A Ravensmead ouma, who turned 100 years old over the weekend, advises people to honour their parents so they could live longer.
Wilhemina Andrews celebrated her birthday with family and friends on Saturday afternoon at a hall in Dalton Street.
“I got to this age because I respected my mother and father and as the Bible taught us to honour our parents, I did just that,” she says.
“I am not surprised that I reached this age.”
The mother of three was born and raised in Ravensmead where she still lives with her 60-year-old son Gerald.
“I have two siblings, Sylvia, who is 78 years old and Walter, who is 70,” says Gerald.
“My mom was married and our father died 40 years ago and since then, I have never left my mother’s side.
“She went to school in Ravensmead but then in those days no one really finished school so she left at what is now known as Grade 5 (Standard 3). She looked for work as a char.”
He says his mom is a very generous woman who was accessible to many people.
“Everyone knows her as Tietie, she would cook a lot of food so that anyone from the community could get some whenever they wanted.
“She has a heart of gold, and I am not surprised she got to this age.”
Gerald says her mom doesn’t suffer from any disease but has been showing signs of illness recently.
“I know that old people normally get hypertension when they are at her age but she doesn’t have any of those.
“But we are worried that she might have cancer like her brother had.
“Her stomach can’t keep anything in it, the symptoms that my uncle had are with her now and we are worried but we do take her to the doctors for check-ups.”
He tells the Daily Voice that Wilhemina is now wheelchair-bound.
“Up until two years ago she was still able to walk on her own but now she can’t, when she tries she falls.
“She was an active person, she would walk everyday and I know that she misses those days and my wife sometimes pushes her wheelchair when the weather permits.”
Gerald says he believes that he will also get to that age.
“I know she lived to that age because she was a good daughter, and because I am a good son, I will also get to 100,” he jokes.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za