Ma Anna Eksteen was showered with love and hugs at her 100th birthday celebration on Tuesday.
The talkative ouma was spoiled by members of the Mandela Peace Park Seniors Club, who hosted a lavish affair at their community hall.
Ma Anna smiled from ear to ear as she was wheeled into the hall. She looked around and immediately asked her daughter Hester Maarman for a sweetie.
A jolly Hester tells the Daily Voice: “This is what she loves, sweeties, teetjies and broodjies, especially while she is sitting on the stoep in the sun, like a real madam. And can she talk, and kerrim… especially when things are not to her liking, but she is loved.”
Anna has trouble forming her words these days, but Hester says at times her mom speaks with so much wisdom that she is left astounded.
“The one oumensraad that my mother enjoys sharing is, ‘as mense eet, moet nie rondstaan nie, miskien het hulle nie genoeg om ‘n bord vir jou te gee nie, wees bedagsaam’.
“That is just how she has always been, she has a true heart of gold.
“She had 10 children of her own and also ‘adopted’ the community kids. I always had to share my mommy, and now as an adult, I understand why.
“My mom was born in Bloemfontein and then moved to Mitchells Plain.”
When the golden oldies started playing, ouma Anna tapped her feet and clapped her hands joyfully.
Captain John Bartlett from Delft SAPS also came to wish ouma Anna and thanked her for her work in their community, especially in her younger years.
“This is only by grace and one can only imagine how much respect and honour ouma Anna had for her parents to live this long. Ouma Anna, dankie,” he said.
Mandela Peace Park Senior Club chairperson Gadija Francis says even though Ma Anna wasn’t a member of their club, she wanted to do something special for her.
“When you reach a milestone like this, it needs to be celebrated, so our seniors took from their pension money and bought either a packet of chips, cooldrink and sweets for the tables and we contributed the rest.
She says although she only met Ouma Anna three weeks ago, the old lady has stolen her heart: “She has such a good soul.”
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za