Mayberry Park resident celebrates 90 years
Muriel Swart from Mayberry Park, who recently turned 90 years old, has many stories to tell.
Mayberry Park resident Muriel Swart, who recently turned 90 years old, has many stories to tell.
She was born in Parkhurst and soon afterwards her family moved to Frankfort, a small farming town in the Free State.
When Muriel was 18, like so many others she was looking for greener pastures and came to the City of Gold.
She worked in government for several years before taking up the position of office administrator in Johannesburg.
The mother of three was married to her late husband, Louwrens Swart, for 48 years and describes them as the best years of her life.
She told the RECORD more about her childhood years.
“We never had television when we were young, we only had battery-powered radios.
“I was never bored at the farm because together with my younger sibling, we would play and never worry about a thing. There’s a great difference between our generation and today’s generation,” said Muriel.
On the farm, surrounded by cattle and sheep, she would milk the cows and collect eggs. She enjoyed horse riding most of all.
She said: “Everything seemed natural to me and I would even go to school on a horse cart. At times they would pick us up on a bus and you still had to walk quite a distance to get to school.”
Muriel grew up during the time of the war.
“We would hear on the radio about the war. We also had blackouts and we would close the curtains in most times. It didn’t affect South Africa badly, but there were precautions taken to keep safe,” she said.
Growing up, she also witnessed the construction of the Vaal Dam and saw many memorable things unfold before her eyes.
Muriel describes herself as an independent individual with strong character.
At age 90, she still enjoys reading her favourite novels, and she told the RECORD that reading gives her peace of mind.
She said eating a balanced diet contributed immensely to her long lifespan.
Her older son, Gerald Swart, describes his mom as having a great sense of humour.
“My mother is a very focused and strict woman and I thank her for the sacrifices she made in raising us.
“We would also like to extend our gratitude to the staff of Stepping Stone Hospice for managing the pain of her collapsed back, and our personal care workers,” he said.
Muriel’s say on Covid-19
Muriel expressed her heartfelt concern about the contagious coronavirus disease sweeping the planet.
“My son has assured me that we will be taking as many precautions as possible in protecting ourselves from the virus. I am not too worried since I am home bound. I am aware that the president has taken the precautionary measures against this and I am confident that things are being done as correctly as possible,” she said.
