The rural village of Thengwe Mutangula nearly came to a standstill on Saturday, 6 July, as the children and relatives of Granny Rebecca Nditsheni Tshisudzungwane celebrated her 104th birthday.
Granny Rebecca was born and raised in Tshitanzhe village near Musunda in 1920 and was the first-born daughter of the royal Tshisudzungwane clan leader. Her father was the late Jim Tshisudzungwane, and her mother's name was Nyamudzhedzi. She had four siblings: Nyamukamadi Nduvheni, Betty Mulaudzi, Vhamusanda Nyilenyile Tshisudzungwane, and Vho Nyawasedza Tshisudzungwane. Nyawasedza is the only brother still alive.
Granny Rebecca was known for raising not only her own children but also other children who were placed in her loving care. After receiving her old-age pension fund, better known in those days as tshelede ya mundende, she gave much of it to her siblings' children to encourage them to take education seriously.
Her two children, Tshinetise and Tutulani, were raised with the help of an uncle, the late Vhamusanda Jim Tshisudzungwane, after the death of her husband. She also has 16 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.
Even at the age of 104, Granny Rebecca is not afraid to work. She has relocated to Thengwe village, where she spends part of her time ploughing the mealie fields near her home. The vegetables she produces go to the children and grandchildren. "I always encourage the children to take education seriously as I regard education as a powerful weapon to fight poverty and unemployment," she said.
She keeps healthy by exercising regularly and eating traditional food, such as mopani worms, mukusule, vhuswa vhutete, and goat's meat.
One of her children, Tshinetise Tshisudzungwane, who is now a pensioner after working at the Mutale Local Municipality as a driver, praised God for saving his mother and allowing her to live this long. He said they were well raised by her in the royal Tshisudzungwane family (musanda).