With the country’s life expectancy of 62.8 years recorded by Statistics South Africa in 2022, Makuleni Aidah Mashabane-Thibane, also known as N’wa Magalela, has made it to 103 years old.
Without any known underlying or chronic sicknesses, N’wa Magalela lived through the Covid-19 pandemic and thanked God for keeping her for longer.
Her family, friends and neighbours in Jerusalem Trust near Masoyi celebrated her life on Saturday with an intimate party, and surely she enjoyed being the centre of attention. Most of the attendees had something to say about the bubbly, kind and wise N’wa Magalela.
She was born on December 22, 1920. From a young age, N’wa Magalela lived a healthy and spiritual lifestyle. She said although she is bedridden most of time, she is not in pain, but struggles to chew because of loose teeth.
“I never touched alcohol, ate healthy food that we mostly harvested from our fields. The food that the new generations eat is unhealthy. I grew up being active in the field, planting and harvesting organic vegetables that my family and I consumed. I believe what has kept me this long. is believing in God and praying every day. I spend time in church and participate in community and church activities.”
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N’wa Magalela said she grew up in a poverty-stricken family. She was the first-born of five children.
“I dropped out in Sub B from school to go look for a job as a domestic worker of farms. This was to assist my parents with raising my siblings,” she said.
N’wa Magalela was blessed with nine children, of whom only three are still alive and 27 grandchildren.
She said she is grateful to have lived to see her beautiful grandchildren who have brought nothing but joy to her life.
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“My advice to the young generation is to listen and respect their parents and elders, stop drinking alcohol and find a church for fellowship at and pray every day,” N’wa Magalela said.
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