The Makonde and Khubvi communities near Thohoyandou are in deep mourning following the passing of a white man who, at a time when this was unheard of, broke racial barriers to live among them.
Businessman James Engelstoft Nissen and his wife, Sylvia, established a bakery in Khubvi and later settled in Makonde village, where they built a home and lived in harmony with the local people.
When Nissen and his family arrived in Makonde in 1997, they integrated well, attending funerals and community meetings at Musanda Makonde. The family also assisted the less privileged, community stakeholders, and churches by donating essentials such as food, clothing, and building materials. They played a significant role in local economic development by employing a large number of people in their bakery, which continues to operate. Nissen was also known as a crime buster, patrolling Makonde village at night with fellow residents.
Nissen passed away at the age of 84 and was cremated in Modjadjiskloof on 22 March. A memorial service was held in his honour on Wednesday, 25 March, at the Living Waters Christian International Church, near his bakery.
The senior pastor and founder of the Wells Revival Church at Makonde village, where Nissen was a devoted member, Mmboswobeni Mankhili, said his passing was a devastating loss for the church, the community, and the local business sector.
“By taking the bold step of coming to stay with us in Makonde and helping to develop our area, he was a pillar of strength who contributed greatly to our community. He also made history by becoming the first (and perhaps the last) white man to live in our village with his family. We deeply mourn his passing because he was unquestionably one of us,” Mankhili said.
Born on 16 August 1941, Nissen spent his earliest years on a farm in the Eastern Cape. His family later settled in Queenstown. A talented rugby player and swimmer in his youth, he was disciplined and energetic, carrying himself with authority from a young age.
As an adventurous young man in the 1960s, he lived and worked in the United Kingdom, Europe, India, Singapore, and Australia. In 1968, he returned to Africa and took up farming on a coffee farm in Chipinge, in what was then Rhodesia. He approached the work with dedication and, in 1973, was named Coffee Grower of the Year, an accolade reflecting his skills and commitment. In 1978, with the war of independence making farming unviable, Nissen made the difficult decision to move into wholesaling and the bakery business.
In 1987, he immigrated to South Africa with his family, working in top management at Sapekoe Tea Estates. In 1997, his wife Sylvia started a bakery in Khubvi, and a year later, Nissen joined her. The family later settled in Makonde, where they maintained a home. Nissen had an extraordinary gift for connecting with the surrounding communities and was proficient in Xhosa, Zulu, Afrikaans, Shona, and Tshivenda. In 2000, he retired from the bakery and moved to his holiday home in Magoebaskloof, though he continued to visit his roots in Makonde village regularly.