sandile. On thefollwin  week  Sandile came back  and found that he was under custody again following a protest by female prosecutor who thought it was unsafe for the child who opend the case against him  as he would threaten her. Sandile  told  Thuli he might be given a seven years sentence because  he  raped a minor. 

Two months later he was released after semen samples didn't match him and the child had already confessed she was forced by her parents  to say it was Ntokozo though she had told them that it was actully her boyfriend who had kept comfortable that weekend but parents insted it was Ntkozo sothat he would be  punished  as he had taken the post which was supposed to be  her sister's  who had failed an interview.

He decided to go home for cleansing and other traditional rituals that are performed when someone had been behind bars. On the way he decided to go via Thuli. He was also amazed by her silence...........................................................................................................................................