Find the rat

DUTY AND DESIRE.
STORY BY BELLA ROYALTY.
P2/14.

[DR. APHIWE BHENGU]
It's been exactly two days since the president of Zimbabwe stood in front of his people and accused our government of killing hundreds of their people in a disguise that they were deporting them back home since they didn't have the right documents that enabled them to be in this country.

I have never seen South Africans being united like this and defending our government as well as our president, the way that they've been doing the last two days, the Unity was started by the 'Hlangana Zulu' association and you know they don't play, soon the whole of South Africa rallied behind the president and government.

Look I know that South Africa has had issues with foreigners, basically people who were in this country illegally, and this is because most of these people come to this country firstly illegally, no papers at all and then they start polluting our country, by that I mean they sell drugs, they sell women etc but I doubt the government would make their deportation public only for them to execute those people, that seems sloppy.

It just doesn't make any sense, Nathi so far has been a great president, his party has been an excellent government, he hasn't had major scandals in fact the biggest scandal the Genesis Party has ever faced, was the first lady's affair with the president's brother resulting in 3 children and that's it, as far as service delivery is concerned they've done pretty well so this is so clear… It's a smear campaign.

Someone out there wants to make Nathi and the Genesis Party look like merciless murderers, someone out there wants Zimbabwe and South Africa to go to war.

Amahle: Friend things aren't looking good at all, do you have any idea what the president is going to say about all of this during the press conference?
Me: I'd be lying if I said I knew Amahle, the president of Zim is demanding answers and accountability and I know deep inside my heart that they didn't do this Amahle.
Amahle: Aphiwe I know, someone is after the government.
Me: What I want to know is, where are the 200 Zimbabweans? Are they really dead?

She exhaled.
Amahle: I'd also like to know that as well.

My phone beeped, indicating a call.
Me: Babes, I'll call you later, someone is calling me.
Amahle: Okay.

I dropped the call and answered the other one, it was Nathi.
Me: Hey baby.
Nathi: Sthandwa sami, Leo will be fetching you, I need you.
Me: Okay, isn't your press conference about to start?
Nathi: Yeah it is, when it's done I'd like to be next to you.
Me(smiles): Okay, I'll pack an overnight bag.
Nathi: Thank you, I love you.
Me: I love you too.

I dropped the call and packed an overnight bag and went to wait in the living room as the press conference began.

Even in the face of adversity, this man looked so fine, so well kept together. If that was me, faced with this test, I would be falling apart and everyone would bear witness, how is he able to look so calm and strong?

"My fellow South Africans and to our brothers and sisters across the continent, I stand before you today not only as your president, but as an African. As a son of this soil."

He paused, scanning the sea of flashing lenses and sharpened pens waiting to carve him alive.

"Grave accusations have been made against this government, that we are responsible for the massacre of Zimbabwean citizens, people who were meant to be safely transported back to their homes, let me be clear: I am not a murderer. My government is not in the business of killing innocent men, women, and children. We reject, in the strongest possible terms, these allegations."

The silence in the room grew heavier, reporters frozen with anticipation.

"But we do not run from the truth. An investigation has been launched to trace every step of that operation, to uncover where those lives were lost, and to bring accountability if God forbid this horror proves true. To the families who grieve tonight, I say: we see you, we hear you, and if you have lost loved ones, we offer our deepest condolences."

My chest ached, there was a tremor in his words, not of weakness, but of raw humanity, my poor baby was stressed out.

"I swore an oath to protect not only this nation, but the dignity of every African who sets foot on our soil. We are not enemies. We are brothers. And I will not allow lies, blood, or borders to tear us apart."

The questions began.
"Mr. President," one journalist called out, her voice cutting through the air, "the Zimbabwean president is insisting that this massacre was deliberate. Do you believe this is a smear campaign against your government?"

Nkosinathi adjusted the microphone, his face unreadable.
Him: I believe in truth, not politics. If there are those who wish to exploit tragedy to weaken South Africa's standing, we will not dignify them with hostility. We will answer only with facts.

Another voice, louder, more aggressive, rang from the back:
Man: But sir, if this is a calculated move by Zimbabwe, if they are deliberately inciting the African Union and painting South Africa as an enemy does this not amount to an act of war? Will we fight back?

The room erupted, voices overlapping, questions flying like stones. For a heartbeat, I held my breath, afraid of how he would respond.

Nkosinathi raised a hand, and the noise dulled into silence. His eyes swept the room, intense and commanding.
Him: South Africa does not seek war with any of our brothers on this continent, war is not the language we choose to speak.

He leaned forward, his tone dropping lower, heavier, carrying that same fire that always left me breathless.
Him: But let me also be clear. If anyone, anyone believes they can threaten the sovereignty of this nation, harm our people, or drag our name through blood for their gain… they will find us ready. South Africa will defend herself.

The press hall trembled with the weight of his words. Some scribbled furiously, others froze, eyes wide. He had struck the balance perfectly, peace offered with one hand, steel clenched in the other.

I felt my heart swell with a strange mix of pride and dread. Pride, because he was everything a leader should be. Dread, because I knew how fragile this moment was, one wrong step, one provocation too far, and the whole continent could be set alight.

Dad switched off the TV and we sat in silence.
Dad: This will be his biggest test yet.
Andile: I agree, someone is setting him up, very soon these people will want to retaliate since he's just made it clear that he didn't murder anyone.
Me: What if they start attacking us? Invading our country?
Dad: That is also possible.
Me: This is not good at all.
Mom: The poor boy must be stressed out, Aphiwe take care of him, he's barely recovered from the shooting or the public divorce and now this? Be his peace.

I nodded and Leo arrived.
Me: Family I will see you tomorrow.
Nolwazi: Okay sis.

I walked out with Leo and he and Marshall drove me to the Unity House.

______
We finally arrived and I was taken to the U.R I think.

I've never been here but I have read about the office, the President's office.

Me: Manzini.
Nathi: Hey, baby.

We shared a soft kiss before he sank into his chair. I perched on his lap, searching his face.

Me: How are you feeling?
Nathi: Stressed out.
Me: You did well at the press conference.
Nathi: I did?

I nodded, trying to reassure him.
Nathi: Baby… whatever I tell you in this office cannot leave here.
Me: Of course.
Nathi (quietly): There's a war coming.
Me (startled): Nathi?

His eyes were heavy, haunted.
Nathi: There's a group of mercenaries who call themselves the Hounds of Justice. They've sworn vengeance for their fallen brothers, the ones they believe were murdered here on our soil. Baby, they're vicious. Somehow, they've taken hostages, our bus drivers and the military escorts who were transporting the deportees to the border. About twenty-five of our people. They have them.

I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth.
Me: What do they want, Nathi?
Nathi: They want me to confess.
Me: Confess?
Nathi: To admit that I killed 200 Zimbabweans. That I lied about sending them home safely. And after that confession… They want me to step down as president.

I shot up from his lap, shaking my head furiously.
Me: Excuse me? Nathi, are you saying this is an inside job?
Nathi: Yazi, Aphiwe, I never thought I'd be betrayed by my own people. This is supposed to be my last term anyway—couldn't they wait? I don't even know who to trust in my own camp right now.
Me: I know politics isn't exactly a candy shop, but this? This is insane! Are those 200 people even dead, or are they being kept somewhere? And the president of Zim, don't tell me he's part of this too?

He gave a solemn nod. My stomach twisted.
Me: So if you step down… who takes over?
Nathi: They haven't told me yet.
Me: This isn't good, Nathi. You can't give in. If you do, you'll be handing this country to the wolves. This is a coup!

He exhaled deeply, the weight of it all dragging his shoulders down. For the first time, I saw him breaking. Of course, they had to hide this from the media to avoid mass panic. Which meant he carried the burden alone.

Me (voice trembling): And if you refuse to confess… they'll execute the hostages?
Nathi: Yes, one by one, they will send me their heads.

Tears welled in my eyes.
Me (emotional): Nkosinathi… what are we going to do?

[MELUSI SHOZI, CHIEF OF STAFF]
The air in the room was thick, like it carried the very stench of betrayal. I stood at the head of the table, fingers pressed into the polished mahogany as if I could steady the entire nation with my grip.

Sfiso, Leo, Marcus, and Marshall sat waiting, eyes fixed on me, and I could feel the storm inside them mirroring my own.

Me: Someone inside this party is behind this, they've aligned with the Zimbabwean president and those mercenaries—the Hounds of Justice. Whoever it is, they want to bring Nkosinathi down. Not just from his chair but down to the grave, they want to ruin his legacy.

Marcus leaned in.
Him: That's not just betrayal, that's treason.

I gave a bitter laugh.
Me: Treason is too kind a word. They'd rather watch this country burn than see him stay in power.

Leo shook his head, voice rough with worry.
Leo: If they succeed, the economy, our borders, the people, we'll lose everything. South Africa will be on her knees.

I looked each of them in the eye.
Me: That's why we have to find this traitor. Fast. Before they strike again.

Sfiso spoke, since he is Dr. Aphiwe's representative, I figured he's one of the few people I could trust to help Nkosinathi and I weather this storm.

Sfiso: We've been looking in the wrong direction. Everyone's eyes are on the president, but if the Hounds want to break him, they won't just go for him. They'll go for what he values most.

I froze. I knew exactly what he was going to say before the words left his mouth.
Marshall: Dr. Aphiwe.

Sfiso nodded.
Sfiso: If they get to her, Nkosinathi won't fight them. He'll hand over the country on a silver platter, she's his weakness and the fact that they took the bus drivers first means they aren't aware that she's actually the key to opening the doors of the kingdom and it's only a matter of time.

The thought burned through me. I clenched my fists, a sick weight settling in my stomach. They wouldn't dare, would they?
Leo: So what's the play here?
Sfiso: We put a tracker on her, she doesn't have to know. But if the Hounds make a move, we'll know where she is, and we'll stop it before it's too late.

I exhaled slowly, the decision heavy but necessary. Me: Do it, protecting her is protecting him. And protecting him is protecting this country.

I straightened, staring each of them down, letting them feel the gravity of what I was about to say.
Me: Until we uncover the traitor, trust no one. Not even the shadows in this room.

_____
Leo, Marshall, Marcus all left but Sfiso remained behind, I led him to my office where I started with a sweep, checking for any bugs before we got in and settled.

I poured two glasses of whisky, sliding one across to him. Neither of us drank.
Me: Let's strip this down.

I said, pulling a thick file from the drawer. The Genesis Party membership roster—every executive, every minister, every strategist.

I slapped it onto the desk between us.
Me: If there's a snake, it's hiding in here.

Sfiso nodded grimly, opening his laptop.
Sfiso: I've already begun cross-referencing accounts. If anyone's been bought, there'll be a trail.

We went through the names one by one. Ministers, MPs, high-ranking advisors. For each, we checked their travel history, who's been to Harare, who's spoken at ZANU events, who has unexplained ties to the Zimbabwean embassy.

Me: What about Mthethwa? He's been quiet since the elections. Too quiet if you ask me.

Sfiso pulled up the records.
Sfiso: He flew to Victoria Falls last month. Officially a 'holiday.' But…

He angled the screen toward me. A large sum had been deposited into his wife's company account the day he came back.

I cursed under my breath.
Me: Blood money?

We scribbled his name onto the growing list of suspects.
Sfiso: Look here, Khoza. He's always been ambitious. If Nathi falls, he's the one the party might rally behind. He's clean financially, at least on the surface but politically? He's the one who benefits the most if the president steps down.

I leaned back, the weight of it sinking in.
Me: So we have two possibilities, those bought, and those waiting to inherit.
Sfiso: And some might be both.

I rubbed my temples, exhaustion clawing at me. Me: The real question is, who's the puppet master? Zimbabwe wouldn't make a move this bold without someone feeding them from our own table.

He nodded, eyes locked with mine.
Sfiso: Then we keep digging. Bank accounts, land purchases, offshore transfers. Everyone gets scrutinized, no exceptions.

I let the silence hang a moment, then leaned forward.
Sfiso: If it comes to it, and we find him—the traitor what do we do?

My jaw tightened.
Me: I will do what I do best, which is to silence people that are a threat to the presidency and my president, it's that simple, Sfiso.

He looked at me, he's an officer of the law, so hearing me say this might come as a shock.
Me: Nkosinathi built this party from the ground up, he sacrificed his blood, sweat and tears, he's lost people he loved and cared about for this country, he's bled for it and this is how they choose to honor him? I will make them pay!